Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Canonsburg is a borough
in Washington County
, Pennsylvania
, 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon
in 1789 and incorporated in 1802.
The borough is in a rich coal district, and most of the town's work force once worked in local steel mill
s or coal mines
. Canonsburg's population in 1910, including South Canonsburg, which was annexed
in 1911, was 5,588; in 1920 it was 10,632; and in 1940 it was 12,599. The population was 8,992 at the 2010 census.
Interstate 79
and Route 19 pass through the town, as do several railroad lines. The active railroad system in Canonsburg is now The Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad
. A trolley
used to operate from Washington, Pennsylvania
to Pittsburgh through Canonsburg until 1953.
Canonsburg was home to singers Perry Como
and Bobby Vinton
, Bill Schmidt
, Olympian bronze medalist in the javelin throw in Munich, 1972, the only American to ever medal in that event, and Bishop Theodosius Lazor, Metropolitan Bishop
for the Orthodox Church in America. Jonathan Letterman
, the "Father of Battlefield Medicine" during the Civil War, was also born in Canonsburg. The town was the birthplace of the members of the vocal group, The Four Coins
, popular in the 1950s and 60s.
The town is home to Sarris Candies
and is adjacent to the Southpointe office park
located in Cecil Township
, which has a number of large corporate tenants. Yenko Chevrolet
, one of largest and most notorious custom muscle car
shops of the late 1960s and early 1970s, was also located in Canonsburg.
Canonsburg is also home to the Pennsylvania Enforcers
. They are a United Junior Hockey League team. The Enforcers home is the Icoplex at South Point just outside of Canonsburg.
Canonsburg is home to an annual Oktoberfest
and the second-largest Fourth of July parade in the state of Pennsylvania, second only to Philadelphia
. In the weeks leading up to the parade, the town frequently gains media attention for its residents setting up folding chairs along the town's main street to stake claim to prime viewing areas.
The borough is served by the Canon-McMillan School District
.
, a common miller
who also served as justice of the Virginia courts at Fort Dunmore (now Pittsburgh), purchased some land from the state of Virginia
around Chartiers Creek, sometime before May 1780. The state had claimed what is now southwestern Pennsylvania
in a dispute that would not finally be settled until later in the decade. In 1781 Pennsylvania carved Washington County out of Westmoreland
, and the county seat was established at Washington. The notes of the first session of the Washington County Court during that year indicate a call for a road from Canon's mill to Pittsburgh. The road to Pittsburgh, called Pitt Street, remains in part today as an archaic and indirect route to the city. The first surviving plat
of the town is from April 15, 1788. Lots were sold around Canon's property, and the emerging town took the name of Canonsburg shortly thereafter.
Many of the participants in the Whiskey Rebellion
of July 1794 were residents of present-day Washington County
, which includes Canonsburg. Some of the insurrectionists are believed to have gathered in the town's Black Horse Tavern. However, records do not indicate whether any Canonsburg residents participated in any of the violent acts which occurred during the rebellion.
The town was the site of the first institution of higher learning
west of the Allegheny Mountains
, Jefferson College. Founded in 1802, it was the eleventh such institution in the United States
. The Phi Gamma Delta
and Phi Kappa Psi
fraternities were both founded at Jefferson College. Phi Gamma Delta, of whom President Calvin Coolidge
was a member, was founded in 1848. Phi Kappa Psi, of whom President Woodrow Wilson
and over 100 U.S. Congressmen claim membership, was founded in 1852. The school would go on to become Washington & Jefferson College
in nearby Washington.
For generations, Jefferson College financially supported Canonsburg by accounting for much of its income. However, in 1868, the college was moved to nearby Washington, leaving behind empty college rooming and boarding houses, known as the "forts". Canonsburg's largest financial draw having left, it would take the introduction of the railroad system to return the city to its former glory. The railroad system, on its way from Mansfield
(Carnegie) to Washington
(See: Chartiers Branch), was fully operational, as scheduled, on May 18, 1871. The first scheduled train departed from the Washington depot carrying "borough authorities, the committee of arrangement and reception, as well as Rankin’s Cornet Band and a number of…prominent citizens who had been invited to join the excursion." They traveled to Mansfield, where they waited for the special to arrive from Pittsburgh. The special had 12 coaches pulled by two locomotives and was filled with a large number of dignitaries, most especially the mayors of Pittsburgh and Allegheny. The special then made it down the newly laid tracks, passing stations full of spectators to cheer on the train. Canonsburg had a large crowd of supporters, and many people climbed aboard the train to ride along to Washington. There, led by Pittsburgh’s Great Western Band, the crowd marched to Town Hall for a round of speeches. The Washington Reporter editor pronounced the day "a grand success."
