Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area
. The city is named after Nathanael Greene
, a major general
of the Continental Army
in the American Revolutionary War
. Greensburg is the county seat
of Westmoreland County
, with a population of 14,892 people residing in the city, and a combined total of around 70,000 people in the Greensburg-Hempfield area.
Located southeast of Pittsburgh, Greensburg is a major business
, tourism
and cultural center
in Western Pennsylvania
. It is evident as the city's population
doubles during work hours. The city ranks seventh in Pennsylvania in terms of daytime growth, behind Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg
, King of Prussia
, Lancaster
, and State College
. It also ranks 16th in the United States for daytime growth among towns with a resident population between 15,000 to 24,999. In 2007, Greensburg was designated as one of the "Best Places to Retire" in Pennsylvania by U.S. News & World Report.
, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), all of it land.
The city sits on the Allegheny Plateau in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
to Fort Pitt
, now the city of Pittsburgh. A tiny settlement known as Newtown grew around the inn, today the center of Greensburg's Business District at the intersection of Pittsburgh and Main Streets. At Pittsburgh, the wagon trail became Penn Avenue
.
In 1782, a raid by Guyasuta
-led Seneca Indians accompanied by Canadian rangers burned Hannastown
, the original Westmoreland County
seat, north of Greensburg, and the first county seat
west of the Appalachian Mountains
. Newtown became the new county seat in 1785. In 1786, the county built a log courthouse on land purchased from two residents, Christopher Truby and William Jack. The Westmoreland County Courthouse
, in its various incarnations, has stood on this site. The area surrounding the courthouse became the original borough of Greensburg, named for American Revolutionary War
General Nathanael Greene
, and formally incorporated as a borough in 1799.
In the early 19th century, Greensburg had very little growth. After 1850, Greensburg became a growing county seat with inns, small businesses and hardworking residents. It was a railroad stop and the discovery of large areas of soft coal
nearby made it the center of a vigorous mining industry in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Seton Hill College
, formerly St. Joseph's Academy, became a four-year women's institution in 1918. Greensburg became a Third-Class City on January 2, 1928. After World War II
, more residential areas were developed in various sections of town. Greensburg's cultural status grew as the Westmoreland County Museum of Art opened in 1959 and the University of Pittsburgh
founded the branch campus, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
, in 1963, now located in Hempfield Township
.
The opening of Greengate Mall and Westmoreland Mall
in 1965 and 1977, respectively, marked a new era for retail shopping in the area, but negatively impacted retail businesses in Downtown Greensburg's shopping district. Changes in local shopping habits had already taken its toll by the late 1970s when Troutman's Department Store closed. By the mid-1990s, city officials shifted its revitalization plans on the cultural aspects of Downtown Greensburg, such as the restorations of the Palace Theater and the historic Train Station, as well as a new, recently opened performing arts
center for Seton Hill University
. Also, in July of 2009, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the largest medical school in the country, opened a satellite campus at Seton Hill University. Now over 200 students study at LECOM at Seton Hill every year. As part of this ongoing transition, an expansion of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art
is planned.
.
In 1905, Greensburg absorbed three adjacent boroughs, including Ludwick, now Sixth Ward, which was named for Ludwick Otterman, an early settler for whom the street is also named, as well as East Greensburg, now Seventh Ward, and Southeast Greensburg, unofficially known as Paradise (Eighth Ward). South Maple Avenue was originally named Kinderhook (Third Ward). Second Ward, located north of Downtown Greensburg, is the largest ward and includes the neighborhoods of Saybrook Village, Evergreen Hill, New Salem Acres, Country Club Meadows, Northmont, Devonshire Heights, Rose Fountain Farms and Academy Hill. Hilltop, a neighborhood in Eighth Ward, was originally settled by Italian immigrants and borders South Greensburg and Underwood on either side. First Ward features Chestnut Hill and Shuey Plan, and is also home to Seton Hill University. Other Greensburg neighborhoods include Eastern Estates, Underwood, Shogan and Hillcrest.
Eighth Ward was originally home to many Italian immigrants from Cercemaggiore, Italy
. Today, the original Our Lady of Grace church, built by the masons from Italy, still stands although used as a residence. The Hilltop Social Club, founded by a few families who lived in the areas of Bierer, Margaret, White and Catherine Streets is also located here. Every year it has become a tradition for the firehall in the Eighth Ward to throw a carnival which includes bingo, amusement rides, and of course the famous Shuey Burgers.
Two neighborhoods have been designated as U.S. historic districts, the Greensburg Downtown Historic District and the Academy Hill Historic District.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 15,889 people, 7,144 households, and 3,922 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,746.1 people per square mile (1,446.9/km²). There were 7,734 housing units at an average density of 1,823.4 per square mile (704.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.43% White, 3.91% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races
, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.
There were 7,144 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.1% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 81.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,324, and the median income for a family was $41,112. Males had a median income of $33,306 versus $24,246 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,312. About 10.8% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
mayor
Karl Eisaman and a four-member City Council
. The mayor and the City Council members serve four-year terms. The seat of government is the Greensburg City Hall.
The small size of Greensburg has not deterred it from being a player on the political scene. Greensburg has hosted its share of prominent politicians over the years, including a July 1994 visit from then-President Bill Clinton
, former Democratic candidate John Kerry
and his running mate
John Edwards
in July 2004 and Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama
in March 2008. It was also, according to local historians, the site of the 1854 National Republican Party convention – the first convention of the Grand Old Republican Party, despite Pittsburgh's claims.
Originally a railroad stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad
, Greensburg quickly became the center of the coal mining industry in the region by the late 19th century when large areas of soft coal were discovered nearby. This contributed to the growth and development of the growing county seat. Many businesses and inns flourished within Downtown Greensburg for many years, and once boasted four major department stores – JCPenney, Royers, Sears and its largest department store, Troutman's.
In August 1965, Greengate Mall opened west of the city in Hempfield Township
. Greengate was part of the first wave of indoor shopping malls in the country. The mall's opening marked a new era for retail shopping in the area, but it negatively impacted stand-alone businesses in Greensburg's downtown corridor. By the late 1970s, several local stores, including Troutman's, the city's major department store, closed. The downtown area eventually rebounded as the city became a center for service industries, professional offices and banking. Today, small downtown shops and a growing number of restaurants are reviving downtown as a mercantile center.
