Editing Fayette City, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                   = Fayette City, Pennsylvania
| settlement_type        = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
| image_skyline          = 300 block Main Street, Fayette City, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.jpg
| image_alt              = 
| image_caption          = 300 block of Main Street
| 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 Fayette City Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                = 
| map_alt                = 
| map_caption            = Location of Fayette City in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
| pushpin_map            = Pennsylvania#USA
| pushpin_label          = Fayette City
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt        = 
| pushpin_map_caption    = Location in Pennsylvania
| coordinates            = {{coord|40|6|2|N|79|50|20|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       = 1806
| government_type        = Mayor–council government <ref name=county1>{{cite web |url=https://www.fayettecountypa.org/DocumentCenter/View/242/Municipal-Directory-Revised-3302022PDF?bidId= |title=Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Municipal Directory 3/30/2022 |date=March 30, 2022}}</ref>
| leader_title           = Mayor
| leader_name            = Herbert Vargo Jr.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Municipal Directory |url=https://www.fayettecountypa.org/DocumentCenter/View/242/Municipal-Directory-Revised-01232023-PDF |access-date=Jan 23, 2023}}</ref><ref name=herald1>{{cite web |url=https://www.heraldstandard.com/news/mon_valley/small-town-life-fayette-city-works-to-revitalize-town/article_5dd8227d-efed-5ba4-b66a-9051fc6dcebf.html |title=Small Town Life: Fayette City works to revitalize town |author=Joyce Koballa |date=March 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=List of Elected Officials that can marry |url=https://www.fayettecountypa.org/DocumentCenter/View/937/List-of-Elected-Officials-that-can-marry?bidId= |website=fayettecountypa.org |format=PDF}}</ref>
| 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       = 0.28
| area_land_sq_mi        = 0.22
| area_water_sq_mi       = 0.06
| elevation_ft           = 770
| population_footnotes   = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total       = 502
| population_as_of       = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi = 2261.26
| timezone1              = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset1            = -4
| timezone1_DST          = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST        = -5
| postal_code_type       = 
| postal_code            = 15438
| 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 = 42-25456
|area_total_km2 = 0.73
|area_land_km2 = 0.57
|area_water_km2 = 0.16
|population_density_km2 = 873.84
}}

'''Fayette City''' is a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 502 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 596 tabulated in 2010.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4225456 |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Fayette City borough, Pennsylvania |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |work=American FactFinder |access-date=July 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213055132/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4225456 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It is served by the [[Belle Vernon Area School District]]. Some buildings in the town antedate 1820.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jonathondenson.com/2012/06/mon-valley-photo-tour-part-1-fayette.html |title=Mon Valley Photo Tour, Part I: Fayette City}}</ref>

[[File:Fayette City.jpg|thumb|Fayette City PA]]

Herbert Vargo Jr. is the current mayor.<ref name=herald1/> His term ends in 2025.<ref name=county1/> He was first elected to the office in 1993.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/fayette-city-in-search-of-better-times/ |title=Fayette City in search of better times |date=November 26, 2014 |author=Joe Grata |publisher=Trib Live}}</ref>

==History==

Fayette City was originally known as Freeport, founded in the 1794 by [[Col. Edward Cook House|Colonel Edward Cook]].<ref name="Moskala">{{cite book |last1=Moskala |first1=Eric |title=From Freeport to Fayette City: A History of a Small Town in Southwestern Pennsylvania from Its founding in 1800 to its Zenith in the 1920s |date=2019 |isbn=978-1696421089}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fayette County Genealogy Project |url=http://www.pagenweb.org/~fayette/bios/cook001.html}}</ref><ref name="burns">{{cite web |last1=Burns |first1=Marta |title=Col. Edward Cook and Family of Washington Twp., Fayette Co. |url=https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~pamonval/genealogy/bios/biocookfamily.html}}</ref>  In 1825, Freeport was renamed Cookstown in honor of Colonel Cook who had died in 1812.<ref name="burns"/>  On April 11, 1854 the town's name was changed to Fayette City, in honor of the [[Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette|Marquis de Lafayette]].<ref name="Moskala"/>

In 1895 the [[Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad|Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroad]] completed an extension to Fayette City.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt:US-PPiU-ais198223/viewer|title=Guide to the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Company Records, 1860-1999 AIS.1982.23 {{!}} Digital Pitt|website=digital.library.pitt.edu|access-date=2020-03-17}}</ref><ref name="Moskala"/>

A ferry operated between Fayette City and [[Allenport%2C_Washington_County%2C_Pennsylvania|Allenport]] from 1820-1962.<ref name="Moskala"/>