In 1903 the Washington and Canonsburg Railway Company linked the two towns with a trolley line. The company was bought by the Philadelphia Company in 1906, later becoming part of the Pittsburgh Railway Company
, linking through to Pittsburgh as part of their interurban
service in 1909. The line closed on August 29, 1953, with the last three trolley cars travelling south through Canonsburg to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
in 1954 shortly before the track was removed.
refining mill from 1911 to 1922 on a 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) plot of land. From 1930 to 1942 the company purified uranium
ore. Marie Curie
was invited to the United States in 1921 and was given an honorary degree by the University of Pittsburgh
, and one gram of radium.
From 1942 to 1957, Vitro Manufacturing Company refined uranium and other rare metals from various ores and onsite residues, government-owned uranium ore, process concentrates, and scrap materials. The government bought the uranium ore from Vitro and used it in the Manhattan Project
. Waste from incomplete extraction and other metallurgical processes accumulated during the site's long history. About 11,600 tons of mill tailings were moved to railroad property near Blairsville
between 1956 and 1957. In 1959 the Canonsburg Library caught fire and burned to the ground. Many attempts to put out the fire caused the deaths of several citizens. A new library was built and dedicated to David Rhome. After the closure of Vitro, the site was used by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
. The site was then used by the Canonsburg Pottery Company, operated by the George Family (locally referred to as "The Kennedys of Canonsburg"), for land and clay.
The Canonsburg mill site was designated in the 1978 Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act as eligible for federal funds for clean up. It was the only uranium mill east of the Mississippi River to receive funds. In a $48 million cleanup project, the mill site and 163 nearby properties in Canonsburg were remediated. Residual radioactivity was consolidated into a covered, clay-lined cell at the Canonsburg mill site, which is fenced and posted.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
Canonsburg Lake
, a recreational lake, lies directly east of the town.
of 2000, there were 8,607 people, 3,809 households, and 2,285 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,703.5 people per square mile (1,432.4/km²). There were 4,144 housing units at an average density of 1,783.1 per square mile (689.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 91.01% White, 6.53% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 3,809 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $31,184, and the median income for a family was $42,793. Males had a median income of $32,458 versus $22,733 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $17,469. About 5.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
through Canonsburg celebrating Independence Day
. It is the second-largest Fourth of July parade in Pennsylvania, second only to Philadelphia
, despite Canonsburg having only 8,992 residents. 50,000 to 60,000 people usually attend. The parade starts on Morganza Road and runs down the length of Pike Street, heading westward, for approximately 1.5 miles.
The parade begins at 10:00 AM on the Fourth of July. Parade members include high school and other marching bands from Washington County
and the surrounding areas, local sports teams and cheerleaders of all ages, fire trucks, emergency responders
, shriners, unicyclists
, jugglers
, pipers
, polka bands
, various church groups, members of the VFW
, local politicians, and the mayor of Canonsburg. Some groups throw candy to the children along the parade route, and others pass out water bottles.
After the parade, the day's festivities continue with food, concerts, events in Canonsburg Town Park, and family entertainment throughout the day. The day ends with fireworks
launched near Canon-McMillan
Memorial Stadium.
The parade is perhaps regionally most famous for the long-standing tradition of enthusiasts placing chairs, benches, and beach chairs along the parade route to reserve their seats, sometimes a week or more ahead of the parade. This has caused controversy among some residents and business owners, but the tradition continues to this day. The seat saving ritual has attracted the attention of CNN
, Jay Leno
, and David Letterman
.
*Bryan Trottier
- 6 time stanley cup player and one time stanley cup assistant coach
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in Washington County
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Pittsburgh. Canonsburg was laid out by Colonel John Canon
John Canon
John Canon was an American Revolutionary soldier, miller, judge, and businessman, who founded three towns, including Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, which bears his name....
in 1789 and incorporated in 1802.