Westmoreland Mall
is currently the largest shopping complex in the Greensburg area and all of Westmoreland County. Greengate Mall suffered losses in the 1990s when anchor store JCPenney relocated to Westmoreland Mall. As the mall continued on its irreversible decline, the nationally-based Montgomery Ward
and the regional chain Horne's also closed. The building was eventually razed in 2003, and a new shopping center called Greengate Centre
, anchored by a Walmart, was subsequently built. Numerous shopping plazas and dining establishments also line the Route 30 corridor east and west of the city. With over 5000000 square feet (464,515.2 m²) of retail space and growing, Greensburg is considered the commercial center of the Laurel Highlands
region of Pennsylvania as well as one of the largest retail markets in Western Pennsylvania.
Light to moderate industry and service industries thrive in the Greater Greensburg area. Several industrial parks are primarily located outside the city limits. In addition, the area is home to two large prisons, the Westmoreland County Prison and the State Correctional Institution at Greensburg, both in Hempfield Township. Housing growth continues on the northern end of the city, with the Saybrook Village and Evergreen Hill plans. The opening of the seven-story State Office Building on North Main Street, the completion of the four-story addition to the Courthouse Square Extension, and the Performing Arts Center of Seton Hill University
are expected to add new jobs to the city and attract more visitors.
The Greater Greensburg area contains two public school districts. The larger of the two is the Hempfield Area School District
. The school district has a resident population of over 50,000 and spans approximately ninety-five square miles and lies thirty miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Comprising Hempfield Township, and the boroughs of Adamsburg, Hunker, Manor, New Stanton, and Youngwood, the school district completely surrounds the city of Greensburg. Hempfield is also the largest school district in Westmoreland County with approximately 7,000 enrolled students and is one of the largest in Western Pennsylvania.
The second school district servicing Greensburg itself is the Greensburg Salem School District
. The school district covers an area of fifty-one square miles. With an enrollment of 3,600 students, Greensburg Salem serves the City of Greensburg, South Greensburg
, Southwest Greensburg
and Salem Township
. Detailed information including enrollment figures and test scores about Greensburg Salem can be found on this website.
and the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
. Seton Hill University was founded in 1885 by the Sisters of Charity
on a bluff overlooking the City of Greensburg. Formerly a women's college, Seton Hill became a coeducational university in 2002. The Greensburg campus of the University of Pittsburgh was founded in 1963 in Downtown Greensburg, and would later grow into a large campus in nearby Hempfield Township. It was voted "Best University in the Region" for eight straight years (1999–2007) by the Tribune-Review. In addition, the branches of Carlow University
, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
and Triangle Tech
are located within the Greater Greensburg area.
The campuses of Saint Vincent College
and Westmoreland County Community College
are also located in the nearby communities of Latrobe
and Youngwood
, respectively.
.
Greensburg is a major cultural center in Western Pennsylvania. It is the home of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art
, which specializes in American Art circa 1750-1950. The Palace Theatre, in the heart of the city's emerging cultural district, is the site for various performances throughout the year. Additionally, it is the home of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, and the Summer Sounds Concert Series at the Robertshaw Amphitheater in St. Clair Park.
The Westmoreland Cultural Trust has played a major role in the revitalization of Downtown Greensburg in recent years. Its accomplishments include the ongoing renovation of the Palace Theatre and the restoration (Before/After Pictures) of the circa 1910 Train Station. They are also responsible for renovating several commercial buildings in the downtown area.
Stage Right!
also contributes to the culture of the region, offering classes in musical theatre for young people and staging professional productions at the Palace Theater and Greensburg Garden and Civic Center.
The Performance Arts Center of Seton Hill University opened its doors to the public in September 2009. This multi-million dollar complex, located in the city's Cultural District, is expected to serve as an additional catalyst for the future growth of the downtown core.
A hands-on science center
, to feature a wide range of interactive exhibits, was proposed for the former Mellon Bank building downtown, but it has since been put on hold indefinitely. Titled the Discovery & Interactive Science Center (DISC), it was to be a regional attraction for Westmoreland, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset and Bedford counties. It would've also been the only interactive science center between the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh and the Harsco Science Center in Harrisburg.
Greensburg is also home to a burgeoning music scene, including Essential Machine, Zao
, R.Y.D., The BranDannas, Farr & Away, the grade skool felons, and The Juliana Theory
as well as electronica artist RJ Eclectica. Other notable artists from the Greensburg music scene include An Offhand Way, and celtic band Coming Through the Rye (www.myspace.com/comingthroughtherye), Justin DeCarlucci (www.myspace.com/justindecarlucci), Shattered (www.myspace.com/shattered), LoveBettie (www.myspace.com/lovebettie), Chris Goodman and others. One such venue that has hosted many of these local bands can be found along the shopping district on South Pennsylvania Avenue. DV8 Espresso Bar & Gallery, as it's called, is a distinctive coffee shop/espresso bar that is also a lively venue for a wide variety of artists, musicians and performers.
and television station
s are mostly based out of the larger city. On a much lesser scale, some Johnstown
-area media outlets are also available in parts of Greensburg. The following information is about media based exclusively in Greensburg.
, one of the earliest professional football
teams. The team began as an amateur football club in 1890 and was composed primarily of locals before several paid players were added for 1895. In 1894 it was discovered that the team had secretly paid formerly Indiana Normal (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania
) player, Lawson Fiscus
, to play football and retained his services on salary. The team was the chief rival of another early professional football team, the Latrobe Athletic Association
.
Aside from Fiscus, the Greensburg Athletic Association included several of the era's top players, such as: Charlie Atherton
, George Barclay
, Ross Fiscus
, Jack Gass
, Arthur McFarland
, Charles Rinehart
, Isaac Seneca
and Adam Martin Wyant
. Several of these players revolutionized the game during their playing careers. Charlie Atherton is credited with inventing the place kick
, and George Barclay invented the first-ever football helmet
. Meanwhile Isaac Seneca became the first Native-American
to earn All-American honors and Adam Wyant was the first professional football player to become a United States Congress
man.
