New Kensington, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
New Kensington is a city 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...
situated along the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
18 miles (29 km) northeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 14,701 at the 2000 Census. The mayor of New Kensington is Tom Guzzo (D), elected in 2009. He succeeded Mayor Frank E. Link (D), elected in 2001.
History
New Kensington was founded in 1891. In 1890, the Burrell Improvement Company considered the advantages of the level land south of its home in Lower BurrellLower Burrell, Pennsylvania
Lower Burrell is a city in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located approximately 18 miles northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, Lower Burrell is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area...
, and deemed it a prime location for a city and named the area "Kensington" (later changed to "New Kensington" for postal purposes, because Pennsylvania already had another city with that name). In an attempt to make New Kensington comparable to Pittsburgh, the streets were named with numbers. Avenues ran parallel to the river, while streets were perpendicular. 4th and 5th were the main commercial streets.
Once the land was surveyed, a public sale was held on June 10, 1891. Thousands of people flooded the area and investors began bringing industry with them. The first large company was the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, which later became Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
. They acquired a 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) property that allowed the company to exploit the closeness to the riverfront.
Eventually, such other companies as Adams Drilling, Goldsmith and Lowerburg, New Kensington Milling, New Kensington Brewing, Logan Lumber, Keystone Dairy, and many more were built late in the nineteenth century and continuing into the early twentieth century. Early achievements included a railroad station, the 9th Street bridge, a passenger boat that navigated the Allegheny River, a street car line that ran to Natrona
Natrona, Pennsylvania
Natrona is an unincorporated community in Harrison Township, Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located in Western Pennsylvania within the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, approximately northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh...
via the West Penn Railways
West Penn Railways
West Penn Railways, one part of the West Penn System, was an interurban electric railway headquartered in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It was part of the region's power generation utility.-History:...
, the Kensington Dispatch newspaper, a fire department,hotel, opera house, and a local chapter of the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
.
In 1941, New Kensington became the site of a modern workers' housing project—named the Aluminum City Terrace—designed by Marcel Breuer
Marcel Breuer
Marcel Lajos Breuer , was a Hungarian-born modernist, architect and furniture designer of Jewish descent. One of the masters of Modernism, Breuer displayed interest in modular construction and simple forms.- Life and work :Known to his friends and associates as Lajkó, Breuer studied and taught at...
and Walter Gropius
Walter Gropius
Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School who, along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture....
, which set new standards for federal housing design. Breuer and Gropius ascribed to the famous Bauhaus School of Design
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
in Germany. Intended for Alcoa defense workers, it was subsequently used to rehouse displaced residents from other parts of the city. In 1948, tenants from the Terrace decided to purchase the housing project from the U.S. government to form a co-op, managed by a Board of Directors, elected by representatives from the 250 units. Relatively low-cost monthly fees continue to cover the costs of running the Terrace.
Today, New Kensington contains the neighborhoods of Parnassus, Mount Vernon, Valley Heights, Valley Camp, Pine Manor, and 40 Acres.
Demographics
In 1900, 4,665 people lived in New Kensington, Pennsylvania; in 1910, 7,707; in 1920, 11,987 in 1930 and 24,055 in 1940.As of the census
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 14,701 people, 6,519 households, and 3,963 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 3,703.9 people per square mile (1,429.7/km²). There were 7,309 housing units at an average density of 1,841.5 per square mile (710.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.85% White , 9.84% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.37% 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 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 6,519 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% 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, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,505, and the median income for a family was $37,952. Males had a median income of $31,164 versus $11,683 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 $16,152. About 8.5% of families and 13.7% 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.
Infrastructure
New Kensington maintains its own public works, fire department, police force and emergency rescue team, and water authority. Recreation facilities operated by the city include Memorial Park and Masa Harbison Park. People's Library of New Kensington offers public libraryPublic library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
services. Public transportation is provided by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania and the 11th-largest in the United States. When considering that its service area is the 20th largest in the U.S...
and Westmoreland County Transit Authority
Westmoreland County Transit Authority
The Westmoreland County Transit Authority is the operator of mass transportation in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Using 35 buses, a total of 18 routes are operated, the majority of which serve the urbanized corridor that makes up the western portion of the county...
