Editing Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Redirect|Belle Vernon|the community in Ohio|Belle Vernon, Ohio}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
| official_name = 
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| settlement_type = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
| image_skyline = bvernonpa.jpg
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| image_caption = Belle Vernon, as seen from across the [[Monongahela River]] in a view showing the underside of the I-70 bridge looking east-north-east from [[Speers, Pennsylvania|Speers]]
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| image_map = File:Fayette County Pennsylvania Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Belle Vernon Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 
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| map_caption = Location of Belle Vernon in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
| image_map1 = Pennsylvania in United States (US48).svg
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| map_caption1 = Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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| coordinates = {{coord|40|7|37|N|79|52|6|W|display=inline,title}}
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Pennsylvania
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania|Fayette]]
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| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1813
| established_title1 = town
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| government_footnotes = _Mayor - Gerald W. Jackson II
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| leader_name = Gerald Jackson
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| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 0.85
| area_total_sq_mi = 0.33
| area_land_km2 = 0.68
| area_land_sq_mi = 0.26
| area_water_km2 = 0.18
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.07
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| elevation_max_ft = 1080
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| elevation_min_m = 
| elevation_min_ft = 738
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| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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| population_total = 1024
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| population_density_km2 = 1513.80
| population_density_sq_mi = 3923.37
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| timezone1 = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset1 = -4
| timezone1_DST = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST = -5
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| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code = 15012<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zipdatamaps.com/15012|title=Belle Vernon PA ZIP Code|publisher=zipdatamaps.com|year=2023|access-date=June 27, 2023}}</ref>
| postal2_code_type = 
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| area_code_type = 
| area_code = [[Area code 724|724]]
| geocode = 
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| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS]] code
| blank_info = 42-05288
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| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
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}}

'''Belle Vernon''' is a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania]], United States. It is situated along the [[Monongahela River]], abutting two other counties, [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland]] to the north and [[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington]] across the river. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], Belle Vernon had a population of 1,025.<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020—2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 24, 2022}}</ref>
 
"Bellevernon", as it was originally spelled, was laid out in 1813 by Noah Speers in northwestern Fayette County. French for "beautiful green", this was the name chosen by both Noah Speers for his little community on the Monongahela River and later by his son Louis, who founded a town with nearly the same name just up the hill ([[North Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania|North Belle Vernon]]). Directly across the river lies the borough of [[Speers, Pennsylvania|Speers]], anchoring the far side of the landmark I-70 bridge as the east bridge abutments lie in adjacent Rostraver Township.

==Geography==
Belle Vernon is located at {{coord|40|7|37|N|79|52|6|W|type:city}} (40.126936, −79.868285),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> nestled in the northwestern corner of Fayette County, with abutting borders on [[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington County]], to the west across the river, and [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland County]] to the north.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough has a total area of {{convert|0.81|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.65|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.17|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 20.29%, is water.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4205288| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Belle Vernon borough, Pennsylvania| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| access-date=July 6, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213065755/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4205288| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Surrounding and adjacent neighborhoods==
Belle Vernon has three land borders with [[Washington Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania|Washington Township]] to the southeast and the [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland County]] neighborhoods of [[North Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania|North Belle Vernon]] to the north and [[Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania|Rostraver Township]] to the northwest.

Across the Monongahela River to the south in [[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington County]], Belle Vernon runs adjacent with the aforementioned borough of [[Speers, Pennsylvania|Speers]] as well as [[Dunlevy, Pennsylvania|Dunlevy]].

==History==
[[File:Belle Vernon 2014.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Main Street]]
Noah Speers was the father of Louis M. Speers, born in a [[log cabin]] on the Speers homestead/Gibsonton farm in 1810. The younger Speers played a large role in the development of Belle Vernon. During his lifetime, the population grew to about 700, and there was a steam ferry connecting Belle Vernon with Allen Township across the river. The little hamlet boasted five [[dry goods]] stores, four groceries, two glasshouses with 87 employees, a boot and shoe, cabinet, chair, wagon, saddle/harness, blacksmith/tanning shops, and two sawmills. Louis Speers owned a sandbank outside of town which produced the best quality glass sand. He also owned a large coal works and a large boat yard with more than 50 employees. Louis resided on the northwest corner of Main and 2nd streets.