The east-west U.S. Route 30
limited access road|expressway]] bypasses Greensburg to the south, as does the north-south Pennsylvania Turnpike 66
to the west. A proposed highway called the Laurel Valley Expressway was initially planned to be built to the east of Greensburg but that project has never materialized. The Pennsylvania Turnpike's New Stanton
exit is about five miles (8 km) south of Greensburg on U.S. Route 119
where Interstate 70
splits from Interstate 76
. PA Routes 66 and 136 begin in Greensburg. PA Routes 130, 819 and U.S. Route 119 pass through the city.
routes seven days a week throughout the city and the rest of the county, as well as Pittsburgh. Greyhound Lines
runs regular scheduled bus service to and from Greensburg from many hubs, including Pittsburgh, Chicago
, and New York City
.
and at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
east of Greensburg in nearby Latrobe
.
rail service at the restored Train Station
, as well as freight rail operator
Norfolk Southern and an independent shortline railroad connecting coal mines and businesses located south of the city to the Norfolk Southern line just west of Greensburg.
, which is a part of the Great Allegheny Passage
.
is supplied by West Penn Power, which is also headquartered in Greensburg. In addition, natural gas is widely used in the area due to large reserves existing throughout the region. Service is provided by Peoples Natural Gas Company.
Water utility service is provided by the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC). Waste collection and sewage utilities are provided by Waste Management
and the Greater Greensburg Sewage Authority, respectively.
, ranging from independent clinics and urgent care centers to full-service hospitals. The following listing is not exhaustive.
, which completely surrounds the 412 area code
assigned to the city of Pittsburgh and most of Allegheny County, along with small portions of Washington and Westmoreland counties.
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...
, 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 a 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 city is named after Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
, a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Greensburg is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Westmoreland County
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...
, with a population of 14,892 people residing in the city, and a combined total of around 70,000 people in the Greensburg-Hempfield area.
Located southeast of Pittsburgh, Greensburg is a major business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and cultural center
Cultural center
A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run...
in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
. It is evident as the city's population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
doubles during work hours. The city ranks seventh in Pennsylvania in terms of daytime growth, behind Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, King of Prussia
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
King of Prussia is a census-designated place in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,936. The community took its name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after...
, Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, and State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. It also ranks 16th in the United States for daytime growth among towns with a resident population between 15,000 to 24,999. In 2007, Greensburg was designated as one of the "Best Places to Retire" in Pennsylvania by U.S. News & World Report.
Geography
Greensburg is located at 40°18′16"N 79°32′40"W (40.304461, -79.544511). 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 city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), all of it land.
The city sits on the Allegheny Plateau in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
History
After the end of the Revolutionary War, an inn was built along a wagon trail that stretched from Philadelphia west over the Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
to Fort Pitt
Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)
Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...
, now the city of Pittsburgh. A tiny settlement known as Newtown grew around the inn, today the center of Greensburg's Business District at the intersection of Pittsburgh and Main Streets. At Pittsburgh, the wagon trail became Penn Avenue
Penn Avenue
Penn Avenue is a major arterial street in Pittsburgh. Its western terminus lies at Gateway Center in downtown Pittsburgh. For its westernmost ten blocks it serves as the core of the Cultural District with such attractions as Heinz Hall, the Benedum Center and the Byham Theater as well as the...
.
In 1782, a raid by Guyasuta
Guyasuta
Guyasuta was an important leader of the Seneca people in the second half of the eighteenth century, playing a central role in the diplomacy and warfare of that era...
-led Seneca Indians accompanied by Canadian rangers burned Hannastown
Hannastown, Pennsylvania
Hannastown is an unincorporated community and important historical and archaeological site located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Although the village is not tracked by the Census Bureau, it has been assigned the ZIP code 15635....
, the original Westmoreland County
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...
seat, north of Greensburg, and the first county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
west of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. Newtown became the new county seat in 1785. In 1786, the county built a log courthouse on land purchased from two residents, Christopher Truby and William Jack. The Westmoreland County Courthouse
Westmoreland County Courthouse
The Westmoreland County Courthouse is a government building of Westmoreland County located in the county seat, Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It is a contributing property to the Downtown Greensburg Historic District, but was listed separately on the National Register of Historic Places on March 30, 1978...
, in its various incarnations, has stood on this site. The area surrounding the courthouse became the original borough of Greensburg, named for American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
General Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
, and formally incorporated as a borough in 1799.
In the early 19th century, Greensburg had very little growth. After 1850, Greensburg became a growing county seat with inns, small businesses and hardworking residents. It was a railroad stop and the discovery of large areas of soft coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
nearby made it the center of a vigorous mining industry in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Seton Hill College
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
, formerly St. Joseph's Academy, became a four-year women's institution in 1918. Greensburg became a Third-Class City on January 2, 1928. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, more residential areas were developed in various sections of town. Greensburg's cultural status grew as the Westmoreland County Museum of Art opened in 1959 and 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...
founded the branch campus, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, commonly referred to as Pitt-Greensburg or UPG, is a four-year, baccalaureate degree-granting, regional residential campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1963, UPG was granted...
, in 1963, now located in Hempfield Township
Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania
Hempfield Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Hempfield Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania*Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania-See also:*East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania...
.
The opening of Greengate Mall and Westmoreland Mall
Westmoreland Mall
Westmoreland Mall, owned and operated by CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., is a two-level, enclosed shopping mall in the municipality of Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. It was completed in 1977, extensively renovated and expanded in 1993-1994, and includes The Bon-Ton,...
in 1965 and 1977, respectively, marked a new era for retail shopping in the area, but negatively impacted retail businesses in Downtown Greensburg's shopping district. Changes in local shopping habits had already taken its toll by the late 1970s when Troutman's Department Store closed. By the mid-1990s, city officials shifted its revitalization plans on the cultural aspects of Downtown Greensburg, such as the restorations of the Palace Theater and the historic Train Station, as well as a new, recently opened performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
center for Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
. Also, in July of 2009, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the largest medical school in the country, opened a satellite campus at Seton Hill University. Now over 200 students study at LECOM at Seton Hill every year. As part of this ongoing transition, an expansion of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art
Westmoreland Museum of American Art
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is an art museum in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, devoted to American art, with a particular concentration on the art of southwestern Pennsylvania....
is planned.
Historical facts
- Greensburg's first log school house was located at the site of St. Clair Park.
- St. Clair Park was originally a cemeteryCemeteryA cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. When the borough banned cemeteries, St. Clair cemetery was moved to its current location, just east of town. - Mt. Odin Park was originally the estate of Dr. Frank Cowan, attorney, physician, author and former Secretary to PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Andrew JohnsonAndrew JohnsonAndrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
. Dr. Cowan willed his land to Greensburg to be used for recreational purposes.
Neighborhoods and wards
The city of Greensburg is currently composed of eight wards, most of which were formerly boroughs and are divided into several neighborhoods. Bunker Hill, now Fifth Ward, was merged into Greensburg in 1894. The name originated because of fights at the rowdy Bushfield Tavern in the early 1840s to mid-19th century that were compared to the Battle of Bunker HillBattle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
.
