Butler County, Pennsylvania

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Butler County, Pennsylvania
Map
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Butler County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the U.S. highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded March 12, 1800
Seat Butler
Largest city Butler
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water
795 sq mi (2,059 km²)
789 sq mi (2,044 km²)
6 sq mi (16 km²), 0.79%
Population
 - (2000)
 - Density
174,083
220/sq mi (85/km²)
Website: www.co.butler.pa.us

Butler County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population was 174,083.

Butler County was created on March 12, 1800 from part of Allegheny County and named in honor of General Richard Butler. Its county seat is Butler[1]. Jack Cohen, the Executive Director of Tourism for Butler County, was named the 2007 Hard Rock International Ambassador of Rock and Roll (see www.visitbutlercounty.com).

Contents

[edit] Law And Government

[edit] County Officials

[edit] County Judges

  • Thomas Doerr (President Judge)
  • Marilyn Horan
  • Timothy McCune
  • Kelly Streib
  • William Shaffer
  • S. Michael Yeager

[edit] District Judges

  • Kevin P. O'Donnell
  • Sue Elaine Haggerty
  • Wayne Seibel
  • Peter H. Shaffer
  • Lewis Stoughton
  • Clifford J. Woessner

[edit] Pennsylvania State Senate

[edit] Pennsylvania House of Representatives

[edit] United States House of Representatives

[edit] United States Senate

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 795 square miles (2,058 km²), of which, 789 square miles (2,042 km²) of it is land and 6 square miles (16 km²) of it (0.79%) is water.

[edit] Adjacent counties

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile (85/km²). There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile (34/km²). The racial/ethnic makeup of the county is 97.83% White, 0.79% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, 0.54% from two or more races; and 0.58% Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.8% were of German, 12.0% Irish, 10.9% Italian, 7.0% English, 6.3% American and 5.2% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 65,862 households out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

[edit] Highlights and History

Butler County is named after Richard Butler (general), a hero of the American Revolution. It is the location of Moraine State Park, with the 3,000 acre glacial lake, Lake Arthur. Lake Arthur is used for fishing and sailing, and the surrounding park is used for hiking and hunting.

Some famous inventions and discoveries were made in Butler County. It was in Saxonburg, that the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, John Roebling, invented his revolutionary "wire rope." At what is now known as Oil Creek, Butler County resident William Smith and Edwin Drake first proved that oil could be tapped from underground for consistent supply. The Jeep was developed in Butler County by American Bantam in 1941.

Butler County has been lived in and traveled through by famous politicians. George Washington passed through during the French and Indian War. Butler's only U.S. Senator, Walter Lowrie, built a home in 1828 that still stands behind the Butler County Courthouse. Butler's highest ranked federal official ever is William J. Perry, Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from 1994-1997. He graduated from Butler High School in 1945. In 1923, President Warren G. Harding's funeral train passed through Butler County on its way back to Washington D.C. John F. Kennedy delivered a speech in front of the Butler County Courthouse during the United States presidential election, 1960. Then in 2004, Vice President Dick Cheney delivered a speech in Saxonburg to rally support for President George W. Bush during the United States presidential election, 2004.

Two major movies have also been filmed in Butler County. The first being the famous 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead that was shot near Evans City. The second was the 1996 comedy film Kingpin that was filmed in the Mars and Prospect areas. More recently, the straight-to-DVD film The Haunting Hour Volume One: Don't Think About It was filmed in the borough of Seven Fields in 2006.

[edit] Municipalities

Map of Butler County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
Map of Butler County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Butler County:

[edit] Cities

[edit] Boroughs

[edit] Townships

[edit] Census-designated places

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

[edit] Unincorporated communities

[edit] Education

[edit] Colleges and universities

[edit] Technical Schools

Map of Butler County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts
Map of Butler County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

[edit] Public School Districts

[edit] News

[edit] Recreation

There are 2 Pennsylvania state parks in Butler County.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Airports

[edit] References

  1. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
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Municipalities and communities of
Butler County, Pennsylvania
County seat: Butler
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Allegheny • Armstrong • Beaver • Butler • Fayette • Washington • Westmoreland
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Coordinates: 40°55′N 79°55′W / 40.91, -79.91