In 2012, the mayor Herbert Vargo Jr. pled guilty to running a numbers scheme and was sentenced to a year of probation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fayette City mayor gets first offender probation in numbers |url=https://www.wtae.com/article/fayette-city-mayor-gets-first-offender-probation-in-numbers/7458739 |access-date=Oct 31, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Pickels |first1=Mary |title=Embattled Fayette City mayor wants family money back |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/embattled-fayette-city-mayor-wants-family-money-back/ |website=Trib Live |access-date=June 20, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Harr |first1=Jennifer |title=Fayette City mayor admitted to ARD for running lottery |url=https://www.heraldstandard.com/uncategorized/2012/oct/30/fayette-city-mayor-admitted-to-ard-for-running-lottery/ |website=Herald Standard |access-date=Oct 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Pierce |first1=Paul |title=Fayette City mayor to face trial for gaming |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/fayette-city-mayor-to-face-trial-for-gaming/ |website=Trib Live |access-date=June 10, 2012}}</ref>

===Coal Mining===

Fayette City's mining history dates to 1830, when the Cardondelet, Furlong, and Snow Hill mines were sunk.<ref name="Moskala"/>

The town received many European immigrants who came to work in local coal mines.<ref name="Moskala"/> Like many towns in this area, Fayette City has been home to many coal miners supporting the coal industry in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/fayecho1.html |title=Coal Miners Memorial Echo Mine, Fayette City, Fayette Co., PA, U.S.A. |access-date=December 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707140257/http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/fayecho1.html |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>  These immigrants included people from Italy, Poland, Austria-Hungary, and [[Rusyns]].<ref name="Moskala"/>

In the early 1900s, there were over twenty mines operating around Fayette City.  Many of these mines were consolidated under ownwership by the [[Monongahela_River_Consolidated_Coal_and_Coke_Company|Monongahela River Consolidated Coal and Coke Company]] <ref name="Moskala"/>, <ref name="mrccc">{{cite web |title=Apollo, Arnold No. 1, and Fayette City (fka O'Neill) Mines; Monongahela Consolidated Coal & Coke Co. and Pittsburgh Coal Co. (423-O-7) |url=https://myreadingroom.library.pitt.edu/objects/TazZgpjpCa4MP9efupF28K |website=Archives & Special Collections (A&SC) |publisher=University of Pittsburgh}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Coal Mines Near Fayette City
|-
! Mine Name !! Opened !! Closed !! Notes
|-
| Tremont ||  ||  || 
|-
| [[Naomi Mine explosion|Naomi]] || 1870 || 1907 || 35 miners killed in explosion
|-
| Marine ||  ||  || 
|-
| Arnold 1 ||  ||  || <ref name="mrccc"/>
|-
| Arnold 2 ||  ||  || <ref name="mrccc"/>
|-
| Arnold 3 ||  ||  || <ref name="mrccc"/>
|-
| Hill Top ||  ||  || 
|-
| Fayette City ||  ||  || <ref name="mrccc"/>, <ref>{{cite web |title=FAYETTE CITY (COOK ST) Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project |url=https://files.dep.state.pa.us/Mining/Abandoned%20Mine%20Reclamation/AbandonedMinePortalFiles/Accomplishments/OSM26_2754_104.1_EMER_Fayette_City_Cook_Street.pdf |publisher=DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION |format=PDF}}</ref>
|-
| Furlong ||  ||  || 
|-
| Apollo ||  ||  || 
|-
| Bargedde || 1863 ||  || 
|-
| Little Redstone || 1879 || 1915 || 
|-
| Cardondelet || 1834 ||  || 
|-
| Connecticut || 1865 || 1872 || 
|-
| Turnbull || 1848 ||  || 
|-
| Troytown/Alps || 1844 ||  || 
|-
| Alice ||  ||  || 
|-
| Snow Hill || 1932  ||  || 
|-
| Stimmel || 1863 ||  || 
|-
| Vesta 1 ||  ||  || <ref>{{cite web |title=Vesta 1 |url=https://www.coalcampusa.com/westpa/klondike/vesta-1-coal-mine/vesta-1-coal-mine.htm |website=coalcamp usa}}</ref>
|-
| Vesta 2 ||  ||  || 
|-
| Vesta 3 ||  ||  || 
|-
| Vesta 4 || 1933  || 1984 || At one time was the largest bituminous coal mine in the world <ref>{{cite web |title=Vesta No. 4 Mine |url=https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt:9116.004.CL |website=Historic Pittsburgh}}</ref>
|-
| Clipper ||  ||  || 
|}


