Editing Mars, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mars, Pennsylvania
| native_name = 
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| settlement_type = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
| image_skyline = Downtown Mars, PA.JPG
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| image_caption = Downtown Mars
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| image_map = File:Butler County Pennsylvania Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Mars Highlighted.svg
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| map_caption = Location of Mars in Butler 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|41|48|N|80|0|44|W|display=inline,title}}
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| subdivision_name1 = Pennsylvania
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| subdivision_name2 = [[Butler County, Pennsylvania|Butler]]
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| established_title = Settled
| established_date = {{start date and age|1873}}
| established_title1 = Incorporated
| established_date1 = {{start date and age|1882}}
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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 = 1.22
| area_total_sq_mi = 0.47
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| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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| population_total = 1458
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| population_density_sq_mi = 3102.13
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| postal_code_type = ZIP code
| postal_code = 16046
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| area_code = [[Area code 724|724]]
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| blank_info = 42-47672
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| blank_name_sec2 = School district
| blank_info_sec2 = [[Mars Area School District]]
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| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
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}}
'''Mars''' is a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in southern [[Butler County, Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 1,458 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly" /> It is part of the [[Greater Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh metropolitan area]].

== History ==
[[File:SpaceshipMarsPA.jpg|thumb|left|Spaceship statue in Mars]]
In 1873, Samuel Parks constructed a home and a water-powered [[gristmill]] along Breakneck Creek. Parks decided to have a [[post office]] placed in his home, so he received help from his friend Samuel Marshall to help establish it. The name of the post office became '''Overbrook'''.<ref name="Gazetteer p.228">''An Historical Gazetteer of Butler County, Pennsylvania'', p. 228.</ref> In 1877, the [[Pittsburgh, New Castle and Lake Erie Railroad]] was constructed through Overbrook, and had a station built there. In 1882, the name of the community was changed to '''Mars''' since the railroad already had a stop with the name "Overbrook".<ref name="Gazetteer p.228"/> No one is sure how the name "Mars" came into being. Some say it was Parks's wife who enjoyed [[astronomy]], while others believe it was shortened after Samuel Marshall's name.<ref>''An Historical Gazetteer of Butler County, Pennsylvania'', p. 229.</ref> On March 6, 1895, Mars was incorporated as a borough.

In 1904, the [[Pittsburgh and Butler Street Railway]] gained permission from Mars to construct its [[right-of-way (transportation)|right-of-way]] through the borough. The line become part of the [[Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway]] in 1917, being renamed Pittsburgh, Mars and Butler Railway. The line closed in 1931.

The {{USS|Mars|AFS-1}} was named after the borough. The ship became part of the [[United States Pacific Fleet]] in 1963, and was decommissioned in 1998. It was then sunk in 2006 as a target vessel. The bell of the USS ''Mars'' was loaned to the borough and has become a part of a memorial in the downtown park.

==Geography==
[[File:Mars,PA.JPG|thumb|left|Mars seen from Clay Avenue]]
Mars is located in southern Butler County at {{coord|40|41|48|N|80|0|44|W|type:city}} (40.696594, −80.012205),<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> about halfway between the cities of [[Pittsburgh]] and [[Butler, Pennsylvania|Butler]]. The small community is nestled in a small valley along [[Breakneck Creek]]. [[Pennsylvania Route 228]] bypasses the borough to the south, leading east {{convert|4|mi|0}} to [[Pennsylvania Route 8]] and west {{convert|5|mi}} to Interstates [[Interstate 79|79]] and [[Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey)|76]] in [[Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania|Cranberry Township]]. The [[Pennsylvania Route 855|Mars–Evans City Road]] leads out of town to the north.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough of Mars has a total area of {{convert|1.2|km2|disp=flip|1}}, all land.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 777
|1910= 1215
|1920= 1226
|1930= 1302
|1940= 1318
|1950= 1385
|1960= 1522
|1970= 1488
|1980= 1803
|1990= 1713
|2000= 1746
|2010= 1699
|2020= 1458
|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=2008-01-31|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><ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4247672| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212200200/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4247672| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Mars borough, Pennsylvania| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=March 25, 2014}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2" /> there were 1,746 people, 687 households, and 395 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|3,906.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 715 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,599.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the borough was 98.68% White, 0.46% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 687 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 33.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 70.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 64.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $33,073, and the median income for a family was $46,136. Males had a median income of $34,083 versus $26,080 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $17,701. About 7.8% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

