Jeannette, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Jeannette is a city
in Westmoreland County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 10,788 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²).2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) .
of 2010, there were 9,654 people, 4,630 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,414.3 people per square mile (1,706.9/km²). There were 5,139 housing units at an average density of 2,129.3 per square mile (823.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.81% White, 20.19% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 4,630 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples
living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,091, and the median income for a family was $37,038. Males had a median income of $32,413 versus $21,702 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,961. About 10.9% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
First incorporated as a borough on June 7, 1889, Jeannette earned the nickname as "the glass city" in recognition of the numerous glass plants founded in the area, with those factories contributing to the city's original stature as the first large manufacturing town in Westmoreland County
. In fact, the impact of the glass industry was so significant that the city's name actually comes from Jeannette E. Hartupee McKee, the wife of H. Sellers McKee, a local industrialist who cofounded the Chambers and McKee Glass Works and was a member of the elite South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
of Johnstown Flood
fame. Mckee and his partner J.A. Chambers also have the distinction of naming Jeannette's main street, Clay Avenue after their financial backer, Richard W. Clay. On January 1, 1938 Jeannette became a third class city with Attorney John M. OConnell as the first mayor.
At times, there were as many as 7 significant glass factories operating in the city of Jeannette including some of the most well known in the history of the glass industry. Names like Jeannette Glass; Fort Pitt Glass; the Pittsburgh Lamp, Brass and Glass Company; American-Saint Gobain, Westmoreland Glass
; and others all supplied the country with everything from plate glass windows, to bottles, to milk glass, and much more for many decades. Some estimates over the years indicate that Jeannette once produced somewhere between 70-85% of the world's glass. Unfortunately, the Jeannette's glass industry was one of the early United States industry victims of cheap, foreign competition that made it less expensive to produce glass overseas and today only two glass factories remain in the city.
Jeannette's manufacturing history doesn't end with the glass industry. Today's Elliott Company
represents an evolution dating back to 1914 when William Swan Elliott moved his company to Jeannette. The Elliott Company, owned by the Carrier Corporation from 1957 until 1979 and by United Technologies Corporation until a 1987 buyout that returned the company to a privately-owned status, only to become an Ebara Corporation subsidiary in 2000, has always had a solid reputation in the dynamo, turbine, and large rotating equipment industry. In 1952, the company produced the first diesel-engine turbocharger
used in a racecar and subsequently built more than 40,000 more of them for other diesel applications. Throughout the 1970s, local residents routinely witnessed a revolving door of trains hauling parts into the plant on North 4th Street and hauling the huge turbine engines back down the tracks. Today, the Elliott Company is the city's largest employer. Jeannette is also the manufacturing home of Jensen Steam Engine Mfg. Co., Inc., which produces small working models of steam engines and turbines. The Jensen shop is only a few blocks from the Elliott plant.
The Pennsylvania Rubber Works, which moved to Jeannette from Erie, Pennsylvania, around 1903, was yet another key part of the city's significant industrial base. Not only did this factory become a significant supplier of play balls (basketballs, footballs, tennis balls, etc.) and carpet underlay as part of General Tire in its later years; but the original Pennsylvania Rubber Works provided products for Jeeps and gas masks during World War II.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in 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...
, 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...
. The population was 10,788 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Jeannette is located at 40°19′44"N 79°36′50"W (40.328773, -79.613997).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²).2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) .
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 9,654 people, 4,630 households, and 2,949 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 4,414.3 people per square mile (1,706.9/km²). There were 5,139 housing units at an average density of 2,129.3 per square mile (823.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.81% White, 20.19% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 4,630 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,091, and the median income for a family was $37,038. Males had a median income of $32,413 versus $21,702 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 $15,961. About 10.9% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Jeannette City School District includes McKee Elementary School, McKee Middle School and Jeannette Senior High School.History
Perhaps the oldest historical reference to the area that became Jeannette is the role the area played in the Pontiac War in 1763. The Bushy Run Battlefield marks the spot where Colonel Henry Boquet led the British and American troops to defeat the Indians in a battle on the 5th and 6 August that year. This victory is credited with helping to prevent the capture of Fort Pitt, and it served the purpose of reopening communication and supply lines. Today, this 200 acre (0.809372 km²) historical landmark is the site of a museum, nature trails, picnic areas, and an annual reenactment of the Battle of Bushy Run.First incorporated as a borough on June 7, 1889, Jeannette earned the nickname as "the glass city" in recognition of the numerous glass plants founded in the area, with those factories contributing to the city's original stature as the first large manufacturing town in 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...