. There are thirty churches representing several denominations throughout the city. The Westmoreland County Housing Authority administers the Kensington Manor, East Ken Manor, and Valley Manor public housing
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
projects within the city limits as well.
Education
The city is served by the New Kensington–Arnold School District, with facilities at Valley High SchoolValley High School (New Kensington, Pennsylvania)
For schools of the same name, see Valley High SchoolValley High School is a public school in New Kensington, Westmoreland County in the U.S...
, Valley Middle School, H. D. Berkey Intermediate School; and Greenwald Memorial, Fort Crawford, and Martin elementary schools. Parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
s include Mary Queen of Apostles, Harvest Baptist Academy (K–12), Mount St. Peter, St. Mary, and St. Joseph. A branch campus of Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
was established in New Kensington in 1958. Since 1966, the campus has been located in suburban Upper Burrell Township, but retains the name Penn State New Kensington. In 2008, a satellite campus of 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....
opened in downtown New Kensington.
Media
Two radio stations, WGBNWGBN
WGBN is a U.S. gospel music radio station serving the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania market. The station, which is owned by Pentecostal Temple Development Corporation, broadcasts at 1150 kHz with a power level of 1,000 watts daytime and 70 watts night, and using a two-tower directional antenna system. ...
-AM and WBZZ
WBZZ
WBZZ may refer to:*WBZZ, a radio station licensed to serve New Kensington, Pennsylvania, United States*WQSH, a radio station in Malta, New York, United States licensed as WBZZ from 2006 to 2011...
, are both licensed to New Kensington, but serve Pittsburgh almost exclusively.
Usage in popular culture
New Kensington is featured in P.O.D.P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
's "Youth of the Nation" music video. The PA 56 Arnold directional sign is visible as the car in the video travels eastbound over the 9th Street Bridge (C.L. Schmitt Bridge
C.L. Schmitt Bridge
The C.L. Schmitt Bridge is a truss bridge that carries vehicular traffic across the Allegheny River between New Kensington and East Deer Township, Pennsylvania in the United States.-History:The bridge was constructed in 1927 to connect Route 56, which has its terminus on the New Kensington side...
).
The city was also one of the filming locations for the movie Dogma
Dogma (film)
Dogma is a 1999 American adventure fantasy comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, who also stars in the film along with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Bud Cort, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, George Carlin, Janeane Garofalo,...
, staring Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
and Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
.
Notable people
- Eddie AdamsEddie Adams (photographer)Eddie Adams was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American photographer and photojournalist noted for portraits of celebrities and politicians and his coverage of 13 wars.-Combat photographer:...
– photographer - Ray DiPalmaRay DiPalmaRay DiPalma , is an American poet and visual artist who has published more than 40 collections of poetry, graphic work, and translations with various presses in the US and Europe...
– poet - Jeffrey A. HartJeffrey A. HartJeffrey A. Hart is professor of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington, whose research deals mainly with international politics and International Political Economy...
– academic - Stephanie KwolekStephanie KwolekStephanie Louise Kwolek is a Polish-American chemist who invented poly-paraphenylene terephtalamide—better known as Kevlar. She was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Kwolek has won numerous awards for her work in polymer chemistry.- Early life and education :Kwolek was...
– inventor - William Thomas McKinleyWilliam Thomas McKinleyWilliam Thomas McKinley is an American composer and jazz pianist. He has written more than 300 musical compositions, many of which have been recorded by such ensembles as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Seattle Symphony...
– composer - Greg MeisnerGreg MeisnerGregory Paul Meisner is a former American football defensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants of the National Football League....
– University of Pittsburgh; LA Rams (1982–91); Kansas City Chiefs (1992–93) - Louie PessolanoLouie PessolanoLouis Carl Pessolano was a professional football who played in one game with the Staten Island Stapletons of the National Football League in 1929....
– Villanova University; Staten Island Stapletons (1929–30) - Willie ThrowerWillie ThrowerWillie Lawrence Thrower was a American football quarterback. Born near Pittsburgh in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Thrower was known as "Mitts" for his large hands and arm strength compared to his 5'11 frame. He was known to toss a football 60 yards...
– Michigan State University; Chicago Bears (1953–54) Post WWII, first African American QB to be in NFL