Altoona, Pennsylvania
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Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 49,523 at the 2000 census.
Wayne Hippo is Altoona's mayor. The other members of Altoona City Council are Matthew Garber, Mark Geis, Bruce Kelley, Joseph Rieker, and William Schirf.
Altoona-Blair County Airport is the commercial airport serving Altoona.
The town is home to the Altoona Curve baseball team of the Double A Eastern League, which is the Double A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Altoona is served by a career fire department of 65 personnel, the largest career department between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, PA.
Altoona is also home to The Pennsylvania State University, Ivyside Park campus, also known as Penn State Altoona. This is the largest of Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses. The college has approximately 3800 Students as of the 2005-06 school year. Award-winning author, Eric Shade, a Penn State graduate, is an Altoona native as well.
History
A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868. The town grew rapidly in the late 19th century, its population approximately 2,000 in 1854, 10,000 in '70, and 20,000 in '80.The demand for locomotives during the Civil War stimulated much of this growth, and by the later years of the war Altoona was known as a valuable city for the North. It was considered by Confederate General Robert E. Lee as a target during the Army of Northern Virginia's mid-1863 entry into Pennsylvania, before being repelled at the Battle of Gettysburg. Also notable is the Union's War Governors' Conference, held at Altoona's Logan House.
Notable is the Horseshoe Curve, a famous curved section of track owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad, now a tourist attraction and National Historic Landmark, and its funicular. The Curve was used to raise trains to a sufficient altitude to cross the Allegheny Ridge to the west, beyond which was the steel town of Pittsburgh and the rest of the western United States. Because it was the industrial link to the western U.S., Horseshoe Curve was a primary target of eight Nazi saboteurs who infiltrated the United States in the early years of World War II (1942) by being dropped off by Kriegsmarine U-Boats.
In the early 20th century, the Railroad's Altoona Works complex employed at its peak some 15,000 people and covered three miles (5 km) in length, 218 acres (880,000 m²) of yards and 37 acres (150,000 m²) of indoor workshop floor space in 122 buildings. The PRR built many of its own locomotives at the Works, some 7,873 in all, the last being constructed in 1946. Things began to decline steadily from that point, and most of the plant is now long gone.
Altoona is also one of the dual seats of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown as the location of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, which was made a cathedral and rechristened from St. John's Church in 1851.
In 2000, Altoona became sister cities with St. Pölten, Austria.
Today, Altoona serves as the corporate home to Sheetz, a rapidly growing convenience store chain in the United States.
Geography
Altoona is located at 40º30'39" North, 78º23'59" West (40.510720, -78.399758)[Geographic references#1GR1].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.3 km² (9.8 mi²), all land.
Transportation
Altoona is a major center on the Norfolk Southern Railroad's Pittsburgh Line. In Altoona, helper engines are added to heavy trains to give them extra power up and over the Horseshoe Curve west of town. The Juniata Heavy Repair Shop Complex, originally built by the Pennsylvania Railroad, is the primary repair and maintenance facility on the Norfolk Southern. Altoona is served by several Amtrak trains daily. On an average day, 60 to 80 trains pass though Altoona. The historical importance to the railroad industry and the current high level of railroad activity has made Altoona a mecca for railfans for over 60 years. The Altoona Railroader's Memorial Museum and the Horseshoe Curve are popular spots for rail fans to take photos of passing trains.Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 49,523 people, 20,059 households, and 12,576 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,957.1/km² (5,069.7/mi²). There were 21,681 housing units at an average density of 856.8/km² (2,219.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.01% White, 2.49% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.There were 20,059 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,248, and the median income for a family was $36,758. Males had a median income of $28,851 versus $21,242 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,213. About 12.9% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- [Altoona PA website]
- [Altoona Area Public Library]
- [Altoona & Blair County Website Links]
- [www.altoona.net]
- [Altoona Fire Dept.]
- Altoona Symphony Orchestra website [link]
- Horseshoe Curve from the Railroaders Memorial Museum [link]
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