. In fact, the impact of the glass industry was so significant that the city's name actually comes from Jeannette E. Hartupee McKee, the wife of H. Sellers McKee, a local industrialist who cofounded the Chambers and McKee Glass Works and was a member of the elite South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club was a Pennsylvania corporation which operated an exclusive and secretive retreat at a mountain lake near South Fork, Pennsylvania for more than fifty extremely wealthy men and their families...
of Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
fame. Mckee and his partner J.A. Chambers also have the distinction of naming Jeannette's main street, Clay Avenue after their financial backer, Richard W. Clay. On January 1, 1938 Jeannette became a third class city with Attorney John M. OConnell as the first mayor.
At times, there were as many as 7 significant glass factories operating in the city of Jeannette including some of the most well known in the history of the glass industry. Names like Jeannette Glass; Fort Pitt Glass; the Pittsburgh Lamp, Brass and Glass Company; American-Saint Gobain, Westmoreland Glass
Westmoreland Glass Company
The Westmoreland Glass Company was founded in 1889 when a group of men from the Specialty Glass Company in East Liverpool, Ohio migrated to Grapeville, Pennsylvania. The property had a large source of natural gas. The company was run by two brothers, George and Charles West. Its main production was...
; and others all supplied the country with everything from plate glass windows, to bottles, to milk glass, and much more for many decades. Some estimates over the years indicate that Jeannette once produced somewhere between 70-85% of the world's glass. Unfortunately, the Jeannette's glass industry was one of the early United States industry victims of cheap, foreign competition that made it less expensive to produce glass overseas and today only two glass factories remain in the city.
Jeannette's manufacturing history doesn't end with the glass industry. Today's Elliott Company
Elliott Company
Elliott Company designs, manufactures, installs, and services turbo-machinery for prime movers and rotating machinery. Headquartered in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, Elliott Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japan-based company, Ebara Corporation, and is a unit of Elliott Group, Ebara...
represents an evolution dating back to 1914 when William Swan Elliott moved his company to Jeannette. The Elliott Company, owned by the Carrier Corporation from 1957 until 1979 and by United Technologies Corporation until a 1987 buyout that returned the company to a privately-owned status, only to become an Ebara Corporation subsidiary in 2000, has always had a solid reputation in the dynamo, turbine, and large rotating equipment industry. In 1952, the company produced the first diesel-engine turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
used in a racecar and subsequently built more than 40,000 more of them for other diesel applications. Throughout the 1970s, local residents routinely witnessed a revolving door of trains hauling parts into the plant on North 4th Street and hauling the huge turbine engines back down the tracks. Today, the Elliott Company is the city's largest employer. Jeannette is also the manufacturing home of Jensen Steam Engine Mfg. Co., Inc., which produces small working models of steam engines and turbines. The Jensen shop is only a few blocks from the Elliott plant.
The Pennsylvania Rubber Works, which moved to Jeannette from Erie, Pennsylvania, around 1903, was yet another key part of the city's significant industrial base. Not only did this factory become a significant supplier of play balls (basketballs, footballs, tennis balls, etc.) and carpet underlay as part of General Tire in its later years; but the original Pennsylvania Rubber Works provided products for Jeeps and gas masks during World War II.
Notable people
- Steve AugustSteve AugustSteve August is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He played most of his professional football career with the Seattle Seahawks. He then retired as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers after joining them at midseason. He played college football at Tulsa...
, former NFL offensive tackle for Seattle Seahawks (1977–84) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1984). - Buster ClarksonBuster ClarksonJames Buster Clarkson , better known as Buster or Bus Clarkson, was a baseball player who played briefly in the major leagues and had a long career in the Negro leagues, the minor leagues, and the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League...