Fayette City was the site of the [[Naomi Mine explosion]], December 7, 1907.<ref name=herald1/><ref name="UHS_2007">{{cite journal |last=Susa|first=Jenny|date=December 2, 2007|title=Naomi Mine disaster recalled |url=https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MineRescue/conversations/topics/5925 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140707124557/https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MineRescue/conversations/topics/5925 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 7, 2014 |journal=Uniontown Herald Standard |accessdate=6 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fayette City |url=https://swpahistory.wordpress.com/pennsylvania/papublicschools/westmoreland-county-school-districts/bvasd/municipalitiesbva/bvafayettecity/ |website=SWPA History Historic This and That of Southwestern Pennsylvania}}</ref>  All of the men killed in the Naomi disaster were immigrants from eastern Europe.<ref name="Moskala"/>

Fayette City was also the location of an explosion in the Apollo Mine in January 1926.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://genealogytrails.com/penn/fayette/disasters/index.html |title=Fayette Co PA Disasters}}</ref>

By 1920, the mines around Fayette City started to close.<ref name="Moskala"/>

===Churches===

The town has been home to numerous churches since its founding.  These include:<ref name="Moskala"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Fayette City Churches
|-
! Church Name!! Year Organized !! Details
|-
| Free-Will Baptist Church || 1820 || Closed in 1870
|-
| The Church of Christ || 1836 || 
|-
| The Presbyterian Church || 1871 || Building built in 1901
|-
| The Reorganized Mormon Church || 1886 ||
|-
| St Edwards Slavish Church || 1902 || [[Greek Catholic]], later combined with St Esubius in 1964<ref>{{cite web |title=St. Edwards Roman Catholic Church of Fayette City, Pa. |url=https://www.facebook.com/FayetteGenSociety/posts/st-edwards-roman-catholic-church-of-fayette-city-pa-st-edwards-was-at-145-s-high/4847584388617358/ |website=Fayette County Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania}}</ref>
|-
| St Esubius Catholic Church || 1905 ||
|}

==Geography==
Fayette City is located in northwestern Fayette County at {{coord|40|6|2|N|79|50|20|W|type:city}} (40.100647, −79.838913).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=April 23, 2011 |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It sits on the east bank of the [[Monongahela River]], which forms the border with [[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington County]]. The borough of [[Allenport, Washington County, Pennsylvania|Allenport]] is directly across the river, but the closest river crossing is the [[Interstate 70 in Pennsylvania|I-70]] bridge, {{convert|3|mi|0}} north at [[Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania|Belle Vernon]]. [[Pennsylvania Route 201]] passes through Fayette City as Main Street (northbound) and Second Street (southbound). [[Uniontown, Pennsylvania|Uniontown]], the Fayette County seat, is {{convert|17|mi}} to the southeast via PA 201 and [[Pennsylvania Route 51|PA 51]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough has a total area of {{convert|0.66|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.50|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.16|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 24.33%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

Fayette City's low elevation and location along the [[Monongahela River]] make it susceptible to flooding after heavy rains. Lamb Lick Run and Downers Run enter the Monongahela within the borough's boundaries.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1840= 411
|1850= 972
|1860= 820
|1870= 889
|1880= 867
|1890= 931
|1900= 1595
|1910= 2005
|1920= 2018
|1930= 1594
|1940= 1598
|1950= 1404
|1960= 1159
|1970= 968
|1980= 788
|1990= 713
|2000= 714
|2010= 596
|2020= 502
|estyear=2021
|estimate=495
|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">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website}}</ref><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 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" /> there were 714 people, 286 households, and 193 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|2,769.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 321 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,245.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the borough was 99.30% White, 0.14% African American, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.14% of the population.

There were 286 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
[[File:Fayette City Pennsylvania 1929 election campaign poster.jpg|alt=Fayette City, Pennsylvania election campaign poster from 1929.|thumb|Election campaign poster from Fayette City, Pennsylvania promoting a slate of candidates for a primary held on Tuesday, September 17, 1929.]]
The median income for a household in the borough was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $38,542. Males had a median income of $35,357 versus $23,250 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $13,058. About 20.2% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 38.8% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.
{{clear left}}

==Notable people==
*[[Jim Russell (baseball)|Jim Russell]], baseball player.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jim Russell |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/jim-russell-121568 |website=Major League Baseball}}</ref>
* Angelo Spagnolo, "World's Worst Avid Golfer."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/gd0985wagandrews/amp |author=Peter Andrews|date=March 15, 2024 |title=Players Championship: Finding the worst avid golfer at TPC Sawgrass}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Fayette City, Pennsylvania}}
{{Fayette County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1806]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Fayette County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania populated places on the Monongahela River]]
[[Category:1806 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Coal towns in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Rusyn-American culture in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Rusyn-American history]]