Meyersdale, Pennsylvania Explained

Official Name:Borough of Meyersdale
Nickname:Maple City USA
Pushpin Map:Pennsylvania
Pushpin Label Position:top
Pushpin Map Caption:Meyersdale, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Pennsylvania
Subdivision Type2:County
Established Title:Settled
Established Date:1844
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:1871
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:2.11
Area Land Km2:2.11
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Total Sq Mi:0.82
Area Land Sq Mi:0.82
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Settlement Type:Borough
Population Total:2070
Population Density Km2:979.13
Population Density Sq Mi:2536.76
Timezone:EST
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Coordinates:39.8136°N -79.0264°W
Postal Code Type:Zip Code
Postal Code:15552
Area Code:814
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:42-48912

Meyersdale is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States, situated on the Casselman River, 73miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

In the past, Meyersdale's chief industry was the mining of coal.

Meyersdale is located along the Great Allegheny Passage, a multi-use recreational rail trail.

The Pennsylvania Maple Festival has taken place each spring in Meyersdale since 1948. Consequently, Meyersdale is known as the Maple City.

Meyersdale is home to the Somerset County Fair.

History

Meyersdale was first settled as early as 1776, but the growth of the town dates from the advent of the first railroad in 1871. Coal mining began in the next year.

The borough was named for an early settler:[2] Peter Meyers, a local farmer who was integral to the beginning of the town.[3] Early names for Meyersdale included Meyers Mills and Dale City.[4] Jacob Olinger had 30 lots laid out on his land in 1844 with Alexander Philson of Berlin serving as the surveyor. Additional lots were laid out in 1852, with M.D. Miller acting as the surveyor, and in 1869, with Kenneth McCloud as surveyor. Around the same time, Peter Meyers had lots laid out on his land and the Beachley family had lots laid out on their land. The Olinger and Beachley lots were organized together in 1872 and named Dale City. The Meyers lots were added in 1874, and the name was changed to Meyersdale. The Amity Reformed Church was organized about 1851, and the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1852, and both congregations shared a union churchhouse from 1854 until 1875.

In 1981–82, Meyersdale received an All-America City Award from the National Civic League. The Meyersdale Wind Farm began commercial operations in 2003.

The New Colonial Hotel and Second National Bank of Meyersdale are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.8sqmi, all land. Meyersdale is surrounded by Summit Township.

Climate

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 2,473 people, 1,019 households, and 666 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2950.7sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,089 housing units at an average density of 1299.3sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the borough was 99.35% White, 0.24% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.16% Asian, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73%.

Of the 1,019 households, 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.0% of households were one person, and 18.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 84.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.

The median household income was $24,652 and the median family income was $29,798. Males had a median income of $26,167 versus $18,205 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $14,116. About 16.8% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 18.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by the Meyersdale Area School District. Senior students attend Meyersdale Area High School.

Notable people

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. October 12, 2022.
  2. Book: Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. 1905. U.S. Government Printing Office. 207.
  3. Book: Espenshade, A. Howry. Pennsylvania Place Names. 1925. Pennsylvania State College. State College, PA. 278.
  4. Book: History of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania. 1884. Waterman, Watkins & Co.. Chicago. 486–492.