In 1905, Greensburg absorbed three adjacent boroughs, including Ludwick, now Sixth Ward, which was named for Ludwick Otterman, an early settler for whom the street is also named, as well as East Greensburg, now Seventh Ward, and Southeast Greensburg, unofficially known as Paradise (Eighth Ward). South Maple Avenue was originally named Kinderhook (Third Ward). Second Ward, located north of Downtown Greensburg, is the largest ward and includes the neighborhoods of Saybrook Village, Evergreen Hill, New Salem Acres, Country Club Meadows, Northmont, Devonshire Heights, Rose Fountain Farms and Academy Hill. Hilltop, a neighborhood in Eighth Ward, was originally settled by Italian immigrants and borders South Greensburg and Underwood on either side. First Ward features Chestnut Hill and Shuey Plan, and is also home to Seton Hill University. Other Greensburg neighborhoods include Eastern Estates, Underwood, Shogan and Hillcrest.
Eighth Ward was originally home to many Italian immigrants from Cercemaggiore, Italy
Cercemaggiore
Cercemaggiore is a comune in the Province of Campobasso in the Italian region Molise, located about 12 km southeast of Campobasso....
. Today, the original Our Lady of Grace church, built by the masons from Italy, still stands although used as a residence. The Hilltop Social Club, founded by a few families who lived in the areas of Bierer, Margaret, White and Catherine Streets is also located here. Every year it has become a tradition for the firehall in the Eighth Ward to throw a carnival which includes bingo, amusement rides, and of course the famous Shuey Burgers.
Two neighborhoods have been designated as U.S. historic districts, the Greensburg Downtown Historic District and the Academy Hill Historic District.
Population and demographics
Census
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 15,889 people, 7,144 households, and 3,922 families residing in the city. 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 3,746.1 people per square mile (1,446.9/km²). There were 7,734 housing units at an average density of 1,823.4 per square mile (704.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.43% White, 3.91% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.38% 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 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.
There were 7,144 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.1% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 81.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,324, and the median income for a family was $41,112. Males had a median income of $33,306 versus $24,246 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 city was $18,312. About 10.8% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Greensburg is an incorporated city governed by DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Karl Eisaman and a four-member City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. The mayor and the City Council members serve four-year terms. The seat of government is the Greensburg City Hall.
The small size of Greensburg has not deterred it from being a player on the political scene. Greensburg has hosted its share of prominent politicians over the years, including a July 1994 visit from then-President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, former Democratic candidate John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
and his running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
in July 2004 and Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in March 2008. It was also, according to local historians, the site of the 1854 National Republican Party convention – the first convention of the Grand Old Republican Party, despite Pittsburgh's claims.
Economy
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, Greensburg quickly became the center of the coal mining industry in the region by the late 19th century when large areas of soft coal were discovered nearby. This contributed to the growth and development of the growing county seat. Many businesses and inns flourished within Downtown Greensburg for many years, and once boasted four major department stores – JCPenney, Royers, Sears and its largest department store, Troutman's.
In August 1965, Greengate Mall opened west of the city in Hempfield Township
Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Hempfield Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 43,241 at the 2010 census, making it the largest suburb in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area by population.- Geography :...
. Greengate was part of the first wave of indoor shopping malls in the country. The mall's opening marked a new era for retail shopping in the area, but it negatively impacted stand-alone businesses in Greensburg's downtown corridor. By the late 1970s, several local stores, including Troutman's, the city's major department store, closed. The downtown area eventually rebounded as the city became a center for service industries, professional offices and banking. Today, small downtown shops and a growing number of restaurants are reviving downtown as a mercantile center.
Westmoreland Mall
Westmoreland Mall
Westmoreland Mall, owned and operated by CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., is a two-level, enclosed shopping mall in the municipality of Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. It was completed in 1977, extensively renovated and expanded in 1993-1994, and includes The Bon-Ton,...
is currently the largest shopping complex in the Greensburg area and all of Westmoreland County. Greengate Mall suffered losses in the 1990s when anchor store JCPenney relocated to Westmoreland Mall. As the mall continued on its irreversible decline, the nationally-based Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
and the regional chain Horne's also closed. The building was eventually razed in 2003, and a new shopping center called Greengate Centre
Greengate Centre
Greengate Centre is an expansive open-air power center in Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania. It is located on U.S. Route 30. The center opened in 2005 on the site of the defunct Greengate Mall, which was demolished in 2003. Greengate Centre currently encompasses over of retail space, and more than...
, anchored by a Walmart, was subsequently built. Numerous shopping plazas and dining establishments also line the Route 30 corridor east and west of the city. With over 5000000 square feet (464,515.2 m²) of retail space and growing, Greensburg is considered the commercial center of the Laurel Highlands
Laurel Highlands
The Laurel Highlands is a region in southwestern Pennsylvania made up of Fayette County, Somerset County and Westmoreland County. It has a population of about 600,000 people....
region of Pennsylvania as well as one of the largest retail markets in Western Pennsylvania.
Light to moderate industry and service industries thrive in the Greater Greensburg area. Several industrial parks are primarily located outside the city limits. In addition, the area is home to two large prisons, the Westmoreland County Prison and the State Correctional Institution at Greensburg, both in Hempfield Township. Housing growth continues on the northern end of the city, with the Saybrook Village and Evergreen Hill plans. The opening of the seven-story State Office Building on North Main Street, the completion of the four-story addition to the Courthouse Square Extension, and the Performing Arts Center of Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
are expected to add new jobs to the city and attract more visitors.
Major employers
These major corporations are headquartered in the Greensburg area:- Allegheny EnergyAllegheny EnergyAllegheny Energy is an electric utility headquartered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It owns and operates electric generation facilities and delivers electric services to customers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia...
- Excela HealthExcela HealthExcela Health is a not-for-profit health organization that includes three licensed, acute care hospitals, two free-standing outpatient surgery centers, home care and hospice, physician practices, a durable medical equipment company and other facilities and services. Formally incorporated in 2004,...
- Tribune-ReviewPittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
Public schools
Hempfield Area School District
Hempfield Area School District is a large school district in western PA. It is the largest in Westmoreland County with a resident population of over 50,000, and covers approximately and lies southeast of Pittsburgh...