The borough is in a rich coal district, and most of the town's work force once worked in local steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
s or coal mines
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
. Canonsburg's population in 1910, including South Canonsburg, which was annexed
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
in 1911, was 5,588; in 1920 it was 10,632; and in 1940 it was 12,599. The population was 8,992 at the 2010 census.
Interstate 79
Interstate 79
Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania...
and Route 19 pass through the town, as do several railroad lines. The active railroad system in Canonsburg is now The Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad
Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad
The Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad is a short-line railroad operating 35 miles of track over the Chartiers Branch in southwest Pennsylvania...
. A trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
used to operate from Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
to Pittsburgh through Canonsburg until 1953.
Canonsburg was home to singers Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
and Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
, Bill Schmidt
Bill Schmidt
Bill Schmidt is a retired male javelin thrower from the United States, who was born on 29 December 1947 in Southview, Pennsylvania to Helen and Louis Schmidt. He won the bronze medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics....
, Olympian bronze medalist in the javelin throw in Munich, 1972, the only American to ever medal in that event, and Bishop Theodosius Lazor, Metropolitan Bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
for the Orthodox Church in America. Jonathan Letterman
Jonathan Letterman
Jonathan Letterman was an American surgeon credited as being the originator of the modern methods for medical organization in armies. Dr...
, the "Father of Battlefield Medicine" during the Civil War, was also born in Canonsburg. The town was the birthplace of the members of the vocal group, The Four Coins
The Four Coins
The Four Coins were a popular vocal group, consisting of Jimmy Gregorakis, George Mantalis, and brothers George and Jack Mahramas. They were all of Greek heritage and came from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania...
, popular in the 1950s and 60s.
The town is home to Sarris Candies
Sarris Candies
Sarris Candies is a specialty chocolate and candies company based in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, approximately 18 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1960 by Frank Sarris. Address: Sarris Candies Inc. 511 Adams Avenue Canonsburg, PA 15317.- History :Frank Sarris Sarris Candies is a...
and is adjacent to the Southpointe office park
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
located in Cecil Township
Cecil Township
Cecil Township is the name of several townships in the United States:*Cecil Township in Haywood County, North Carolina*Cecil Township, Bottineau County, North Dakota*Cecil Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania...
, which has a number of large corporate tenants. Yenko Chevrolet
Yenko Chevrolet
Yenko Chevrolet, located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was one of largest custom muscle car shops of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Don Yenko, son of the dealership founder, first sold specially ordered and equipped Corvairs in 1965 through 1967 as the Yenko Stinger.-History:In 1966, Don Yenko was...
, one of largest and most notorious custom muscle car
Muscle car
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
shops of the late 1960s and early 1970s, was also located in Canonsburg.
Canonsburg is also home to the Pennsylvania Enforcers
Pennsylvania Enforcers
The Pittsburgh Cougars are a currently dormant junior ice hockey team. The Cougars play their home games at the Iceoplex at Southpointe near Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.-Franchise History:...
. They are a United Junior Hockey League team. The Enforcers home is the Icoplex at South Point just outside of Canonsburg.
Canonsburg is home to an annual Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
and the second-largest Fourth of July parade in the state of Pennsylvania, second only to Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. In the weeks leading up to the parade, the town frequently gains media attention for its residents setting up folding chairs along the town's main street to stake claim to prime viewing areas.
The borough is served by the Canon-McMillan School District
Canon-McMillan School District
The Canon-McMillan School District is a public school district covering the Borough of Canonsburg and Cecil Township and North Strabane Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania...
.
History
The exact date of the first settlement near the current site of Canonsburg is unclear. Colonel John CanonJohn Canon
John Canon was an American Revolutionary soldier, miller, judge, and businessman, who founded three towns, including Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, which bears his name....
, a common miller
Miller
A miller usually refers to a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a cereal crop to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalents in other languages around the world...
who also served as justice of the Virginia courts at Fort Dunmore (now Pittsburgh), purchased some land from the state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
around Chartiers Creek, sometime before May 1780. The state had claimed what is now southwestern Pennsylvania
Yohogania County
Yohogania County was created by the new state of Virginia in 1776, in an area long disputed between Virginia and Pennsylvania. The county ceased to exist after the border dispute between the two states was resolved in the 1780s...
in a dispute that would not finally be settled until later in the decade. In 1781 Pennsylvania carved Washington County out of Westmoreland
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
, and the county seat was established at Washington. The notes of the first session of the Washington County Court during that year indicate a call for a road from Canon's mill to Pittsburgh. The road to Pittsburgh, called Pitt Street, remains in part today as an archaic and indirect route to the city. The first surviving plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
of the town is from April 15, 1788. Lots were sold around Canon's property, and the emerging town took the name of Canonsburg shortly thereafter.
