Saxonburg, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Saxonburg is a borough in Butler County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 1,629 as of the 2000 census.
, who is known for the design of the Brooklyn Bridge
in New York
, and for innovation in producing wire rope
, the community was initially called "Germania", which was soon changed to "Sachsenburg" and eventually anglicized to Saxonburg. Roebling had set out with his brother Karl and a group of pioneers from Germany
in 1831 to flee the general unrest and oppression in Europe. The two men, along with a handful of the people who accompanied them on the trans-Atlantic journey secured 1582 acres (6.4 km²) of land on October 28, 1831 from Mrs. Sarah Collins.
In November 1920 KDKA radio, regarded as the world's first commercial radio station, began broadcasting from East Pittsburgh, PA, but later located its transmitter in neighboring Clinton Township. The Roebling Museum in the borough maintains several artifacts.
was built at the Nuclear Research Center near Saxonburg in southern Butler County. The research program developed at Saxonburg flourished up to the mid-1970s when the then-obsolete accelerator was dismantled. The legacy of that work remains, in the form of vigorous, medium and high energy nuclear and particle physics research programs carried on by Carnegie Mellon groups at various national and international accelerator laboratories. II-VI Corporation now occupies the old Nuclear Research Center site in Saxonburg. As of 1997, the original laboratory building remains, more or less intact, as does the old dormitory/cafeteria/lounge building, which is now used for storage. The most obvious changes are that the accelerator and attendant shielding are gone, along with the farmhouse and quonset huts; the high-bay area has been converted to three levels of office and laboratory space; and there has been considerable new construction, so that the original lab building is now but a fraction of the total facility.
allegedly killed police officer Gregory Adams in Saxonburg. Webb was on the FBI Most Wanted List
longer than any other fugitive since its creation in 1950. He was removed from the list on March 31, 2007 without ever being found.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 1,629 people, 655 households, and 391 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,852.8 people per square mile (714.7/km²). There were 713 housing units at an average density of 811.0 per square mile (312.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.32% White, 0.25% African American, 0.31% from other races
, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.
There were 655 households out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 35.3% 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 2.13 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the borough the population was spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 34.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 72.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $32,159, and the median income for a family was $41,875. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $24,135 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $21,931. About 7.8% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 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 1,629 as of the 2000 census.
History
Founded in 1832 by John A. RoeblingJohn A. Roebling
John Augustus Roebling was a German-born American civil engineer. He is famous for his wire rope suspension bridge designs, in particular, the design of the Brooklyn Bridge.-Early life:...
, who is known for the design of the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and for innovation in producing wire rope
Wire rope
thumb|Steel wire rope Wire rope is a type of rope which consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a helix. Initially wrought iron wires were used, but today steel is the main material used for wire ropes....
, the community was initially called "Germania", which was soon changed to "Sachsenburg" and eventually anglicized to Saxonburg. Roebling had set out with his brother Karl and a group of pioneers from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1831 to flee the general unrest and oppression in Europe. The two men, along with a handful of the people who accompanied them on the trans-Atlantic journey secured 1582 acres (6.4 km²) of land on October 28, 1831 from Mrs. Sarah Collins.
In November 1920 KDKA radio, regarded as the world's first commercial radio station, began broadcasting from East Pittsburgh, PA, but later located its transmitter in neighboring Clinton Township. The Roebling Museum in the borough maintains several artifacts.
Nuclear Lab
In 1946, Fred Seitz, then head of the physics department at Carnegie Tech, brought Ed Creutz (who later succeeded Seitz as department head), Jack Fox (who succeeded Creutz as department head), Roger Sutton (who succeeded Creutz as director of the Saxonburg Nuclear Research Center) and Bert Corben to Carnegie Tech to establish an important nuclear physics research program. Through a series of initiatives by June 6, 1946 a leading-edge 450 MeV proton synchrocyclotronSynchrocyclotron
A synchrocyclotron is a cyclotron in which the frequency of the driving RF electric field is varied to compensate for relativistic effects as the particles' velocity begins to approach the speed of light...
was built at the Nuclear Research Center near Saxonburg in southern Butler County. The research program developed at Saxonburg flourished up to the mid-1970s when the then-obsolete accelerator was dismantled. The legacy of that work remains, in the form of vigorous, medium and high energy nuclear and particle physics research programs carried on by Carnegie Mellon groups at various national and international accelerator laboratories. II-VI Corporation now occupies the old Nuclear Research Center site in Saxonburg. As of 1997, the original laboratory building remains, more or less intact, as does the old dormitory/cafeteria/lounge building, which is now used for storage. The most obvious changes are that the accelerator and attendant shielding are gone, along with the farmhouse and quonset huts; the high-bay area has been converted to three levels of office and laboratory space; and there has been considerable new construction, so that the original lab building is now but a fraction of the total facility.
Murder Mystery
On the afternoon of 1980-12-04, Donald Eugene WebbDonald Eugene Webb
Donald Eugene Webb is an American career criminal and fugitive wanted for attempted burglary and the murder of police chief Gregory Adams in the small community of Saxonburg, Pennsylvania on December 4, 1980. It was the first murder in the town's history.- Background and family :Donald Eugene...
allegedly killed police officer Gregory Adams in Saxonburg. Webb was on the FBI Most Wanted List
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
The FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list arose from a conversation held in late 1949 between J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, and William Kinsey Hutchinson, International News Service Editor-in-Chief, who were discussing ways to promote capture of the...
longer than any other fugitive since its creation in 1950. He was removed from the list on March 31, 2007 without ever being found.
Geography
Saxonburg is located at 40°45′15"N 79°48′56"W (40.754040, -79.815619).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,629 people, 655 households, and 391 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,852.8 people per square mile (714.7/km²). There were 713 housing units at an average density of 811.0 per square mile (312.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.32% White, 0.25% African American, 0.31% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.
There were 655 households out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 35.3% 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 2.13 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the borough the population was spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 34.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 72.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $32,159, and the median income for a family was $41,875. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $24,135 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $21,931. About 7.8% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