. The school district has a resident population of over 50,000 and spans approximately ninety-five square miles and lies thirty miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Comprising Hempfield Township, and the boroughs of Adamsburg, Hunker, Manor, New Stanton, and Youngwood, the school district completely surrounds the city of Greensburg. Hempfield is also the largest school district in Westmoreland County with approximately 7,000 enrolled students and is one of the largest in Western Pennsylvania.
The second school district servicing Greensburg itself is the Greensburg Salem School District
Greensburg-Salem School District
Greensburg-Salem School District is a public school district in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The City of Greensburg as well as South Greensburg Boro, Southwest Greensburg Boro, and Salem Township are within district boundaries.-Schools:...
. The school district covers an area of fifty-one square miles. With an enrollment of 3,600 students, Greensburg Salem serves the City of Greensburg, South Greensburg
South Greensburg, Pennsylvania
South Greensburg is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,280 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
, Southwest Greensburg
Southwest Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Southwest Greensburg is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,398 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and Salem Township
Salem Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Salem Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,939 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 47.8 square miles , of which, 47.1 square miles of it is land and...
. Detailed information including enrollment figures and test scores about Greensburg Salem can be found on this website.
Private schools
Greensburg is home to Greensburg Central Catholic High School, and Aquinas Academy, both private Catholic schools.Colleges and universities
The immediate vicinity of Greensburg contains two major universities – Seton Hill UniversitySeton Hill University
Seton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
and the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, commonly referred to as Pitt-Greensburg or UPG, is a four-year, baccalaureate degree-granting, regional residential campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1963, UPG was granted...
. Seton Hill University was founded in 1885 by the Sisters of Charity
Sisters of Charity
Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity as part of their name. The rule of Saint Vincent for the Daughters of Charity has been adopted and adapted by at least sixty founders of religious orders around the world in the subsequent centuries....
on a bluff overlooking the City of Greensburg. Formerly a women's college, Seton Hill became a coeducational university in 2002. The Greensburg campus of the University of Pittsburgh was founded in 1963 in Downtown Greensburg, and would later grow into a large campus in nearby Hempfield Township. It was voted "Best University in the Region" for eight straight years (1999–2007) by the Tribune-Review. In addition, the branches of Carlow University
Carlow University
Carlow University is a Roman Catholic university founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, on September 24, 1929, by the Sisters of Mercy from Carlow, Ireland. Originally called Mount Mercy College, the name was changed to Carlow College in April 1969. In 2004, Carlow College achieved university...
, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is a private, graduate school of medicine and pharmacy and is currently the largest medical college in the country. Founded in 1992 in Erie, Pennsylvania., LECOM is a member of the Millcreek Health System in partnership with Millcreek Geriatric...
and Triangle Tech
Triangle Tech
Triangle Tech is a technical school with campuses in Pittsburgh, Erie, Greensburg, DuBois, Sunbury and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It offers two-year degrees in AIDS technology.-External links:*Pennsylvania Technical School...
are located within the Greater Greensburg area.
The campuses of Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College is a four-year, coeducational, Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, located about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. It was the first Benedictine monastery in the...
and Westmoreland County Community College
Westmoreland County Community College
Westmoreland County Community College, commonly referred to as WCCC or 3C's, was founded in 1970 and is located in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, USA. In 2009, a new enrollment record was set, with WCCC registering its 7,000th student....
are also located in the nearby communities of Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
and Youngwood
Youngwood, Pennsylvania
Youngwood is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,138 at the 2000 census. It was the hometown of the late George Blanda - former NFL quarterback and placekicker.-History:...
, respectively.
Libraries
The Greensburg Hempfield Area Library serves the City of Greensburg and Hempfield TownshipHempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Hempfield Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 43,241 at the 2010 census, making it the largest suburb in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area by population.- Geography :...
.
Arts and culture
Westmoreland Museum of American Art
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is an art museum in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, devoted to American art, with a particular concentration on the art of southwestern Pennsylvania....
, which specializes in American Art circa 1750-1950. The Palace Theatre, in the heart of the city's emerging cultural district, is the site for various performances throughout the year. Additionally, it is the home of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, and the Summer Sounds Concert Series at the Robertshaw Amphitheater in St. Clair Park.
The Westmoreland Cultural Trust has played a major role in the revitalization of Downtown Greensburg in recent years. Its accomplishments include the ongoing renovation of the Palace Theatre and the restoration (Before/After Pictures) of the circa 1910 Train Station. They are also responsible for renovating several commercial buildings in the downtown area.
Stage Right!
Stage Right!
reStage Right! is a professional theatre company as well as a performing arts school located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Established in 1998 as an organization for young people to take classes in musical theatre by Chris Rizk, Stage Right! also became a professional theatre company in 1999,...
also contributes to the culture of the region, offering classes in musical theatre for young people and staging professional productions at the Palace Theater and Greensburg Garden and Civic Center.
The Performance Arts Center of Seton Hill University opened its doors to the public in September 2009. This multi-million dollar complex, located in the city's Cultural District, is expected to serve as an additional catalyst for the future growth of the downtown core.
A hands-on science center
Science center
A science center or science centre is a science museum that emphasizes a hands-on approach, featuring interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to experiment and explore....
, to feature a wide range of interactive exhibits, was proposed for the former Mellon Bank building downtown, but it has since been put on hold indefinitely. Titled the Discovery & Interactive Science Center (DISC), it was to be a regional attraction for Westmoreland, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset and Bedford counties. It would've also been the only interactive science center between the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh and the Harsco Science Center in Harrisburg.
Greensburg is also home to a burgeoning music scene, including Essential Machine, Zao
Zao (band)
Zao is a metalcore band from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and one of the founding metalcore groups. Founded in 1993 in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Zao has hosted several musicians and endured numerous roster changes to the point where no original members remain...
, R.Y.D., The BranDannas, Farr & Away, the grade skool felons, and The Juliana Theory
The Juliana Theory
The Juliana Theory are an American rock quintet from Greensburg and Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Juliana Theory signed to Christian record label Tooth & Nail Records despite not being a Christian band. The group later signed to Epic Records for the release of the album Love. The Juliana Theory...
as well as electronica artist RJ Eclectica. Other notable artists from the Greensburg music scene include An Offhand Way, and celtic band Coming Through the Rye (www.myspace.com/comingthroughtherye), Justin DeCarlucci (www.myspace.com/justindecarlucci), Shattered (www.myspace.com/shattered), LoveBettie (www.myspace.com/lovebettie), Chris Goodman and others. One such venue that has hosted many of these local bands can be found along the shopping district on South Pennsylvania Avenue. DV8 Espresso Bar & Gallery, as it's called, is a distinctive coffee shop/espresso bar that is also a lively venue for a wide variety of artists, musicians and performers.