Many of the participants in the Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion, or Whiskey Insurrection, was a tax protest in the United States in the 1790s, during the presidency of George Washington. Farmers who sold their corn in the form of whiskey had to pay a new tax which they strongly resented...
of July 1794 were residents of present-day Washington County
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
, which includes Canonsburg. Some of the insurrectionists are believed to have gathered in the town's Black Horse Tavern. However, records do not indicate whether any Canonsburg residents participated in any of the violent acts which occurred during the rebellion.
The town was the site of the first institution of higher learning
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
west of the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
, Jefferson College. Founded in 1802, it was the eleventh such institution in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
and Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
fraternities were both founded at Jefferson College. Phi Gamma Delta, of whom President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
was a member, was founded in 1848. Phi Kappa Psi, of whom President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
and over 100 U.S. Congressmen claim membership, was founded in 1852. The school would go on to become Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
in nearby Washington.
For generations, Jefferson College financially supported Canonsburg by accounting for much of its income. However, in 1868, the college was moved to nearby Washington, leaving behind empty college rooming and boarding houses, known as the "forts". Canonsburg's largest financial draw having left, it would take the introduction of the railroad system to return the city to its former glory. The railroad system, on its way from Mansfield
Carnegie, Pennsylvania
Carnegie is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 7,972 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Carnegie is located at . It is approximately southwest of Pittsburgh...
(Carnegie) to Washington
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
(See: Chartiers Branch), was fully operational, as scheduled, on May 18, 1871. The first scheduled train departed from the Washington depot carrying "borough authorities, the committee of arrangement and reception, as well as Rankin’s Cornet Band and a number of…prominent citizens who had been invited to join the excursion." They traveled to Mansfield, where they waited for the special to arrive from Pittsburgh. The special had 12 coaches pulled by two locomotives and was filled with a large number of dignitaries, most especially the mayors of Pittsburgh and Allegheny. The special then made it down the newly laid tracks, passing stations full of spectators to cheer on the train. Canonsburg had a large crowd of supporters, and many people climbed aboard the train to ride along to Washington. There, led by Pittsburgh’s Great Western Band, the crowd marched to Town Hall for a round of speeches. The Washington Reporter editor pronounced the day "a grand success."
In 1903 the Washington and Canonsburg Railway Company linked the two towns with a trolley line. The company was bought by the Philadelphia Company in 1906, later becoming part of the Pittsburgh Railway Company
Pittsburgh Railways
Pittsburgh Railways was one of the predecessors of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. It had 666 PCC cars, the third largest fleet in North America. It had 68 street car routes, of which only three are used by the Port Authority as light rail routes...
, linking through to Pittsburgh as part of their interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
service in 1909. The line closed on August 29, 1953, with the last three trolley cars travelling south through Canonsburg to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, located at 1 Museum Road, Washington, Pennsylvania, is a museum dedicated to trolleys and includes several restored examples.-History:...
in 1954 shortly before the track was removed.
"The most radioactive town in America"
The Standard Chemical Company operated a radiumRadium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
refining mill from 1911 to 1922 on a 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) plot of land. From 1930 to 1942 the company purified uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
ore. Marie Curie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
was invited to the United States in 1921 and was given an honorary degree by the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, and one gram of radium.
From 1942 to 1957, Vitro Manufacturing Company refined uranium and other rare metals from various ores and onsite residues, government-owned uranium ore, process concentrates, and scrap materials. The government bought the uranium ore from Vitro and used it in the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
. Waste from incomplete extraction and other metallurgical processes accumulated during the site's long history. About 11,600 tons of mill tailings were moved to railroad property near Blairsville
Blairsville, Pennsylvania
-External links:* * *...
between 1956 and 1957. In 1959 the Canonsburg Library caught fire and burned to the ground. Many attempts to put out the fire caused the deaths of several citizens. A new library was built and dedicated to David Rhome. After the closure of Vitro, the site was used by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
. The site was then used by the Canonsburg Pottery Company, operated by the George Family (locally referred to as "The Kennedys of Canonsburg"), for land and clay.
