Windber, Pennsylvania
Windber, Pennsylvania | |
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Borough | |
Municipal building | |
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Coordinates: 40°14′07″N 78°49′51″W / 40.23528°N 78.83083°WCoordinates: 40°14′07″N 78°49′51″W / 40.23528°N 78.83083°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Pennsylvania |
County | Somerset |
Settled | 1897 |
Incorporated | July 3, 1900 |
Government | |
• Type | Borough Council |
• Mayor | Scott Penrod |
Area | |
• Total | 2.1 sq mi (5 km2) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 4,138 |
• Density | 2,118.8/sq mi (818.1/km2) |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
Zip code | 15963 |
Area code(s) | 814 Exchange: 467 |
Website | Windber Borough |
Windber is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, eight miles (13 km) south of Johnstown. It was at one time a place of industrial activities which included coal mining, lumbering, and the manufacture of fire brick. In 1897, the community was founded by coal barons Charles and Edward Julius Berwind owners of the Berwind Corporation. 8,013 people lived in Windber in 1910 and 9,057 in 1940; the population was 4,138 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The Windber Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.[1]
Geography
Windber is located at 40°14′7″N 78°49′51″W / 40.23528°N 78.83083°W (40.235161, -78.830864).[2]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1910 | 8,013 | — | |
1920 | 9,462 | 18.1% | |
1930 | 9,205 | −2.7% | |
1940 | 9,057 | −1.6% | |
1950 | 8,010 | −11.6% | |
1960 | 6,994 | −12.7% | |
1970 | 6,332 | −9.5% | |
1980 | 5,585 | −11.8% | |
1990 | 4,756 | −14.8% | |
2000 | 4,395 | −7.6% | |
2010 | 4,138 | −5.8% | |
Est. 2014 | 4,019 | [3] | −2.9% |
Sources:[4][5][6] |
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 4,395 people, 2,019 households, and 1,185 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,118.8 people per square mile (819.8/km²). There were 2,177 housing units at an average density of 1,049.5 per square mile (406.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.29% White, 0.07% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 2,019 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $23,261, and the median income for a family was $31,860. Males had a median income of $24,861 versus $18,886 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,078. About 11.9% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Jim Bonfanti, drummer for the power-pop band the Raspberries, was born in Windber.
- Alan Freed, radio disc jockey who coined the term "Rock and Roll," was born in Windber.
- Dave Geisel, retired MLB player
- Gene Heeter, a professional football player for the New York Jets, was born in Windber.
- Frank Kush, football coach, was born in Windber.
- Johnny Weissmuller, winner in the 1920s of five Olympic gold medals in swimming and one bronze medal in water polo, and later was a Hollywood star best known for his Tarzan movies, particularly with actress Maureen O'Sullivan, lived in Windber as a child. (He was born in what is now Timişoara, Romania)
- J. Irving Whalley, a former United States congressman and a member of the Automotive Hall of Fame, lived for years in Windber.[7]
Government
Windber Borough Council:
- Barry Jerley, President of Council
- James Furmanchik, Vice President of Council
- John Holden
- George M. Ledney
- James Spinos
- Michael Winas
- Anthony Turquato
Windber Borough Government Officials:
- Scott Penrod, Mayor
- Robin S. Gates, Borough Secretary/Administrative Assistant
- Fred Oliverus, Borough Manager
Education
- Windber Area School District
- Windber Area High School
- Windber Area Middle School
- Windber Area Elementary School
Entertainment
The nearby Silver Drive-In first opened in 1962.[8] While other such facilities in the area have closed over the course of years, the Silver survived through public outcry over proposals to close and demolish it, making a comeback in 2005.[9][10][11] It is now the only drive-in theater in the Johnstown, Pennsylvania region.
The historic Arcadia Theater opened on May 5, 1921 and was designed by Henry Reinhold and Ralph L. Land. The Windber Lumber Co., then a subsidiary of Berwind-White Coal Mining Co., built the theater with money donated by a group of stockholders known as the Windber Theater Corporation. The Arcadia Theater showcased many vaudevulle acts, as well as cinema productions before being sold in 1963 and renamed “Cinema 56.” In 1975 the theater was closed. In 1977, however, the Penn Wood Players began to make plans to make the Arcadia their headquarters. Unfortunately the Johnstown Flood of 1977 severely damaged the building and the theater was once again closed. In 1989 the Eureka Coal Heritage Foundation purchased the theater in order to restore the once grand Arcadia Theater to its former splendor. The restoration began in 1990 with the building architects referring to old photographs and the memories of many people to steer the interior and exterior designs. The intent of the restoration was to the make the theater look as it did in 1921. On October 31, 1998 the Arcadia reopened its magnificent doors with the production of “Best of Broadway.” With the exception of present-day computer technology to control both sound and light systems, the Arcadia Theater has successfully recaptured its original beauty and “magic,” in both its appearance and its live performances. Today, the Arcadia Theater is proud of the quality of performers that have since been showcased, among them: Florence Henderson, The Mantovani Orchestra, The Lettermen, Gary Burgoff, The Platters, Pat Boone, The Osmonds, Don Ho, Al Martino, The 5th Dimension, and the U.S. Marine Corp Band, in addition to the Arcadia's own children’s series performances.
References
- ↑ Staff (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ↑ http://automotivehalloffame.org/honors/index.php?cmd=view&id=141&type=inductees
- ↑ (12 June 2009). Reel success - County Amusement noting 60 years in movie business, The Tribune-Democrat
- ↑ (12 December 2008). Silver screen saved, The Tribune-Democrat
- ↑ (11 August 2006). Artist's touch adds character (s) to drive-in, The Tribune-Democrat
- ↑ (7 September 2008). Silver Drive-In owner mulls rezoning, sale, The Tribune-Democrat
External links
- Windber Borough Official Government Site
- Windber Rumbles Motorcycle Rally
- Arcadia Theater
- Windber Area School District
- Windber Coal Heritage Center
- Windber Fire Department
- Windber Medical Center
- Windber Public Library
- Windber Research Institute
- Map of Windber's coal resources
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. PA-322, "Town of Windber"
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