Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated. The borough was named in honor of William Wilkins
, Secretary of War
under President John Tyler
.
an immigrants. The borough has a remarkably high concentration of churches, mostly Protestant
, which is unusual in a predominantly Catholic region of the country. Bars
are prohibited within the borough limits. Wilkinsburg separated from the city of Pittsburgh in 1871. According to borough leader James Kelly, this was in order to maintain the religious integrity of the community. Wilkinsburg was known during this time by many as "The Holy City".
In 1916, the world's first commercially licensed radio station, KDKA
, began broadcasting here as experimental station 8XK from a small garage owned by Frank Conrad
before it was launched with its current call letters on November 2, 1920. In 1923, Wilkinsburg-based Russia
n immigrant Vladimir Zworykin
designed and patented the iconoscope
, the photocell "eye" of early television cameras. Today, ABC affiliate WTAE-TV
is located in the borough on Ardmore Boulevard.
In more recent years, the borough has become economically depressed. On March 1, 2000, Wilkinsburg received national attention when Ronald Taylor, a man suffering from schizophrenia
, killed three people and wounded two others in a spree that occurred in part at the local Burger King
and McDonald's
restaurants http://www.digitalduke.duq.edu/justice/Taylor/lifeandc.htm.
Wilkinsburg was home to the infamous Larimer Avenue-Wilkinsburg (LAW) Gang, which was indicted by the federal government under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO). The indictment started in 1995, when the federal government began to investigate and arrest many people with criminal ties or activities http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/1998/07/13/story1.html.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 19,196 people, 9,138 households, and 4,477 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 8,335.1 people per square mile (3,222.4/km²). There were 10,696 housing units at an average density of 4,644.3 per square mile (1,795.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 29.25% White, 66.51% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races
, and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 9,138 households out of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.3% were married couples
living together, 20.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 44.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 78.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $26,621, and the median income for a family was $33,412. Males had a median income of $26,813 versus $26,196 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $16,890. About 15.9% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.8% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.
discontinued service, citing a total of 128 passengers boarding or alighting in the first six months of 1975, the lowest system-wide. The last train serving Wilkinsburg was the National Limited
, which operated daily between New York City
and Kansas City, Missouri
. The PennDOT-operated Parkway Limited
provided commuter service to Pittsburgh for nine months in 1981 but was also canceled because of low ridership.
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated. The borough was named in honor of William Wilkins
William Wilkins (U.S. politician)
William Wilkins was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During his career, he served in both houses of the Pennsylvania State Legislature, and in all three branches of the United States federal government, including service as a United States federal judge, as...
, Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
under President John Tyler
John Tyler
John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor...
.
History
Wilkinsburg was founded and developed by highly religious EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an immigrants. The borough has a remarkably high concentration of churches, mostly Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, which is unusual in a predominantly Catholic region of the country. Bars
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
are prohibited within the borough limits. Wilkinsburg separated from the city of Pittsburgh in 1871. According to borough leader James Kelly, this was in order to maintain the religious integrity of the community. Wilkinsburg was known during this time by many as "The Holy City".
In 1916, the world's first commercially licensed radio station, KDKA
KDKA (AM)
KDKA is a radio station licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Created by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation on November 2, 1920, it is one of the world's first modern radio stations , a distinction that has also been challenged by other stations, although it has claimed to be the first in...
, began broadcasting here as experimental station 8XK from a small garage owned by Frank Conrad
Frank Conrad
Frank Conrad was a radio broadcasting pioneer who worked as the Assistant Chief Engineer for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,...
before it was launched with its current call letters on November 2, 1920. In 1923, Wilkinsburg-based Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n immigrant Vladimir Zworykin
Vladimir Zworykin
Vladimir Kozmich Zworykin was a Russian-American inventor, engineer, and pioneer of television technology. Zworykin invented a television transmitting and receiving system employing cathode ray tubes...
designed and patented the iconoscope
Iconoscope
The Iconoscope was the name given to an early television camera tube in which a beam of high-velocity electrons scans a mosaic of photoemissive isolated granules...
, the photocell "eye" of early television cameras. Today, ABC affiliate WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
is located in the borough on Ardmore Boulevard.
In more recent years, the borough has become economically depressed. On March 1, 2000, Wilkinsburg received national attention when Ronald Taylor, a man suffering from schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, killed three people and wounded two others in a spree that occurred in part at the local Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
and McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
restaurants http://www.digitalduke.duq.edu/justice/Taylor/lifeandc.htm.
Wilkinsburg was home to the infamous Larimer Avenue-Wilkinsburg (LAW) Gang, which was indicted by the federal government under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO). The indictment started in 1995, when the federal government began to investigate and arrest many people with criminal ties or activities http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/1998/07/13/story1.html.
Geography
Wilkinsburg is located at 40°26′38"N 79°52′39"W (40.443827, -79.877371).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 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
Surrounding communities
- Penn Hills Township - north
- ChurchillChurchill, PennsylvaniaChurchill is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,011 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Churchill is located at ....
- east - Forest HillsForest Hills, PennsylvaniaForest Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,518 at the 2010 census, as compared to 6,831 in 2000, and 7,335 in 1990.-Geography:Forest Hills is located at...
- southeast - EdgewoodEdgewood, Allegheny County, PennsylvaniaEdgewood is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,118 at the 2010 census.-History:Edgewood was incorporated on December 1, 1888...
- south - HomewoodHomewood (Pittsburgh)Homewood is a predominantly African American neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, officially divided into three neighborhoods: Homewood North, Homewood South and Homewood West....
(Pittsburgh) - west - Point Breeze (Pittsburgh) - west
- East HillsEast Hills (Pittsburgh)East Hills is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA's east city area. It has a ZIP Code of 15221, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 9 ....
(Pittsburgh) - west
Demographics
Population in 1900, 11,886; in 1910, 18,924; and in 1920, 24,403.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 19,196 people, 9,138 households, and 4,477 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 8,335.1 people per square mile (3,222.4/km²). There were 10,696 housing units at an average density of 4,644.3 per square mile (1,795.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 29.25% White, 66.51% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.55% 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 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 9,138 households out of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.3% 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, 20.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 44.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 78.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $26,621, and the median income for a family was $33,412. Males had a median income of $26,813 versus $26,196 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 $16,890. About 15.9% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.8% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Up until September 14, 1975, Wilkinsburg had inter-city passenger rail service. On that day 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...
discontinued service, citing a total of 128 passengers boarding or alighting in the first six months of 1975, the lowest system-wide. The last train serving Wilkinsburg was the National Limited
National Limited
The National Limited was the premier train of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad on its route between New York City and St. Louis, Missouri, with major station stops in Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati, Ohio. The all-Pullman version of the National Limited was introduced by the B&O on April 26,...
, which operated daily between 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...
and Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. The PennDOT-operated Parkway Limited
Parkway Limited
The Parkway Limited was a short-lived commuter train operated by PennDOT and Conrail between Pittsburgh and Greensburg, Pennsylvania in 1981. The train was created in response to construction work on the section of Interstate 376 known as Parkway East...
provided commuter service to Pittsburgh for nine months in 1981 but was also canceled because of low ridership.