Boat hulls were built at his boatyard (owned in partnership with a man named Morgan Gaskill), located on 3rd Street in the 1830s and 1840s. Several [[steamboat]]s are noted to have come from the yard, including the ''Minstrel'', which in 1842 fell off its building docks killing one and injuring 10. The ''St. Anthony'' bound for [[Galena, Illinois]], and the ''Cassandra'' headed to [[Knoxville, Tennessee]], came from the Belle Vernon yard. Two boats bound for customers in [[Pittsburgh]] were the ''Alert'' and the ''Avalanche'' (1847).

In 1853, Mr. Speers built a sawmill with partner William Latta, a boat builder, below the mouth of Speers Run. It was destroyed by fire in 1877 and rebuilt by his son William F. Speers. William, who spent three months in [[Libby Prison]] during the Civil War, left the army after attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. William went bankrupt soon after completing the new mill and sold it to the Belle Vernon Saw and Planing Company in 1880.

The small village of Speers across the river, laid out in 1860 by a kinsman, gets its name from the same family. North Belle Vernon, in Westmoreland County, was laid out in 1872 by Louis and was incorporated in 1876. Louis died two years later in 1878 and is buried at the Rehoboth Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

Samuel Dougherty, a carpenter, is claimed to have built the first dwelling in North Belle Vernon on Broad Avenue near Spring Alley. He was justice of the peace, council member, school director, and judge of election, all at the same time. The first two industries were a foundry in 1873 on Broad Avenue above Spring Alley and a flour mill on Speer Street in 1874. Most of these early buildings surrounded the intersection of Short Street and Broad Avenue. Lots were not sold until 1900 and the area beyond Arch Street then began to build up.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1870= 906
|1880= 1164
|1890= 1147
|1900= 1901
|1910= 2372
|1920= 2342
|1930= 2489
|1940= 2463
|1950= 2271
|1960= 1784
|1970= 1496
|1980= 1489
|1990= 1213
|2000= 1211
|2010= 1093
|2020= 1025
|estyear=2021
|estimate=1011
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="GR2" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 1,211 people, 612 households, and 288 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|4,647.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 716 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2,747.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the borough was 96.12% White, 2.15% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.

There were 612 households, out of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.7% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.9% were non-families. 48.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 30.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 17.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 28.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $18,068, and the median income for a family was $36,094. Males had a median income of $22,434 versus $20,950 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $12,919. About 5.8% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 23.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The borough, along with the abutting communities on the right bank of the Monongahela such as [[Fayette City, Pennsylvania|Fayette City]] and [[North Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania|North Belle Vernon]], is served by the [[Belle Vernon Area School District]], whose buildings are located in adjacent [[Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania|Rostraver Township]] in Westmoreland County.

{{clear left}}
==Notable people==
*[[Jesse M. Bowell]], Pennsylvania state legislator (1885–1886)<ref>{{cite web |title=Jesse M. Bowell |url=https://archives.house.state.pa.us/people/member-biography?ID=6459 |website=Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives |access-date=January 28, 2025}}</ref>
*[[Gene Dodaro]], Comptroller General of the United States (2010–), Chief, Government Accounting Office (GAO)
*[[Dorian Johnson]], American football player.
*[[Frank Mascara]], U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1995–2003)
*[[Robert Mountsier]], author, journalist and literary agent<ref>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1972/11/25/432164472.html?pageNumber=34 "Robert Mountsier, former Sun editor"], ''The New York Times'', p. 34.</ref>
*[[Bert Rechichar]], NFL defensive back and kicker

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Fayette County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1813]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Fayette County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania populated places on the Monongahela River]]
[[Category:1813 establishments in Pennsylvania]]