Cultural facts
- Just north of Greensburg is Old Hanna's TownHannastown, PennsylvaniaHannastown is an unincorporated community and important historical and archaeological site located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Although the village is not tracked by the Census Bureau, it has been assigned the ZIP code 15635....
, the first county seat west of the Appalachian MountainsAppalachian MountainsThe Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. - Greensburg is home to a great deal of interesting architecture including many historic and large homes as well as many old churches and cathedrals. The inner city has many small 1950-style shops and restaurants.
- The World Conference Center for The Church of Jesus ChristChurch of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)The Church of Jesus Christ is a Christian religious denomination headquartered in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, United States. The Church of Jesus Christ is a Restorationist church and is historically part of the Latter Day Saint movement...
is located west of Greensburg on PA Route 136. It is the third largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movementLatter Day Saint movementThe Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
. - The national headquarters of the Kappa Delta RhoKappa Delta RhoKappa Delta Rho is an American college social fraternity, with 77 chapters spread out over the United States, primarily in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions...
Fraternity is based in Greensburg.
Media
Since Greensburg is overshadowed by nearby Pittsburgh, radioRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
and television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s are mostly based out of the larger city. On a much lesser scale, some Johnstown
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
-area media outlets are also available in parts of Greensburg. The following information is about media based exclusively in Greensburg.
- Greensburg's major newspaper is the Tribune-Review, which is owned by the Tribune Review Publishing Company. In 1992, this company founded the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, a competitor to the Pittsburgh Post-GazettePittsburgh Post-GazetteThe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
. This occurred immediately following the demise of the Pittsburgh PressPittsburgh PressThe Pittsburgh Press is an online newspaper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, currently owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Historically, it was a major afternoon paper...
. The Tribune Review Publishing Company is owned by noted philathropist and conservative figure Richard Mellon ScaifeRichard Mellon ScaifeRichard Mellon Scaife is an American newspaper publisher and billionaire. Scaife owns and publishes the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. With $1.2 billion, Scaife, a principal heir to the Mellon banking, oil, and aluminum fortune, is No...
. Since starting the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, the original Tribune Review that circulates in and around Greensburg has upgraded its national and international news coverage but continues to maintain a robust local news section. - The Greensburg-based WHJB-FMWHJBWAYC is a religious formatted radio station in the Bedford, Pennsylvania, market. The station is owned by John H. Cessna.The station was initially established as WAYC with the Top-40 format broadcast at 1600 kHz. In the early 1990s, all of Bedford's four radio stations fell under the same...
, branded as Classic Hits 107.1, is a classic hitsClassic hitsClassic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
radio stationRadio stationRadio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
that was reintroduced to the Greensburg market in January 2006. It was originally WHJB-FM, WOKU-FM, WSSZ-FM, WJJJ-FM and WGSM-FM. - LCS Hockey, a newsletter turned internationally-renowned website, was founded in Greensburg.
- In 2004, Greensburg attorney P. Louis DeRose, published the book, Greensburg through the Arcadia Publishing Images of America Series.
- In 2006, Greensburg resident Rachel E. Smith, published the book, Greensburg through the Arcadia Publishing Postcard History Series.
Greensburg in fiction
- MysteryMystery fictionMystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
novelNovelA novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
writer K.C. Constantine has used various elements of Greensburg as a basis for the fictional town of Rocksburg in his novels.
Professional sports
From 1890 until 1900, Greensburg was the home of the Greensburg Athletic AssociationGreensburg Athletic Association
The Greensburg Athletic Association was an early organized football team, based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, that played from 1890 until 1900. The team began as an amateur football club in 1890 and was composed primarily of locals before several professional players were added for the 1895 season...
, one of the earliest professional football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
teams. The team began as an amateur football club in 1890 and was composed primarily of locals before several paid players were added for 1895. In 1894 it was discovered that the team had secretly paid formerly Indiana Normal (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. The university is northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is the commonwealth's fifth largest university...
) player, Lawson Fiscus
Lawson Fiscus
Ira Lawson Fiscus was one of the first professional football players. He attended Princeton University, where his outstanding play at offensive guard earned him the title Samson of Princeton, before going on to play professionally with the Allegheny Athletic Association in 1891 and the Greensburg...
, to play football and retained his services on salary. The team was the chief rival of another early professional football team, the Latrobe Athletic Association
Latrobe Athletic Association
The Latrobe Athletic Association was a professional football team located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, from 1895 until 1909. The team is best known for being the first football club to play a full season while composed entirely of professional players...
.
Aside from Fiscus, the Greensburg Athletic Association included several of the era's top players, such as: Charlie Atherton
Charlie Atherton
Charles Morgan Herbert Atherton is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. Nicknamed "Prexy", he batted and threw right-handed, was 5'10" tall and weighed 160 pounds. Atherton attended Penn State University. He was also an early professional football player for the Greensburg Athletic...
, George Barclay
George Barclay (baseball)
George Oliver Barclay was an American football and baseball player. He played Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and later the Boston Beaneaters. He was also an early professional football player-coach for the Greensburg Athletic Association. He was nicknamed "The Rose" for his...
, Ross Fiscus
Ross Fiscus
Ross Fiscus was an early professional football player and coach in the United States. He was one of the first pro players on record.-Playing history:...
, Jack Gass
Jack Gass
John "Jack" Gass was an early professional football player. He played mostly with the Latrobe Athletic Association from 1895 until 1899. In 1898 he was a member of the Western Pennsylvania All-Stars, which was a team put together by Latrobe manager, Dave Berry for the purpose of challenging the...
, Arthur McFarland
Arthur McFarland
Arthur L. "Tiger" McFarland was an early professional American football player who played with the Greensburg Athletic Association as well as the Latrobe Athletic Association. He later played for the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1902 version of the National Football League and for the 1903 US...
, Charles Rinehart
Charles Rinehart
Charles Ramsay Rinehart was an American football player, engineer and businessman. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1964....
, Isaac Seneca
Isaac Seneca
Isaac Seneca, Jr. was an All-American football player for the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. He was selected as an All-American halfback on the 1899 College Football All-America Team...
and Adam Martin Wyant
Adam Martin Wyant
Adam Martin Wyant was an American politician who served as Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. He served six terms, a total of 12 years, in the House. However Wyant is also best remembered for being the first professional football player to be elected to the...
