Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Castle Shannon is a borough in Allegheny County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area
. The population was 8,316 at the 2010 census.
, the borough has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all of it land. Its average elevation is 1040 feet (317 m) above sea level.
In 1872, the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad line was completed, providing a direct link from Pittsburgh to the then-village of Castle Shannon. Development was stimulated by two years of free transportation and lumber transport given to anybody building a home. In 1877, a second railroad was built from Finleyville
through Castle Shannon to the West End
neighborhood of Pittsburgh. In 1909, the right of way through the valley containing Castle Shannon was purchased by the Pittsburgh Railroad. This helped lead to Castle Shannon becoming a center for coal mining, with eight mines in operation in 1904. The Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad
, still active today, came shortly afterward.
The First National Bank in Castle Shannon was the site of a much publicized bank robbery in 1917. $18,500 was taken in the robbery, of which $10,500 was immediately recovered from one man shot during the escape. The full sum was never recovered.
Castle Shannon was incorporated as a borough in 1919, formed from parts of Baldwin Township, Mt. Lebanon
, and Bethel Township
.
of 2000, there were 8,556 people, 3,859 households, and 2,288 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 5,259.8 people per square mile (2,026.7/km²). There were 4,037 housing units at an average density of 2,481.8 per square mile (956.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.91% White, 1.34% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races
, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 3,859 households out of which 23.2% had children under age 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65-years-old, or older. The average household size was 2.20 persons and the average family size was 2.88 persons.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.7% under age 18, 7.3% from 18- to 24-years-old, 32.9% from 25- to 44-years-old, 21.4% from 45- to 64-years-old, and 18.7% who were 65-years-old, or older. The median age was 39-years-old. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $38,040; and, the median income for a family was $48,586. Males had a median income of $33,013, versus $27,907 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $20,518. About 5.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65-years-old, or over.
, is a "jointure" with the boroughs of Dormont
and Green Tree
, comprising Dormont Elementary School, Keystone Oaks Middle School
and Keystone Oaks High School
. Oddly enough, none of the three communities which make up the Keystone Oaks School District share a common border, and the high school/middle school campus is located outside the district, being situated in the municipality
of Mount Lebanon
. Also, a small part of Castle Shannon is actually part of the Bethel Park School District
. Located within Castle Shannon is Saint Anne School
, a Catholic private elementary school.
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area
Pittsburgh Metro Area
The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area surrounding the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is renowned for its industries including steel, glass and oil; moreover, its economy also thrives on healthcare, education, technology, robotics, financial services and more recently film...
. The population was 8,316 at the 2010 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all of it land. Its average elevation is 1040 feet (317 m) above sea level.
Surrounding communities
- Baldwin Township
- Bethel ParkBethel Park, PennsylvaniaBethel Park is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, approximately 7 miles southwest of Pittsburgh...
- Mt. LebanonMt. Lebanon, PennsylvaniaMt. Lebanon is a home rule municipality, formerly a township, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 33,137 at the 2010 census....
- OverbrookOverbrook (Pittsburgh)Overbrook is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip codes of 15227, 15234 and 15210 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 . Originally called Fairhaven, the name was changed to Overbrook when breaking away from...
(Pittsburgh neighborhood) - WhitehallWhitehall, Allegheny County, PennsylvaniaWhitehall is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,944 at the 2010 census.-History:The Whitehall is probably named after Silas D. Prior's tavern on Brownsville Road, which was re-named White Hall in the 1850s...
