Butler County, Pennsylvania Explained

County:Butler County
State:Pennsylvania
Seal:Seal of Butler County, Pennsylvania.svg
Founded Date:March 12
Founded Year:1800
Seat Wl:Butler
Area Total Sq Mi:795
Area Land Sq Mi:789
Area Water Sq Mi:6.1
Area Percentage:0.8%
Census Yr:2020
Pop:193763
Density Sq Mi:246
Web:www.co.butler.pa.us
Ex Image:Butler County Courthouse, Butler.jpg
Ex Image Size:200
Time Zone:Eastern
District:16th
Largest City:Cranberry Township
City Type:township

Butler County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 193,763.[1] Its county seat is Butler.[2] Butler County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named in honor of General Richard Butler, a hero of the American Revolution. The county is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region of the state.

History

Some famous inventions and discoveries were made in Butler County. Saxonburg was founded as a Prussian colony by John A. Roebling, a civil engineer, and his brother Carl. After farming for a time, Roebling returned to engineering, and invented his revolutionary "wire rope.", which he first produced at Saxonburg. He moved the operation to Trenton, New Jersey. He is best known for designing his most famous work, the Brooklyn Bridge, but designed and built numerous bridges in Pittsburgh and other cities as well.

At what is now known as Oil Creek, Butler County resident William Smith and Edwin Drake first proved oil could be tapped from underground for consistent supply.

The Jeep was developed in Butler County by American Bantam in 1941.

Famous politicians have lived in and traveled through Butler County. U.S. Senator Walter Lowrie, the only senator from Butler, built a home in 1828 that still stands behind the Butler County Courthouse. The house has been adapted for use by the Butler County Historical Society. Butler's highest-ranked federal official is William J. Perry, Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 1997. He graduated from Butler High School in 1945.

George Washington passed through this area during the French and Indian War. In 1923, the funeral train of President Warren G. Harding passed through Butler County on its way to Washington D.C. John F. Kennedy spoke in front of the Butler County Courthouse during the 1960 United States presidential election. Hubert Humphrey also campaigned in Butler. In 2004, Vice President Dick Cheney spoke in Saxonburg to campaign for President George W. Bush in the 2004 United States presidential election. Donald Trump, while president, campaigned at the Butler County Airport in 2020.

On July 13, 2024, Butler County was the site of an assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump as he spoke at a campaign rally. Trump was shot in the ear and one spectator was killed. The shooter was also killed.[3] The next day, authorities named Thomas Matthew Crooks as the perpetrator.[4]

Bret Michaels, lead singer of the rock band Poison, was born here in 1963.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.8%) is water.[5] Butler County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,[6] and it is identified as part of the "Midlands" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.[7]

It is the location of Moraine State Park, with the 3000acres glacial lake, Lake Arthur. Lake Arthur is used for fishing and sailing, and the surrounding park is used for hiking and hunting.

The county has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Butler borough range from 27.7 °F in January to 72.1 °F in July.[8]

Waterways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

As of the 2000 census,[9] there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89adj=preNaNadj=pre. The racial/ethnic makeup of the county is 96.5% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, 0.7% from two or more races; and 0.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.0% German, 20.8% Irish, 13.1% Italian, 8.6% English, and 7.8% Polish.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.

2020 census

Butler County racial composition[10] !Race!Num.!Perc.
White (NH)178,08192%
Black or African American (NH)2,1741.12%
Native American (NH)1540.08%
Asian (NH)2,7921.44%
Pacific Islander (NH)360.02%
Other/mixed (NH)6,8613.54%
Hispanic or Latino3,6651.9%

Law and government

|}

Elected county officials

County judges

District judges

State senate

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Politics

Butler County has long been one of the most consistently Republican counties in Pennsylvania and the nation. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win it was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, when he won a national landslide and carried all but four counties in the state; indeed, Johnson is the only Democratic presidential candidate to carry this county in over a century. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush received 62% of the vote, while Democrat Al Gore received 35%. In 2004, the county was carried by Bush's 64% to Democrat John Kerry's 35%. In 2008, the county was carried by Republican John McCain's 63% to Democrat Barack Obama's 35%. Since 2008, Butler County has continually given Republican nominees support in the mid-60s, with both Mitt Romney and Donald Trump receiving around 66% of the vote in 2012, 2016, and 2020.

In 2024, by political party, almost 80,000 residents registered as Republican, almost 40,000 registered as Democratic, and about 20,000 are not Democratic nor Republican. The New York Times described the county as being politically conservative.

Voter registration

As of July 8, 2024, there are 139,070 registered voters in Butler County.[11]

Education

Colleges and universities

Technical schools

Public school districts

K-12 school districts include:[12]

As of 2024, several area school districts, as a tradition, gave school holidays when the deer hunting season began.[13]

Public libraries

The Butler County Federated Library System (additionally known as the Library System of Butler County) includes the ten listed libraries. Each library is managed by its own Board of Directors. The majority of the funding for these libraries comes from state grants, user fines and donations with additional financial contributions from Butler County.[14] The first Butler library originated in 1894 with the Literary Society of Butler[15] in what is now known as the Little Red Schoolhouse.[16] The Butler Area Public Library, built in 1921, was the last Carnegie library built in Pennsylvania. In the intervening 27 years the library was independently operated. From 1921 to 1941 the library quadrupled the number of patrons served.[17] In 1987 the County Commissioners, through a resolution, founded the Butler County Federated Library System.

Media

Recreation

Parks

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Butler County.