The Canonsburg mill site was designated in the 1978 Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act as eligible for federal funds for clean up. It was the only uranium mill east of the Mississippi River to receive funds. In a $48 million cleanup project, the mill site and 163 nearby properties in Canonsburg were remediated. Residual radioactivity was consolidated into a covered, clay-lined cell at the Canonsburg mill site, which is fenced and posted.
Geography
Canonsburg is located at 40°15′43"N 80°11′6"W (40.262012, -80.185030).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
Canonsburg Lake
Canonsburg Lake
Canonsburg Lake is a lake in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. It is an artificial lake formed by the waters of Little Chartiers Creek behind a long and high concrete dam. The dam was built in 1943 by Alcoa to create a freshwater reservoir for the Canonsburg Forging Plant, which was considered a...
, a recreational lake, lies directly east of the town.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,607 people, 3,809 households, and 2,285 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,703.5 people per square mile (1,432.4/km²). There were 4,144 housing units at an average density of 1,783.1 per square mile (689.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 91.01% White, 6.53% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 3,809 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $31,184, and the median income for a family was $42,793. Males had a median income of $32,458 versus $22,733 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $17,469. About 5.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Fourth of July Parade
The Canonsburg Fourth of July Parade is a paradeParade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
through Canonsburg celebrating Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
. It is the second-largest Fourth of July parade in Pennsylvania, second only to Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, despite Canonsburg having only 8,992 residents. 50,000 to 60,000 people usually attend. The parade starts on Morganza Road and runs down the length of Pike Street, heading westward, for approximately 1.5 miles.
The parade begins at 10:00 AM on the Fourth of July. Parade members include high school and other marching bands from Washington County
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
and the surrounding areas, local sports teams and cheerleaders of all ages, fire trucks, emergency responders
Emergency vehicle
An emergency vehicle is any vehicle that is designated and authorized to respond to an emergency. These vehicles are usually operated by designated agencies, often part of the government, but also run by charities, non-governmental organizations and some commercial companies...
, shriners, unicyclists
Unicycle
A unicycle is a human-powered, single-track vehicle with one wheel. Unicycles resemble bicycles, but are less complex.-History:One theory of the advent of the unicycle stems from the popularity of the penny-farthing during the late 19th century...
, jugglers
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
, pipers
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, polka bands
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
, various church groups, members of the VFW
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
, local politicians, and the mayor of Canonsburg. Some groups throw candy to the children along the parade route, and others pass out water bottles.
After the parade, the day's festivities continue with food, concerts, events in Canonsburg Town Park, and family entertainment throughout the day. The day ends with fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
launched near Canon-McMillan
Canon-McMillan School District
The Canon-McMillan School District is a public school district covering the Borough of Canonsburg and Cecil Township and North Strabane Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania...
Memorial Stadium.
The parade is perhaps regionally most famous for the long-standing tradition of enthusiasts placing chairs, benches, and beach chairs along the parade route to reserve their seats, sometimes a week or more ahead of the parade. This has caused controversy among some residents and business owners, but the tradition continues to this day. The seat saving ritual has attracted the attention of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
, and David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
.
Notable people
- Perry ComoPerry ComoPierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
, a popular singer and television personality - Bobby VintonBobby VintonBobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
, a popular singer - Joey Powers, a musician who sang "Midnight Mary" in 1963
- H. Ross HumeH. Ross HumeHenry Ross Hume was a three-time NCAA champion distance runner who was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1990. He and his twin brother, Robert H...
, one of the "dead heat twins" - Jonathan LettermanJonathan LettermanJonathan Letterman was an American surgeon credited as being the originator of the modern methods for medical organization in armies. Dr...
- Military Surgeon - Fred Benson- Sports historian and creator of fictional basketball hero Philip Fitzpatrick.
- Now living in Canonsburg
*Bryan Trottier
Bryan Trottier
Bryan John Trottier is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the...
- 6 time stanley cup player and one time stanley cup assistant coach
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in Washington County, Pennsylvania
- VITACVITACVITAC is one of the United States' largest closed captioning and media access companies. The company is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, with additional facilities in Washington, D.C. and North Hollywood, California. The company captions over 170,000 hours of programming each year for...
- Closed Captioning Company based in Canonsburg