| Sharpsburg | |
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| — Borough — | |
| The borough of Sharpsburg (Route 28 is pictured in the foreground; the Allegheny River is in the background) |
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| Location within Allegheny County | |
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Sharpsburg
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.6 sq mi (1.6 km2) |
| • Land | 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,446 |
| • Density | 5,743.3/sq mi (2,217.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | |
| FIPS code | |
| GNIS feature ID | |
| Website | Borough of Sharpsburg |
Sharpsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. In the past, it had a rolling mill, foundries, machine shops, and manufacturers of varnish, brick, glass, lumber products, wire, hair, felt, and lubricating oil. In 1900, 6,842 people lived here; by 1940, 8,202 people lived in Sharpsburg. The population was 3,446 at the 2010 census.[1]
The H. J. Heinz Company originated in Sharpsburg.[2]
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Sharpsburg is located at (40.495368, -79.928991).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2), of which 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 26.15%, is water.
Sharpsburg is bordered by Etna to the west, Shaler Township and O'Hara Township to the north, and Aspinwall to the east. To the south, across the Allegheny River via the 62nd Street Bridge, are the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Upper Lawrenceville and Morningside.
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 3,594 people, 1,748 households, and 893 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,393.8 people per square mile (2,831.9/km²). There were 1,911 housing units at an average density of 3,931.4 per square mile (1,505.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.74% White, 3.81% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population.
There were 1,748 households out of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.5% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.9% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 82.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.6 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $22,828, and the median income for a family was $30,500. Males had a median income of $27,396 versus $22,238 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,698. About 14.0% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.
The borough of Sharpsburg is located along the Allegheny River just over 5 miles (8 km) outside of downtown Pittsburgh. Sharpsburg has a rich history dating back to the 18th century when the Seneca Indians settled into the area. One Seneca in particular, Guyasuta, has a special connection to the community.
Guyasuta was a strong warrior and skilled hunter. He was chosen by George Washington to be a hunter guide with his party in 1753. When the two met again in Ohio 17 years later, General Washington greeted him with warmth and affection. In 1758, Guyasuta was involved in a bitter battle at Grant's Hill, where the Allegheny County Courthouse stands today. In the early 1760s, Guyasuta sought peace with the British Army. Guyasuta's peace efforts culminated in a peace treaty, in which the government received a tract of land in what is now western Pennsylvania. James O'Hara, who had purchased a portion of the river land, donated a small portion of it, where Sharpsburg is today, to Guyasuta.
In 1826, a man named James Sharp rode into this area and purchased 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land, building a log cabin for his wife. Opening the land to settlers, Sharp built a school and church while continuing to donate his land for the growing needs of the community. On December 14, 1841, the borough applied for incorporation, and received its charter March 14, 1842. According to the Sharpsburg town web site, http://www.city-data.com/city/Sharpsburg-Pennsylvania.html, incorporation was March 26, 1842.
Since its incorporation, Sharpsburg became an industrial town, manufacturing iron, brick and glass while goods were transported through the canal that bisected the borough, along with the Allegheny River. When railroads became the preferred mode of transportation for that time, Sharpsburg continued to thrive as thousands came for the plethora of job opportunities available.
One of the most well-known industries that had its beginnings in Sharpsburg was the H. J. Heinz Company. The Heinz glass works in Sharpsburg once manufactured all of the glassware for Heinz products. In 1869, Heinz began crating and bottling his first horseradish in the kitchen of his Sharpsburg residence. This house is the place where it all began. Shortly thereafter, the house became Heinz’s first factory. Although he moved his company down the Allegheny along the North Shore of Pittsburgh, he was very gracious to the people of Sharpsburg until his death, donating gifts to the community that was his family home for many years. One of these included the life-sized statue of Guyasuta that was installed at the intersection of Main and North Canal streets. This statue was hit by a car and was had to be restored.
Less than a century ago, Sharpsburg was divided into two sections because of a railroad track that went through the location where Kennedy Park currently sits. There were two fire departments, one on each side of the tracks. There were two schools on each side of the track as well, one "up street" and one "down street". Once the railroad tracks weren’t used anymore, the railcars sat vacant on the tracks. The Junior Chamber of Commerce in Sharpsburg went to the railroad company as well as the Heinz family to try to change something about this. The Heinz family said they would help build a park if it was used for recreation purposes only. The park was built around the time when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and that is why the area was named Kennedy Park.
Today, Sharpsburg continues to boast pride of its industrial past while looking forward to the opportunities of economic growth within the business district, and its residents enjoy being a part of this unique riverfront community.[5]
Located within Sharpsburg are numerous churches and other religious gathering places. Most notably, though, in the borough, is the Catholic community. Three churches, St. Mary Church, Madonna of Jerusalem Church, and St. John Cantius Church, form the Saint Juan Diego Parish. Bishop David Zubik of the Diocese of Pittsburgh created the parish in 2009, at the behest of the parishioners, who called for the three churches to form one parish. Saint Juan Diego, a Native American from Mexico, was chosen as the name of the parish because of Sharpsburg's ties with Native Americans, specifically Guyasuta and the Senecas.[6]
In addition, Grace Methodist Church, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, First English Lutheran Church, First Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Sharpsburg Family Worship Center call Sharpsburg home. The basement of the Mt. Olive church was the artistic inspiration to urban lyricist Mark D. Lombardi during his 1991 recording sessions of his gold album Locked Half Cocked and Loaded.
In late 2008, the Sharpsburg branch of the Lauri Ann West Memorial Library opened at its new location. The re-opening was organized by borough residents, the Sharpsburg council, and donations from various philanthropies.[7]
The borough is home to three parks: Heinz Memorial Field, Kennedy Park and a park located at 16th Street and Main. Heinz Memorial Field is home to a hockey rink, two basketball courts and a baseball field. In addition, numerous play sets are located at Heinz Memorial Field for children.
Kennedy Park is located in the center of the borough. It is a large swath of land that is dedicated to the Guyasuta Days Festival, held annually in August. Kennedy Park is outfitted with outdoor facilities, including a kitchen area and seating. Also located at Kennedy Park are two basketball courts.
The park at 16th and Main is opened in the spring and summer months. There is a water fountain within the park that is used by children in the hot summer months to find an escape. In addition, the park is home to numerous swings, carousels, teeter totters and other play sets.