. Several of these players revolutionized the game during their playing careers. Charlie Atherton is credited with inventing the place kick
Place kick
The place kick is a kicking style commonly used in rugby league and rugby union. It is also seen in Association football, American football and Canadian football.-American and Canadian football:...
, and George Barclay invented the first-ever football helmet
Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
. Meanwhile Isaac Seneca became the first Native-American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
to earn All-American honors and Adam Wyant was the first professional football player to become a United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
man.
Highways
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
limited access road|expressway]] bypasses Greensburg to the south, as does the north-south Pennsylvania Turnpike 66
Pennsylvania Route 66
Pennsylvania Route 66 is a long state highway in Western Pennsylvania. Its northern terminus is at U.S. Route 6 in Kane. Its southern terminus is at US 119 near New Stanton. West of Greensburg, PA 66 becomes the tolled Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass, a part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike System. The...
to the west. A proposed highway called the Laurel Valley Expressway was initially planned to be built to the east of Greensburg but that project has never materialized. The Pennsylvania Turnpike's New Stanton
New Stanton, Pennsylvania
New Stanton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,906 at the 2000 census. New Stanton is often used as a control city in western parts of Pennsylvania, as I-70 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound towards Breezewood, Pennsylvania in New...
exit is about five miles (8 km) south of Greensburg on U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is often referred to as Corridor G east of US 23 and KY 80 in Kentucky to Interstate 64 at Charleston, West Virginia.- Kentucky :US 119 is a two...
where Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
splits from Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
. PA Routes 66 and 136 begin in Greensburg. PA Routes 130, 819 and U.S. Route 119 pass through the city.
Public transportation
Westmoreland Transit is the mass transit system of Greensburg and Westmoreland County and operates a network of busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
routes seven days a week throughout the city and the rest of the county, as well as Pittsburgh. Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
runs regular scheduled bus service to and from Greensburg from many hubs, including Pittsburgh, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Airports
Air service is available at the Pittsburgh International AirportPittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
and at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is a public use airport located two nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Latrobe, and approximately 29 nautical miles southeast of Pittsburgh, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Westmoreland County...
east of Greensburg in nearby Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
.
Rail
The city has AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
rail service at the restored Train Station
Greensburg (Amtrak station)
Greensburg Station is an Amtrak railway station located approximately east of Pittsburgh at Harrison Avenue and Seton Hill Drive in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The station is located just north of the city center, and is currently served only by Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, which operates once per day in...
, as well as freight rail operator
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
Norfolk Southern and an independent shortline railroad connecting coal mines and businesses located south of the city to the Norfolk Southern line just west of Greensburg.
Bicycling
Greensburg is bike-friendly as it offers the Five Star Trail, which begins at Lynch Field and ends south of the city in Armbrust. It will eventually connect to the north section of the Youghiogheny River TrailYoughiogheny River Trail
The Yough River Trail is a non-motorized multi-use rail trail that stretches between McKeesport, PA and Confluence, PA. It is part of the Great Allegheny Passage that will one day allow cyclists to bike from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, D.C...
, which is a part of the Great Allegheny Passage
Great Allegheny Passage
The Great Allegheny Passage is a rail trail in Maryland and Pennsylvania. It is the central part of a several-hundred-mile long network of long-distance hiker-biker trails through the Allegheny region of the Appalachian Mountains, connecting Washington, D.C...
.
Utilities
Electricity for Greensburg and a large portion of Westmoreland CountyWestmoreland 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...
is supplied by West Penn Power, which is also headquartered in Greensburg. In addition, natural gas is widely used in the area due to large reserves existing throughout the region. Service is provided by Peoples Natural Gas Company.
Water utility service is provided by the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC). Waste collection and sewage utilities are provided by Waste Management
Waste management
Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
and the Greater Greensburg Sewage Authority, respectively.
Medical facilities
The Greater Greensburg area is home to several medical facilitiesMedical facility
A medical facility is, in general, any location at which medicine is practiced regularly. Medical facilities range from small clinics and doctor's offices to urgent care centers and large hospitals with elaborate emergency rooms and trauma centers. The number and quality of medical facilities in a...
, ranging from independent clinics and urgent care centers to full-service hospitals. The following listing is not exhaustive.
- Aestique Medical Center
- Bio-Medical Applications of Greensburg
- Excela Westmoreland Hospital
- Greensburg Care Center
- Innovative Health Services
- Laurel Surgical Center
- MedExpress Urgent Care Center
- West Place
Telecommunications
Greensburg is located within the 724 area codeArea code 724
Area code 724 is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania telephone area code in western and southwestern Pennsylvania, including the outer suburbs of Pittsburgh. It was split from Area code 412 on February 1, 1998...
, which completely surrounds the 412 area code
Area code 412
Area code 412 is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania telephone area code which serves most of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania , along with small portions of Washington and Westmoreland counties, except the northern edge of Allegheny County served by the Consolidated Communications, formerly the North...
assigned to the city of Pittsburgh and most of Allegheny County, along with small portions of Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Notable people
- Karen AngleKaren AngleKaren Jarrett is an American professional wrestling valet and personality, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
– ex-wife of professional wrestler Kurt AngleKurt AngleKurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and current Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
performer - Michael ArnzenMichael ArnzenMichael A. Arnzen is a horror author and writer of the Bram Stoker Award-winning novel, Grave Markings . He won his second Bram Stoker Award for his newsletter and his third for his poetry collection, Freakcidents....
– horror fiction author - Paul BartholomewPaul BartholomewPaul Amos Batholomew was an architect in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. From the beginning of his practice, he received a variety of high-profile commissions for both residential and non-residential structures, mainly in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. His buildings typically had historicist...
– architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of various Greensburg landmarks and designer of Norvelt, PennsylvaniaNorvelt, PennsylvaniaNorvelt is an unincorporated community in Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although the United States Census Bureau includes it in a census-designated place with the nearby community of Calumet, they are in reality two very different communities, each... - Randy BishRandy BishRandy Bish is an American editorial cartoonist working for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.He is the recipient of a Golden Quill Award and was a 2002 winner in the Iranian International Cartoon Contest....
– editorial cartoonistEditorial cartoonistAn editorial cartoonist, also known as a political cartoonist, is an artist who draws editorial cartoons that contain some level of political or social commentary.... - James Clarke – third Governor of Iowa TerritoryIowa TerritoryThe Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa.-History:...