===Religion===
Mars has several [[Christianity|Christian]] denominations located within and just outside the community. One of the largest churches was [http://www.saintkilian.org/ Saint Kilian Parish]. Founded in 1917, the parish was originally located in downtown Mars, but by the early 2000s (decade), membership had swelled so much that a new facility was constructed just outside the neighboring [[Seven Fields, Pennsylvania|Seven Fields]] borough along [[Pennsylvania Route 228|PA 228]] in 2008. There is also a large presence of [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterians]] in the borough. The [http://www.mars-up.org/ Mars United Presbyterian] was founded in 1969 with the merging of two older churches, one under the [[United Presbyterian Church of North America]], the other under the [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]]. There is also a [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] and [[Methodism|Methodist]] church located within the borough. The [http://www.woodlandvalley.org Woodland Valley Church] is one of the newer churches in Mars, and is one of several [[Contemporary worship|contemporary]] churches that have recently started in the Mars/Cranberry area. Others include the [http://www.marsalliance.org/ Mars Alliance Church], and the Discovery Christian Church which will be built along PA 228 across from the former.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110715050942/http://cranberry.patch.com/articles/new-home-is-a-great-discovery-for-christian-church] The [[Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America]] previously had its headquarters in [[Adams Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania|Adams Township]], near Mars.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20110726011344/http://www.easterndiocese.org/contact.html Contact Information]." Diocese of Eastern America. Retrieved on February 26, 2011. "Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America 138 Carriage Hill Drive Mars, PA 16046"</ref><ref>"[http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st42_pa/cousub/cs4201900300_adams/DC10BLK_CS4201900300_001.pdf 2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Adams township, PA]." [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on July 27, 2017.</ref>

==Economy==
[[Mars National Bank]], founded in 1900, has its headquarters located in the borough, with seven branches located in Butler and [[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Allegheny]] counties.

==Culture==
[[File:Mars New Year's Celebration (201506200007HQ) (cropped).jpg|thumb|The Mars New Year's celebration takes place when the planet makes [[Timekeeping on Mars|one revolution around the Sun]]]]
Because of its unique name, and proximity to Pittsburgh, Mars has on occasion received national media attention. In 2011, a representative from [[The Walt Disney Company]] invited students from Mars Elementary School to attend the Pittsburgh premiere of ''[[Mars Needs Moms]]'', after reading a [http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41409559 featured article on the town]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} by [[msnbc.com]]. Mars was the only school nationwide invited to the film's premiere.<ref>{{cite news |first=Paula |last=Grubbs |title='Mars Needs Moms' Students get exclusive invite |newspaper=[[Butler Eagle]] |date=March 2, 2011 }}</ref>

The borough has also been a location for films and television commercials. The 1988 [[comedy drama]] film ''[[The Prince of Pennsylvania]]'' and the 1996 [[comedy]] film ''[[Kingpin (1996 film)|Kingpin]]'' were filmed throughout the borough. In 2000, a [[Kraft Foods|Kraft]] salad dressing commercial was filmed in downtown.

Canadian musician [[John Southworth (musician)|John Southworth]] named his first album [https://web.archive.org/web/20080308220526/http://www.bar-none.com/bios/southworthbio.htm ''Mars, Pennsylvania''] after the town, which he had passed through many years earlier on a school trip.

