Editing Latrobe, Pennsylvania (section)

== History ==
In 1852, Oliver Barnes (a civil engineer for the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]) laid out the plans for the community that was incorporated in 1854 as the Borough of Latrobe. Barnes named the town for his best friend and college classmate, [[Benjamin Henry Latrobe II]], who was chief engineer for the [[Baltimore and Ohio Railroad]]. (His father, [[Benjamin Henry Latrobe]], was the architect who rebuilt the [[United States Capitol]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], after the [[War of 1812]].)

Its location along the route of the Pennsylvania Railroad helped Latrobe develop into a significant industrial hub. Latrobe was also served by the [[Ligonier Valley Railroad]] from 1877 to 1952.

The [[banana split]] is claimed to have been invented 1904 in Latrobe by David Evans Strickler at the pharmacy that later became named Strickler's Drug Store.<ref name="Turback">Turback, Michael (March 2004). ''The Banana Split Book''. Camino Books. {{ISBN|0-940159-83-X}}</ref> In 2004, the National Ice Cream Retailers Association (NICRA) certified Latrobe as the birthplace of the banana split. The town holds an annual festival in honor of the dessert.

Two [[interurban]] (long-distance trolley) lines served Latrobe:

* The Westmoreland County Railway Company connected Latrobe to Derry and operated from 1904 to 1932.<ref>{{cite book |last=Muller |first=Edward K. |author2=Ronald C. Carlisle |author3=Christine Davis |author4=Carmen DiCiccio |author5=Gary Fitzsimons |author6=Kenneth D. Rose |title=Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites |publisher=America's Industrial Heritage Project, [[National Park Service]] |year=1994 |location=Washington, DC |pages=331–332}}</ref>
* The Latrobe Street Railway Company connected Latrobe to Kingston and began operations in 1900.<ref name="WPR">{{cite book |title=West Penn Railways |publisher=Pennsylvania Railway Museum Association, Inc. |year=1973 |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |pages=1 and 18}}</ref> This line was purchased by [[West Penn Railways]], which eventually linked it with its network running through [[Youngstown, Pennsylvania|Youngstown]], [[Pleasant Unity, Pennsylvania|Pleasant Unity]], and eventually to [[Greensburg, Pennsylvania|Greensburg]] and [[Uniontown, Pennsylvania|Uniontown]]. Service ceased in 1952.<ref name="WPR" />

Latrobe has two sites on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] within its city boundaries:

* [[Latrobe (Amtrak station)|Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Latrobe]] (325 McKinley Avenue): This station was built by the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] in 1903.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arch.state.pa.us/ |title=National Register of Historical Places – Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Latrobe |access-date=September 15, 2008 |format=PDF |work=ARCH: Pennsylvania's Historic Architecture & Archeology |publisher=Pennsylvania Museum and Historical Commission |archive-date=October 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028073929/http://www.arch.state.pa.us/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Citizens National Bank of Latrobe]] (816 Ligonier Street, at Main Street): This was previously known as the [[Mellon Bank]] Building. This six-story, 1926 structure was designed by the Greensburg firm of [[Paul Bartholomew|Batholomew and Smith]].<ref name="arch">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce/SelectWelcome.asp |title=National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania |publisher=CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System |format=Searchable database |access-date=June 10, 2012 |archive-date=July 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070721014609/https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce/SelectWelcome.asp |url-status=dead}} ''Note:'' This includes {{cite web |url=https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce_imagery/phmc_scans/H118662_01H.PDF |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Citizens National Bank of Latrobe |access-date=June 10, 2012 |author=Clinton Piper |date=May 2002 |archive-date=August 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813194236/https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce_imagery/phmc_scans/H118662_01H.PDF |url-status=live}}</ref>

The former Fort Sloan, a small fortress established by the British settlers in the 1700s, is now a private residence, situated on the corner of Cedar St. and Raymond Ave.

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:latrobe-pennsylvania-railroad-station.jpg|Latrobe Railroad Station (1903); [[National Register of Historic Places]]
File:Citizens National Bank Latrobe Pennsylvania 2013.jpg|Citizens National Bank (1926); National Register of Historic Places
File:Mozart Hall, Latrobe, Pennsylvania - 20210605.jpg|Mozart Hall (1890)
</gallery>

=== Early professional football team ===
[[File:1897 Latrobe.jpg|thumb|Latrobe's professional football team in 1897]]