History
The first families settled Castle Shannon in 1786 in pursuit of farmland and timber. The most prominent farm was owned by David Strawbridge, who named it Castle Shanahan. Over time, the farm would lend its name to the area, as "Shanahan" would evolve into "Shannon".In 1872, the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad line was completed, providing a direct link from Pittsburgh to the then-village of Castle Shannon. Development was stimulated by two years of free transportation and lumber transport given to anybody building a home. In 1877, a second railroad was built from Finleyville
Finleyville, Pennsylvania
Finleyville is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, named for John Finley. It was built at the junction of Brownsville Road and the 'Washington Road' from Cox's Fort to Catfish Camp, now Washington, Pennsylvania...
through Castle Shannon to the West End
West End (Pittsburgh)
West End Village is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's west city area. It has a zip code of 15220, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 2 ....
neighborhood of Pittsburgh. In 1909, the right of way through the valley containing Castle Shannon was purchased by the Pittsburgh Railroad. This helped lead to Castle Shannon becoming a center for coal mining, with eight mines in operation in 1904. The Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad
Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway
The Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway was a railroad in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Wheeling, West Virginia areas. Originally built as the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway, a Pittsburgh extension of George J. Gould's Wabash Railroad, the venture entered receivership in 1908 and the line...
, still active today, came shortly afterward.
The First National Bank in Castle Shannon was the site of a much publicized bank robbery in 1917. $18,500 was taken in the robbery, of which $10,500 was immediately recovered from one man shot during the escape. The full sum was never recovered.
Castle Shannon was incorporated as a borough in 1919, formed from parts of Baldwin Township, Mt. Lebanon
Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Mt. Lebanon is a home rule municipality, formerly a township, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 33,137 at the 2010 census....
, and Bethel Township
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
Bethel Park is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, approximately 7 miles southwest of Pittsburgh...
.
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 8,556 people, 3,859 households, and 2,288 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 5,259.8 people per square mile (2,026.7/km²). There were 4,037 housing units at an average density of 2,481.8 per square mile (956.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.91% White, 1.34% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.39% 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 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 3,859 households out of which 23.2% had children under age 18 living with them, 45.3% 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, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65-years-old, or older. The average household size was 2.20 persons and the average family size was 2.88 persons.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.7% under age 18, 7.3% from 18- to 24-years-old, 32.9% from 25- to 44-years-old, 21.4% from 45- to 64-years-old, and 18.7% who were 65-years-old, or older. The median age was 39-years-old. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $38,040; and, the median income for a family was $48,586. Males had a median income of $33,013, versus $27,907 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 $20,518. About 5.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65-years-old, or over.
Schools
Castle Shannon’s school system, Keystone Oaks School DistrictKeystone Oaks School District
Keystone Oaks School District is a public school district in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1969 after the merger of three smaller districts serving Dormont, Castle Shannon, and Green Tree...
, is a "jointure" with the boroughs of Dormont
Dormont, Pennsylvania
Dormont is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 8,593 at the 2010 census and is the most densely populated municipality in Allegheny County. Dormont is a home to a diverse population including young professionals,...
and Green Tree
Green Tree, Pennsylvania
Green Tree is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 4,432 at the 2010 census.The town is the birthplace of U.S...
, comprising Dormont Elementary School, Keystone Oaks Middle School
Keystone Oaks High School
Keystone Oaks High School, built in 1969, is a public high school in the South Hills suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the only high school in the Keystone Oaks School District...
and Keystone Oaks High School
Keystone Oaks High School
Keystone Oaks High School, built in 1969, is a public high school in the South Hills suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the only high school in the Keystone Oaks School District...
. Oddly enough, none of the three communities which make up the Keystone Oaks School District share a common border, and the high school/middle school campus is located outside the district, being situated in the municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Mount Lebanon
Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Mt. Lebanon is a home rule municipality, formerly a township, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 33,137 at the 2010 census....
. Also, a small part of Castle Shannon is actually part of the Bethel Park School District
Bethel Park School District
The Bethel Park School District is a school district in Allegheny County. The district covers the Municipality of Bethel Park which is a suburb of Pittsburgh. Bethel Park School District encompasses approximately 12 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident...
. Located within Castle Shannon is Saint Anne School
Saint Anne School
Saint Anne School is a Catholic private elementary school, located in Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania. It is part of a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.-Academics:...
, a Catholic private elementary school.
Notable people
- Dennis MillerDennis MillerDennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, comedian, grew up in Castle Shannon, and attended St. Anne Elementary School and Keystone Oaks High School - Paul J. Wilhelm, former president of U.S. SteelU.S. SteelThe United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
, attended St. Anne School, class of 1956