Mars was the inspiration for the fictional town of Athena, Pennsylvania, the setting for the 2015 fictional trilogy, ''Benjamin's Field'', by local author J. J. Knights.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.butlereagle.com/article/20150730/ARTSENTERTAINMENT02/707309915 | title=Local novelists release new works with local settings }}</ref>

Mars is home to the popular [[roadside attraction]] the Mars "Spaceship" or "Flying Saucer".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=100+Pittsburgh+Street,+Mars,+PA,+United+States&sll=40.696025,-80.009889&sspn=0.000826,0.001742&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=100+Pittsburgh+St,+Mars,+Butler,+Pennsylvania+16046&t=h&ll=40.696083,-80.010188&spn=0.00083,0.001742&z=20&iwloc|title = Google Maps}}</ref> It is also home to the [[Mars Station, Pennsylvania|Mars Station]], one of the last railroad depots still standing from the now defunct [[Pittsburgh and Western Railroad]].<ref>Wagner, Todd V.: "Fresh Paint", p. 19. Railpace Newsmagazine, September 2006.</ref>

==Education==
The [[Mars Area School District]] serves the boroughs of Mars and [[Valencia, Pennsylvania|Valencia]], as well as [[Adams Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania|Adams Township]] and [[Middlesex Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania|Middlesex Township]] in Butler County. The Mars Fightin' Planets are one of the many teams located in the north Pittsburgh area.

==Transportation==
[[File:Mars station.jpg|thumb|[[Mars Station, Pennsylvania]]]]
[[Lakehill Airport]] is a small airport located about a mile and a half northwest of Mars. It is used for light, private aircraft. The next closest airports are the [[Butler County Airport]] and the [[Zelienople Municipal Airport]].

The [[Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad]] operates on the [[P&W Subdivision]] in Mars. It makes occasional rounds to [http://www.jamesaustin.com/ Austin's Bleach] in [[Downieville, Pennsylvania|Downieville]] and to a small transfer with the [[Allegheny Valley Railroad]] in [[Bakerstown, Pennsylvania|Bakerstown]]. The AVR will also on occasion bring long loads of railcars through Mars to Harmony Junction in [[Eidenau, Pennsylvania|Eidenau]]. This usually occurs when there are too many cars to handle at the transfer point in Bakerstown.

The largest and busiest road in Mars is [[Pennsylvania Route 228]]. It is an important link for commuters because it connects with [[Pennsylvania Route 8]] and [[Pennsylvania Route 356]] to the east, and with [[Interstate 79]] and [[U.S. Route 19 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 19]] to the west. Commuters on PA 228 can easily reach [[Interstate 76 (east)|Interstate 76]] ([[Pennsylvania Turnpike]]) via I-79 or US 19 in [[Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania|Cranberry Township]]. The second busiest road in Mars is the Mars-Evans City Road, which was originally [[Pennsylvania Route 855]]. It is an important connecting road for Mars and the borough of [[Evans City, Pennsylvania|Evans City]]. The Red Belt of the [[Allegheny County Belt System]] is located three miles south of Mars.

==Notable people==
*[[William Eythe]], film and stage actor and playwright of the 1940s
*[[Chloe Lukasiak|Chloe]] and Christi Lukasiak, former stars on [[Dance Moms]]
*[[Robbie Sigurðsson|Robbie Sigurdsson]], Icelandic ice hockey player and member of the [[Iceland men's national ice hockey team|Icelandic national team]]
*[[Jeff Wassmann]], artist, writer and theorist
*[[David Bednar (baseball)|David Bednar]], MLB all-star pitcher
*[[Will Bednar]], professional baseball pitcher
*[[JJ Wetherholt]], professional baseball pitcher

== Sources ==
*''An Historical Gazetteer of Butler County, Pennsylvania'', Mechling Bookbindery., 2006, {{ISBN|978-0-9760563-9-3}}.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|United States|Christianity|Serbia}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Mars (Pennsylvania)|Mars, Pennsylvania}}

{{Butler County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mars, Pennsylvania| ]]
[[Category:1882 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1873]]
[[Category:Serbian-American history]]