From 1895 until 1909, Latrobe was the home of the [[Latrobe Athletic Association]], one of the earliest professional [[American football|football]] teams. The team's [[quarterback]], [[John Brallier]], became the first football player to admit playing for money. In 1895, he accepted $10 and expenses to play for Latrobe in a 12–0 victory over the [[Jeannette Athletic Club]]. Brallier was thought to be the first professional football player, until the 1960s. Then, documents surfaced showing that [[Pudge Heffelfinger]], a former three-time [[All-American]] from [[Yale University|Yale]], was employed to play [[Guard (American football)|guard]] for the [[Allegheny Athletic Association]] three years earlier.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Five Hundred Reasons |journal=Coffin Corner |publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association |pages=1–6 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Five_Hundred_Reasons.pdf |author=PFRA Research |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929084951/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Five_Hundred_Reasons.pdf |archive-date=September 29, 2010}}</ref> In 1897, Latrobe was the first football team to play a full season with a team composed entirely of professional players. In 1898, Latrobe and two players from their rivals, the [[Greensburg Athletic Association]], formed [[1898 Western Pennsylvania All-Star football team|the first professional football all-star team]] for a game against the [[Duquesne Country and Athletic Club]], to be played at Pittsburgh's [[Exposition Park (Pittsburgh)|Exposition Park]]. Duquesne went on to win the game 16–0.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Stars Over All-Stars |website=Professional Football Researchers Association |issue=Annual |pages=1–5 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Stars_Over_All_Stars.pdf |author=PFRA Research |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126225257/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Stars_Over_All_Stars.pdf |archive-date=November 26, 2010}}</ref> On November 18, 1905, Latrobe defeated the [[Canton Bulldogs]], which later became a founding member, and two-time champion, of the [[National Football League]], 6–0.<ref>*{{cite journal |title=Latrobe, PA: Cradle of Pro Football |journal=Coffin Corner |publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association |volume=2 |issue=Annual |year=1980 |pages=1–21 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-An-052.pdf |first=Robert |last=Van Atta |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326165729/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-An-052.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009}}</ref>

Aside from Brallier, the Latrobe Athletic Association included several of the era's top players, such as [[Ed Abbaticchio]], [[Charles L. Barney|Charles Barney]], [[Alfred E. Bull|Alf Bull]], [[Jack Gass]], [[Walter R. Okeson|Walter Okeson]], [[Harry Ryan (American football)|Harry Ryan]], [[Thomas Trenchard|Doggie Trenchard]], and [[Eddie Wood]], and manager [[Dave Berry (American football)|Dave Berry]].

=== Brewing ===
The [[Latrobe Brewing Company]], founded in 1939, was one of the largest breweries in the United States and the maker of [[Rolling Rock]] beer.

In May 2006, [[Anheuser-Busch]] purchased the [[Rolling Rock]] brands, but not the brewery. In June 2006, [[City Brewing Company]] from [[LaCrosse, Wisconsin]], entered into negotiations to buy the brewery.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wisconsin brewer may buy Rolling Rock plant |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=June 22, 2006 |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06173/700216-28.stm |access-date=June 25, 2006 |first=Len |last=Boselovic |archive-date=July 3, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060703081407/http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06173/700216-28.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2006, City Brewing Company agreed to purchase the brewery,<ref>[http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2006/09/25/daily31.html City Brewery buys Latrobe Brewery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311223147/http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2006/09/25/daily31.html |date=March 11, 2007 }} – [[Pittsburgh Business Times]]</ref> and they licensed it to the [[Boston Beer Company]] in April 2007 as a satellite brewery to produce [[Samuel Adams (beer)|Samuel Adams beers]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07094/774830-28.stm |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |title=Samuel Adams comes calling on Latrobe brewer |first=Len |last=Boselovic |date=April 4, 2007 |access-date=July 4, 2007 |archive-date=July 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702014029/http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07094/774830-28.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> Sam Adams production did not last long. The plant is currently brewing [[Iron City Brewing Company|Iron City Beer]] under contract. In addition, Duquesne Bottling Company has brewed the revived Duquesne Beer, "The Prince of Pilseners", at the Latrobe plant.

=== Mining ===
Coal mining was once an important industry in Westmoreland County. While mining activity has largely ceased, most of the city of Latrobe lies in a zone where abandoned underground mines are prevalent, according to a March 1, 2022, article in ''The Latrobe Bulletin''. In 2017, a home in the city's Cramer Heights neighborhood started to collapse after its foundation shifted. The house was condemned and eventually had to be torn down. After this incident, the [[Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection]] urged Latrobe residents to research whether their properties are undermined and consider applying for [https://www.dep.pa.gov/Citizens/MSI/Pages/default.aspx mine subsidence insurance].
<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ulicine |first1=Chris |title=Route 981 dip caused by "unstable" subgrade, may be from past mining |publisher=The Latrobe Bulletin |date=March 1, 2022 |url=https://www.latrobebulletinnews.com/news/local/route-981-dip-caused-by-unstable-subgrade-may-be-from-past-mining/article_d447e573-e600-59ce-9c36-1d589405b0e1.html |access-date=March 2, 2022 |archive-date=March 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302190721/https://www.latrobebulletinnews.com/news/local/route-981-dip-caused-by-unstable-subgrade-may-be-from-past-mining/article_d447e573-e600-59ce-9c36-1d589405b0e1.html |url-status=live}}</ref>