, Negro league baseballNegro league baseballThe Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
player, lived in Jeannette after he retired - Claire CribbsClaire CribbsClaire Linton Cribbs was an American basketball player and high school coach. He was a two-time All-American at the University of Pittsburgh and won over 400 games as a high school coach in the state of Ohio....
, former two-time All-American basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh (1933-34 & 1934-35). - Mike GettoMike GettoMichael J. Getto was a professional football coach in the National Football League for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1942. That season he coached Brooklyn to a 3–8 record. Prior to his coaching career, Getto played college football while attending the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned...
, former All-American football player at the University of Pittsburgh and football coach for the National Football League's Brooklyn Dodgers (1942). - Monica Lee GradischekMonica Lee GradischekMonica Lee Gradischek, a 1994 graduate of New York University is an American voice actress in animation, commercials, and video games as well as performing arts...
, voice actress - Slide HamptonSlide HamptonLocksley Wellington "Slide" Hampton is an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger.He was a 1998 Grammy Award winner for "Best Jazz Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist", as arranger for "Cotton Tail" performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater...
, jazz trombonist, born in Jeannette - Dick HoakDick HoakRichard John Hoak is a former running backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers — the longest tenured coach in the team's history...
, former Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
running back (1969–70) and running backs coach (1972–2006), born in Jeannette - Jack G. MerrellJack G. MerrellGeneral Jack Gordon Merrell was a United States Air Force four star general who served as Commander, Air Force Logistics Command from 1968 to 1972..Merrell was born in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, in 1915...
, United States Air Force four star general - Randy J. Miller, sports writer, author of 2010 sports biography Harry the K: The Wonderful Life of Harry Kalas
- Marissa MossMarissa MossMarissa Moss is an American children's book author.-Work:Moss's work spans the many ages of a child. She started her first career making picture books. Amelia's Notebook was her first deviation from that format. This book is the format of a journal or diary and is penned in a black and white...
, author of more than a dozen children's books who was born in Jeannette and moved to California at age 2. - Neon Swing X-perienceNeon Swing X-perienceNeon Swing X-perience was founded in 1998 by Mike Urick near Jeannette, Pennsylvania. Since then, the band has been dedicated to preserving varied forms of "Americana" music - particularly those types inspired or rooted in the big bands of the 1930s and 40's.The band has independently released...
, swing band - William A. ShomoWilliam A. ShomoWilliam "Bill" A. Shomo was a United States Army fighter pilot during World War II. He is credited with scoring 8 victories during the conflict. Seven of these occurred during a single mission while flying a reconnaissance version of the P-51 Mustang...
, an Ace Fighter Pilot and World War II Medal of Honor recipient (award ceremony) - Ambrose Battista De Paoli, Roman Catholic Archbishop and nuncio
- Vaughn MonroeVaughn MonroeVaughn Wilton Monroe was an American baritone singer, trumpeter and big band leader and actor, most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for recording and radio.-Biography:...
, 1940's-'50's bandleader and singer - Terrelle PryorTerrelle PryorTerrelle Pryor is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2008−2010...
former high school quarterback for Jeannette Jayhawks,Former quarterback for the Ohio State BuckeyesOhio State BuckeyesThe Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports... - Joseph YorioJoseph YorioJoseph M. Yorio is an American business executive and the former President and CEO of Xe Services, formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide.Joseph M...
, President & CEO, Xe Services, formerly Blackwater Worldwide, born and raised in Jeannette - Robert ScottRobert Scott- Military personnel :* Robert Falcon Scott , British Royal Navy officer and Antarctic explorer* Robert Lee Scott, Jr. , United States Air Force flying ace in World War II...
, Firefighter, EMT, Jeannette Fire Department - Charles MillerCharles Miller-Sportsmen:*Charlie Miller , Major League Baseball player*Charlie Miller , Major League Baseball player*Charlie Miller , Scottish footballer...
, Captain of the Jeannette Fire Department and Author of "The Tower",