- K.C. Constantine – mystery fictionMystery fictionMystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... - Brett DetarBrett DetarBrett Detar is an American singer, musician, and producer best known as lead singer of the now defunct rock band The Juliana Theory and as former guitarist/bassist for metalcore band Zao...
– songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and record producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Rebecca FranklinRebecca FranklinRebecca Franklin is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based food writer for About.com, a New York Times Company. and various other media outlets. She has been freelance writing for food, travel and health publications for nine years. Her specialties include European food - French cuisine is her expertise...
– food writer - Todd GallagherTodd GallagherTodd Gallagher is an American author, filmmaker, and comedian. He is best known for his comedic commentary and elaborate social experiments. He has worked with ESPN and is known for his book "Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan: Taking the Field with Pro Athletes and Olympic Legends to Answer...
– social scientistSocial ScientistSocial Scientist is a New Delhi based journal in social sciences and humanities published since 1972....
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, filmmaker, and comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy... - Paul GilbertPaul GilbertPaul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
– guitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for the bands Racer X and Mr. BigMr. Big (band)Mr. Big is an American rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin , Paul Gilbert , Billy Sheehan , and Pat Torpey ; Mr. Big also included Richie Kotzen, a reputable blues-based guitarist who replaced Gilbert in 1999... - Zach JacksonZach JacksonZachary Thomas Jackson, is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers organization.-Toronto Blue Jays:Jackson was drafted first in the first-year player draft by the Toronto Blue Jays in after completing his Junior year at Texas A&M University. He pitched very well, jumping to Triple-A...
– Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the... - Greg JonesGreg Jones (wrestler)Greg Jones is one of the most successful American collegiate wrestlers of all-time. At West Virginia University, Jones won three NCAA Division I wrestling titles - one of only 39 wrestlers to accomplish that feat in the tournament's 75-year history....
– highly accomplished collegiate wrestler at West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;... - Sheila KelleySheila Kelley (American actress)Sheila Kelley is an American television actress. She is best known for her roles as Gwen Taylor on L.A. Law and as Dr. Charlotte "Charley" Bennett Hayes on Sisters.-Early life:...
– actress - Peggy KingPeggy KingPeggy King is a pop singer and former TV personality.She is best remembered as the female vocalist on The George Gobel Show. She also appeared in American Bandstand, Maverick, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Jack Benny Show...
– 1950s and 1960s popPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer and television personality - Rocco MediateRocco MediateRocco Anthony Mediate is an American professional golfer with multiple PGA Tour wins.-Early years:Mediate was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. According to the Golf Channel, he is the son of a barber and has Italian ancestral heritage. Mediate attended Florida Southern...
– professional golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er - Roland "Bud" Mertz – politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
- Vic MignognaVic MignognaVictor Joseph "Vic" Mignogna is an American Anime Award winning voice actor and musician who has done voice work for many anime series, movies, and video games...
– voice actor - Bruce WeberBruce Weber (photographer)Bruce Weber is an American fashion photographer and occasional filmmaker. He is most widely known for his ad campaigns for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Pirelli, Abercrombie & Fitch, Revlon, and Gianni Versace, as well as his work for Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Elle, Life, Interview, and Rolling Stone...
– fashion photographer - James C. WhiteJames C. WhiteJames Charles White, Jr. was an American radio talk-show host on KMOX, in St. Louis, Missouri.-Radio career:...
– radio personalityRadio personalityA radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,... - Cyrus E. WoodsCyrus WoodsCyrus Woods was an American diplomat and politician.He was born September 3, 1861 in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He attended Lafayette University and was a brother of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity there . He later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a law degree in 1889...
– lawyerLawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
Points of interest
Note that some of these locations are outside the city even though they are generally considered a part of Greensburg.- Greensburg Garden and Civic Center
- Greensburg Hempfield Area Library
- Kirk S. Nevin Ice Arena
- Lynch Field
- Old Hanna's TownHannastown, PennsylvaniaHannastown is an unincorporated community and important historical and archaeological site located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Although the village is not tracked by the Census Bureau, it has been assigned the ZIP code 15635....
- Palace Theatre
- Performing Arts Center of Seton Hill UniversitySeton Hill UniversitySeton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
- Robertshaw Amphitheater
- St. Clair Park
- Seton Hill UniversitySeton Hill UniversitySeton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
- The Train Station
- Twin Lakes Park
- University of Pittsburgh at GreensburgUniversity of Pittsburgh at GreensburgUniversity of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, commonly referred to as Pitt-Greensburg or UPG, is a four-year, baccalaureate degree-granting, regional residential campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1963, UPG was granted...
- Westmoreland County CourthouseWestmoreland County CourthouseThe Westmoreland County Courthouse is a government building of Westmoreland County located in the county seat, Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It is a contributing property to the Downtown Greensburg Historic District, but was listed separately on the National Register of Historic Places on March 30, 1978...
- Westmoreland Fairgrounds
- Westmoreland MallWestmoreland MallWestmoreland Mall, owned and operated by CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., is a two-level, enclosed shopping mall in the municipality of Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. It was completed in 1977, extensively renovated and expanded in 1993-1994, and includes The Bon-Ton,...
- Westmoreland Museum of American ArtWestmoreland Museum of American ArtThe Westmoreland Museum of American Art is an art museum in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, devoted to American art, with a particular concentration on the art of southwestern Pennsylvania....
See also
- Academy Hill Historic District
- Arnold Palmer Regional AirportArnold Palmer Regional AirportArnold Palmer Regional Airport is a public use airport located two nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Latrobe, and approximately 29 nautical miles southeast of Pittsburgh, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Westmoreland County...
- Greensburg Downtown Historic District
- Kecksburg UFO IncidentKecksburg UFO incidentThe Kecksburg UFO incident occurred on December 9, 1965 at Kecksburg, Pennsylvania, USA. A large, brilliant fireball was seen by thousands in at least six U.S. states and Ontario, Canada...
- Seton Hill UniversitySeton Hill UniversitySeton Hill University is a small Catholic liberal arts university of about 2100 students in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Formerly a women's college, it became a coeducational university in 2002....
- University of Pittsburgh at GreensburgUniversity of Pittsburgh at GreensburgUniversity of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, commonly referred to as Pitt-Greensburg or UPG, is a four-year, baccalaureate degree-granting, regional residential campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1963, UPG was granted...