Uniontown was founded in 1776 as "the Town of Union" by Henry Beeson, a Quaker born in Virginia in 1743 who had settled in the area in 1768, buying tracts of land and running a sawmill.[4] On July 4 (coincidentally, the same day the United States Declaration of Independence was adopted),[5][6] Beeson published a plat of quarter-acre plots near his mill to be allocated by lottery on July 20 to purchasers prepared to build houses on them.[7]
In early years, the town was sometimes unofficially called "Beesonstown", though not by Beeson.[8] In 1783, Fayette County was erected and divided into townships, of which Union Township contained the namesake town.[9] The town was incorporated as a borough in 1796 under the name Uniontown and separated from Union Township,[10] which was split in 1851 into the North Union and South Union townships.[citation needed]
The National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road, was routed through Uniontown in the early 19th century, and the town grew along with the road (now US 40). Uniontown's role in the Underground Railroad in the antebellum years is commemorated by a marker on the corner of East Main Street and Baker Alley.[11] Residents helped slaves escaping from the South to freedom.
In the late nineteenth century, the town grew based on the development of coal mines and the steel industry. Uniontown was the site of violent clashes between striking coal miners and guards at the local coke works during the bituminous coal miners' strike of 1894. Fifteen guards armed with carbines and machine guns held off an attack by 1,500 strikers, killing five and wounding eight.[12]
The Columbia Rolling Mill, an iron and steel works, was located in Uniontown from 1887 to 1895. The mill was the town's top industry at that time. During the Coal Boom of the early part of the 20th century, Uniontown was home to at least 13 millionaires, the most (per capita) of any city in the United States. "Coal barons" and Carl Laemmle, the president of Universal Films, sponsored the famous Uniontown Speedway board track from 1916 to 1922. It was a mile and a quarter raceway.
As with most of Western Pennsylvania, Uniontown's economy waned during the region's deindustrialization of the late 20th century, when the steel industry restructured and many jobs went elsewhere, including offshore. This decline continued into the 21st century, and the population is about half its peak of 1940.
The only United States Navy ship named for the city was USS Uniontown, a Tacoma-class frigate renamed from Chattanooga on August 16, 1944.
In 1967, Uniontown was the birthplace of the McDonald's Big Mac sandwich.[13][14] In 2007, the Big Mac Museum was opened in North Huntingdon Township in Westmoreland County, to the disappointment of some Uniontown residents.[15] According to a McDonald's spokesperson, the decision was based on logistics and access, but Uniontown residents complained in an article that was published in The Herald-Standard.[16]
Uniontown is located slightly west of the center of Fayette County at 39°54'0" North, 79°43'28" West (39.900040, −79.724478).[18] It is located 12 miles (19 km) north of the West Virginia state line.
Looking East into Uniontown, with Chestnut Ridge in the distance and snow on the ground
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.04 square miles (5.29 km2), all land.[19] The city is 999 feet (304 m) above sea level and rests at the base of Chestnut Ridge, the westernmost ridge of the Appalachian Mountains to the east. The National Pike or Cumberland Road crossed over the mountains and passed through the area which became the center of Uniontown. The route is now Business Route 40, as the mainline of US 40 bypasses the city center to the south and west as a freeway loop called the George Marshall Parkway.
Climate
Uniontown is located in a transition between a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) and a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with cold (sometimes freezing cold) to mild winters, owing its location near the mountains with average daytime temperatures running in the 30s to 40s °F (0–10 °C) and warm to hot and humid summers with average daytime temperatures running in the 70s to 80s °F (20–30 °C).
Uniontown located in a transition between a humid continental and humid subtropical climate
Climate data for Uniontown, Pennsylvania (1991–2020; extremes 1974–present
As of the 2010 census,[22] there were 10,372 people, 5,423 households, and 3,031 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,136 inhabitants per square mile (1,983/km2). There were 6,320 housing units at an average density of 3,103.0 per square mile (1,198.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.16% White, 18.90% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 3.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.59% of the population.
The largest white ethnic groups in Uniontown: 15.4% German, 13.4% Irish, 9% Italian, 6% Dutch, 5.6% English, 5.5% Polish.
There were 5,423 households, out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18.2 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.1% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 75 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.791.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.
In 2012 the median income for a household in the city was $31,760, and the median income for a family was $37,841. The per capita income for the city was $22,457.
Education
Uniontown is part of the Uniontown Area School District, which includes Lafayette Elementary School (grades K–5), Menallen Elementary School (grades K–6), Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School (grades K–8), Layafette Middle School (grades 6–8), and Uniontown Area High School (grades 9–12) within the city.[24] Students are also served by the Fayette County Career and Technical Institute for education in the trades. Laurel Highlands School District serves outlying areas immediately surrounding the city. Private schools include St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School and Chestnut Ridge Christian Academy.
Uniontown Hospital, the larger of two hospitals in the county, is the city's and Fayette County's largest employer.
The City of Uniontown operates a full-time police department. The city police station houses a booking center used by all police agencies within Fayette County, including the Pennsylvania State Police.
The City of Uniontown Bureau of Fire is a combination career/volunteer department operating out of three stations (two staffed and one reserve), and provides services including fire suppression, fire prevention, various aspects of rescue operations, pre fire and disaster planning, fire safety consultation services, disaster response along with city Emergency Management personnel, and a number of other public services. EMS service is provided by Fayette EMS, which replaced the former Uniontown Fireman's Ambulance in July 2013.
The bureau has four engines (pumping apparatus), two Trucks (aerial apparatus), a heavy rescue unit, a squad truck, and a command S.U.V.
Station 1 or, Central Station, is located downtown on North Beeson Boulevard at Penn Street. Central Station houses Engine #1, Engine #4, Truck #1, Rescue, Squad, Command Unit, and provides housing for two Fayette EMS units as well. Station 2, or the East End Station, is located on Connellsville Street near Lincoln Street. The East End Station houses Engine #3 and Truck "A". The 3rd station, the Union Hose Building, located on East Main Street near Grant Street, houses the city's Emergency Management Agency and Emergency Operations Center, and provides housing for the fire bureau's reserve pumper, Engine #5.
The department has three accredited PA Fire Academy Local Level Instructors and a number of professional qualifications board testing evaluators.
Media
WMBS (AM) studio on South Mount Vernon Avenue
The Herald-Standard, a newspaper based in Uniontown, serves the city and much of the surrounding area.
Fayette TV[25] provides local programming on Breezeline Cable channel 77.
Two radio stations are licensed to the Uniontown area on 590 AM, 101.1FM WMBS and 99.3 FM WPKL.
Transportation
Uniontown is an important crossroads in Fayette County. The main route around town is a stretch of freeway bypass, the George Marshall Parkway, which is composed of parts of US 40 and US 119. US 119 enters the area as a two-lane route from Morgantown, West Virginia, and provides the northern half of the bypass before becoming a four-lane route to Connellsville. US 40 enters the region as a two-lane route from Brownsville. It serves as the southern half of the freeway before becoming a mountainous route through rural parts of the county and enters Maryland and reaches Interstate 68. The old portions of US 40, now signed as Business 40, serve the downtown area.
William James (born 1979), former NFL cornerback born and raised in Uniontown
Stu Lantz (born 1946), former NBA player and color commentator for the Los Angeles Lakers, played basketball for Uniontown High School and led them to a PIAA state championship in 1964
James Lawson (born 1928), civil rights leader born in Uniontown
George C. Marshall (1880–1959), American military leader, General of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense, born in Uniontown
Terry Mulholland (born 1963), former Major League baseball player, born and raised in Uniontown
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