Editing Dawson, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                   = Dawson, Pennsylvania
| settlement_type        = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
| image_skyline          = Dawson2025FromScottdale.jpg
| image_alt              = 
| image_caption          = Dawson as shown from Scottdale-Dawson road in April, 2025
| image_flag             = 
| flag_alt               = 
| image_seal             = 
| seal_alt               = 
| image_shield           = 
| shield_alt             = 
| etymology              = 
| nickname               = 
| motto                  = 
| image_map              = File:Fayette County Pennsylvania Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Dawson Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                = 
| map_alt                = 
| map_caption            = Location of Dawson in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
| pushpin_map            = Pennsylvania#USA
| pushpin_label          = Dawson
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt        = 
| pushpin_map_caption    = Location of Dawson in Pennsylvania
| coordinates            = {{coord|40|2|52|N|79|31|31|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint          = 
| coordinates_footnotes  = 
| subdivision_type       = Country
| subdivision_name       = United States
| subdivision_type1      = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1      = [[Pennsylvania]]
| subdivision_type2      = County
| subdivision_name2      = [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania|Fayette]]
| established_title      = Established
| established_date       = 1866
| established_title1     = 
| established_date1      = 
| founder                = 
| seat_type              = 
| seat                   = 
| leader_party           = 
| leader_title           = Mayor
| leader_name            = Sandy Newell
| 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_sq_mi       = 0.21
| area_land_sq_mi        = 0.17
| area_water_sq_mi       = 0.04
| area_urban_sq_mi       = 
| area_rural_sq_mi       = 
| area_metro_sq_mi       = 
| area_water_percent     = 
| area_note              = 
| elevation_footnotes    = 
| elevation_ft           = 
| population_footnotes   = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total       = 352
| population_as_of       = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi = 2034.68
| population_demonym     = 
| population_note        = 
| timezone1              = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset1            = -4
| timezone1_DST          = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST        = -5
| postal_code_type       = 
| postal_code            = 
| area_code_type         = 
| area_code              = [[Area code 724|724]]
| blank_name_sec1        = 
| blank_info_sec1        = 
| website                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS]] code
|blank_info = 42-18360
|area_total_km2 = 0.55
|area_land_km2 = 0.45
|area_water_km2 = 0.11
|population_density_km2 = 785.71
}}

'''Dawson''' is a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 352 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<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> a decline from the figure of 367 tabulated in 2010.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4218360| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Dawson borough, Pennsylvania| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| access-date=July 6, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213052422/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4218360| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:James Cochran House Dawson 2011.jpg|thumb|left|James Cochran House (c. 1890)]]
The land where Dawson was developed had belonged to John Smilie, who held multiple public offices in the government of Pennsylvania and was a member of [[United States Congress|Congress]] when he died in December 1812. The property remained in a trust as a part of Smilie's estate, until his last child died in 1851, when the property was sold.

The "bottom land" where Dawson is situated was acquired by John Smilie's granddaughter, Sarah Huston Dawson, and her second husband, George Dawson.

The Smilie farm, except the river bottom, was sold to Stewart Strickler. The bottom land was sold to George Dawson, who used it for purposes of cultivation. The Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad was located through the tract, and upon the opening of the line Dawson's Station was established at this point. A post office was established at the same time.

The property passed, in the division of the Dawson estate, to Mrs. Alfred [Elizabeth Dawson] Howell, and in 1866 a town plat was laid out and surveyed by Martin Dickson for Mr. Howell.<ref>Franklin Ellis (ed.) ''[https://archive.org/details/historyoffayette00elli/page/800/mode/1up History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania]''. Philadelphia: Everts, 1882, p. 800.</ref>

Alfred Howell arranged for the tract to be duly surveyed and laid out into building lots, and so conducted his enterprise as in the course of a few years to erect a prosperous and desirable village, with churches, public schools, etc., upon what was before, and but for his business foresight and energy would have remained, merely an uninhabitable portion of an old farm.<ref>Franklin Ellis (ed.) ''[https://archive.org/details/historyoffayette00elli/page/352/mode/1up History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania]''. Philadelphia: Everts, 1882, p. 352.</ref>

==Geography==
Dawson is located in northern Fayette County at {{coord|40|2|52|N|79|39|31|W|type:city}} (40.047892, −79.658659),<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> on the north bank of the [[Youghiogheny River]]. [[Pennsylvania Route 819]] passes through the center of town, crossing the Youghiogheny into the unincorporated community of Liberty on the other side. PA 819 leads northeast {{convert|6|mi|0}} to [[Scottdale, Pennsylvania|Scottdale]] and south {{convert|1|mi}} to [[Vanderbilt, Pennsylvania|Vanderbilt]]. The city of [[Connellsville, Pennsylvania|Connellsville]] is {{convert|5.5|mi}} to the southeast via PA 819 and [[Pennsylvania Route 201|PA 201]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Dawson has a total area of {{convert|0.21|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|0.16|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.05|sqmi|2}}, or 23.55%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

[[Smiley Run (Youghiogheny River tributary)|Smiley Run]] joins the [[Youghiogheny River]] on the west side of the borough.

==Surrounding and adjacent neighborhoods==
Dawson's only land border is with [[Lower Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania|Lower Tyrone Township]] to the north, east and west. Across the Youghiogheny River to the south, Dawson runs adjacent with [[Dunbar Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania|Dunbar Township]].

==Demographics==
[[File:First National Bank of Dawson 2011.jpg|thumb|left|250px|First National Bank (1897)]]
{{US Census population
|1880= 453
|1890= 668
|1900= 825
|1910= 848
|1920= 956
|1930= 800
|1940= 732
|1950= 723
|1960= 707
|1970= 676
|1980= 661
|1990= 535
|2000= 451
|2010= 367
|2020= 352
|estyear=2021
|estimate=347
|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 451 people, 183 households, and 120 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|2,692.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 205 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,223.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the borough is 99.78% White, 0.22% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 183 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $27,292 versus $25,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $12,753. About 14.2% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Landmarks==
[[File:Borough Building, Dawson Borough, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.jpg|thumb|Dawson Borough Hall]]
The [[Dawson Historic District]] and [[Cochran Memorial United Methodist Church|Philip G. Cochran Memorial United Methodist Church]], a [[Gothic Revival architecture|gothic-style]] structure, are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Education==
Dawson Borough is served by the [[Connellsville Area School District]]. Parts of Dawson towards [[Scottdale, Pennsylvania]] and [[Upper Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania]], belong to the [[Southmoreland School District]]

==Municipal services==
The borough has sewage treatment services provided by the [[Yough Sanitary Authority]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071027094918/http://www.fayetteportal.com/dawson/ Fayette County Portal]
{{Fayette County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1866]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Fayette County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1866 establishments in Pennsylvania]]