Meadville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia : M : ME : MEA : Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 13,685 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Crawford County[Geographic references#6GR6].
History
Meadville was founded in 1788 by a party of settlers lead by David Mead. Its location at the confluence of Cussewago Creek and French Creek, a day's travel by boat to the safety of Fort Franklin. Their settlement was in a large meadow, presumably cleared by Native Americans, and well suited for growing maize. The neighboring Iroquois befriended the isolated settlement, but their enemies, including the Wyandots, were not so amiable. The threat of their attacks caused the settlement to be evacuated for a time in 1791.Around 1800, many of the settlers to the Meadville area came after receiving land bounties for service in the Revolutionary War. Allegheny College, the first college west of the Appalachian Mountains, was founded in Meadville in 1815. Meadville became an important transportation center after the construction of the French Creek Feeder Canal in 1837, and the subsequent railroad development.
By the late 19th century, Meadville's economy was also driven by logging, agriculture, and iron production. The Talon Corporation, headquartered in Meadville, played a major role in the development of the zipper. Since the clothing industry was largely unaffected by the Great Depression, the community saw a population boom at that time. During World War II, the nearby Keystone Ordnance plant brought additional jobs to the area.
After the war, Meadville's industrial growth continued. Talon remained a major employer, along with the railroad industry, Avtex Fibers, [Channellock tools], and Dads Pet Food. In the 1980s, the great lakes region saw a decline in heavy industry. By the early 1990s, Channellock and Dads were the only large companies operating in Meadville. This blow to the local economy was softened by subsequent surge in light industry earning Meadville the nickname Tool City, USA.
Meadville is the birthplace of historian Charles H. Haskins and actress Sharon Stone.
Popular attractions include Hank's Ice Cream and Eddie's Hot Dogs.
Geography
Meadville is located at (41.642133, -80.147441)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.3 km² (4.4 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 13,685 people, 5,436 households, and 2,891 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,214.7/km² (3,145.2/mi²). There were 5,985 housing units at an average density of 531.2/km² (1,375.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.98% White, 5.01% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.There were 5,436 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.8% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 20.0% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 81.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,402, and the median income for a family was $38,227. Males had a median income of $32,813 versus $22,579 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,290. About 13.7% of families and 22.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
External links
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