Before the glacier dam, Slippery Rock and Muddy creeks flowed north while extinct McConnells Run flowed south. The glacier dammed Lake Prouty on the edge of the drainage divide. Eventually Lake Pouty spilled over and rushed to the south, carving Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. Lakes Watts and Edmund drained into the gorge, digging it deeper and making Slippery Rock and Muddy creeks flow south. Areas of the 400feet deep Slippery Rock Gorge may be seen at nearby McConnells Mill State Park.

The glacier created a landscape of rolling hills topped with hardwood trees and swamps in the valley bottoms. Moraines containing gravel, sand and clay were draped upon the landscape and silt was left on the extinct lake bottoms.Reference to: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/moraine/moraine_history.aspx

Trails

Transportation

Airports

Transit

Communities

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:

City

Boroughs

Townships

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.

Unincorporated communities

Several of these communities, most notably Renfrew, Lyndora, Herman, Sarver, Cabot, Boyers, and Forestville, have post offices and zip codes, but aren't officially incorporated under Pennsylvania law, and exist entirely within townships.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Butler County.[18]

county seat

RankCity/town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2010 census)
1ButlerCity13,757
2Fernway (former CDP)CDP12,414
3Homeacre-LyndoraCDP6,906
4Shanor-NorthvueCDP5,051
5MeridianCDP3,881
6ZelienopleBorough3,812
7Slippery RockBorough3,625
8Fox Run (former CDP)CDP3,282
9Seven FieldsBorough2,887
10MeadowoodCDP2,693
11Oak HillsCDP2,333
12Slippery Rock UniversityCDP1,898
13Evans CityBorough1,833
14MarsBorough1,699
15SaxonburgBorough1,525
16NixonCDP1,373
17ProspectBorough1,169
18ChicoraBorough1,043
19UnionvilleCDP962
20HarrisvilleBorough897
21HarmonyBorough890
22East ButlerBorough732
23Lake Arthur EstatesCDP594
24ValenciaBorough551
25ConnoquenessingBorough528
26BruinBorough524
27CalleryBorough394
28West LibertyBorough343
29Eau ClaireBorough316
30PortersvilleBorough235
31PetroliaBorough212
32Karns CityBorough209
33FairviewBorough198
34West SunburyBorough192
35Cherry ValleyBorough66

In popular culture

See also: List of films shot in Pittsburgh. Butler County has often been used as a setting for films shot in the North Pittsburgh area. Such films include:

Films set in Butler County, but not necessarily filmed there.

Novels set in Butler County.

Benjamin's Field, a trilogy by local author J. J. Knights[23]

The Pennsic War, an annual medieval camping event by the Society for Creative Anachronism, is fought in Butler County. Its site becomes the fourth most populous place in the county for a few weeks each year.

See also

External links

40.91°N -79.91°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census - Geography Profile: Butler County, Pennsylvania. United States Census Bureau. April 24, 2022.
  2. Web site: Find a County. June 7, 2011. National Association of Counties. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. May 31, 2011.
  3. Web site: Faheid . Tori B. Powell, Shania Shelton, Matt Meyer, Isabelle D'Antonio, Emma Tucker, Jessie Yeung, Dalia . 2024-07-13 . Live updates: Trump injured in shooting at Pennsylvania rally that left at least 1 dead CNN Politics . 2024-07-14 . CNN . en.
  4. Web site: Adler . Nils . Bomb-making materials found in car of Trump rally shooting suspect: Reports . 2024-07-14 . Al Jazeera . en.
  5. Web site: 2010 Census Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. March 5, 2015. August 22, 2012.
  6. Web site: About the Appalachian Region . Appalachian Regional Commission . 23 June 2024.
  7. Web site: Woodard . Colin . The Maps That Show That City vs. Country Is Not Our Political Fault Line . New York Times . 30 July 2018.
  8. Web site: PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University .
  9. Web site: U.S. Census website . . January 31, 2008 .
  10. Web site: P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Butler County, Pennsylvania.
  11. Web site: Pennsylvania Department of State . February 5, 2024 . Voter registration statistics by county . February 7, 2024 . dos.pa.gov.
  12. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Butler County, PA. U.S. Census Bureau. 2024-07-15. - Text list
  13. Web site: Smialek. Jeanna. Gebeloff. Robert. Butler Is a Republican Stronghold. The New York Times. New York City. 2024-07-13. 2024-07-13.
  14. Holland, B. (December 31, 2017). County of Butler, Pennsylvania Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2017. Retrieved from www2.co.butler.pa.us › controller › Butler_CAFR_2017
  15. Butler County Federated Library System. (2015). Butler Area Public Library. Retrieved from https://www.bcfls.org/butler-area-public-library
  16. Butler County Historical Society. (2019). The Little Red Schoolhouse. Retrieved from https://butlerhistory.com/the-little-red-school-house/
  17. Pennsylvania economy league Butler. (1941). The Pennsylvania economy league surveys the Butler public library. Butler, PA.
  18. Web site: 2010 U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. May 25, 2015.
  19. Keener, Craig (July 22, 2010). "Stone Church site of sci-fi film" Butler Eagle. Retrieved 2010-08-12.
  20. Stonesifer, Jared (June 9, 2010). "Angle Action in Valencia" Butler Eagle. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
  21. Web site: 'Avengers' headed this way . blogs.sites.post-gazette.com . January 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110703085520/http://blogs.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/arts-a-entertainment/mad-about-the-movies/28227-avengers-headed-this-way . July 3, 2011 . dead.
  22. News: 'A Separate Life' Mars actress, director takes film to Cannes festival . . May 26, 2011 .
  23. Web site: Login - ButlerEagle.com. www.butlereagle.com. March 20, 2018.