McKees Rocks

McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
Borough
Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA
Official name: Borough of McKees Rocks
Named for: Alexander McKee
Nickname: The Rocks
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Allegheny
Coordinates	40°28′12.79″N 80°3′49.22″W / 40.4702194°N 80.0636722°W / 40.4702194; -80.0636722
Population	6,622 (2000)
Settled in 1764	Incorporated in 1892
Timezone	EST (UTC-5)
- summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	15136
Area code	412
School District	Sto-Rox
Location of McKees Rocks in Allegheny County
Location of McKees Rocks in Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Website: McKees Rocks

McKees Rocks, also known as "The Rocks", is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the south bank of the Ohio River, adjoining Pittsburgh. In the past, it was known for its extensive iron and steel interests. Also, there were large railroad machine shops, and manufacturers of locomotives, freight and passenger cars, and springs, enamel ware, lumber, wall materials, plaster, nuts and bolts, malleable castings, chains and forgings, tin ware, concrete, and cigars.

The Pittsburgh, Allegheny and McKees Rocks Railroad is located in an area known as the 'Bottoms.'

The name of the borough is often incorrectly stated as "Mc Kees Rocks," "McKee's Rocks," or "McKees Rock," but the official name is "McKees Rocks." It is within the Sto-Rox School District, which serves McKees Rocks and neighboring Stowe Township. The local high school is Sto-Rox High School.

The McKees Rocks Bridge, which carries traffic between McKees Rocks and Pittsburgh, is the longest bridge in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, at 7,293 feet (2,223 m).

The area is well-served by Port Authority bus routes 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D, 21F, CO, and 24A.

History

For thousands of years, Native Americans inhabited the region. The Adena culture built a large Mound at the future site of McKees Rocks. The Mound, a burial site, was augmented in later years by members of the Hopewell culture.^[1] Much later, it was considered by George Washington as a possible location for Fort Pitt, which was eventually built on the site of the destroyed French Fort Duquesne in what is now Pittsburgh's Point State Park.^[2]

The borough derives its name from Alexander McKee, to whom a 1,300 acre (5.3 km²) tract of land was given in 1764, and from a rocky projection into the river at this site. In 1769, McKees Rocks officially got its name on a deed^[3], and that year is considered to be its founding date.^[4] In 1892, it was incorporated as a borough.^[4] In 1900, 6,353 people resided in the borough; in 1910, 14,702; in 1920, 16,713, and in 1940, 17,021 people inhabited McKees Rocks. The population was 6,622 at the 2000 census.

The Mann's Hotel, which was possibly one of the oldest buildings in the Pittsburgh area^[5], was located at 23 Singer Avenue in McKees Rocks. It was built around 1803, although other sources put the construction in the 1700s.^[5] It is rumored that George Washington stayed there^[5] when he was surveying the Indian Mound. On October 12, 2009, The Mann's Hotel was demolished by the authorities in McKees Rocks^[6] due to its deteriorating condition.^[5]

Geography

McKees Rocks is located at 40°28′13″N 80°3′49″W / 40.47028°N 80.06361°W / 40.47028; -80.06361 (40.470218, -80.063674)^[7].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²), of which, 1.0 square miles (2.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (6.31%) is water. McKees Rocks is made up of several neighborhoods, such as West Park, Meyers Ridge, and "The Bottoms."

Demographics

As of the census^[8] of 2000, there were 6,622 people, 2,905 households, and 1,652 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,377.5 people per square mile (2,458.4/km²). There were 3,402 housing units at an average density of 3,276.4/sq mi (1,263.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.71% White, 14.06% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.09% of the population.

Households: There were 2,905 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.4% were married couples living together, 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.96.

Age Distribution: The population included 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males; for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.

Income: The median income for a household in the borough was $22,278, and the median income for a family was $29,063. Males had a median income of $25,872 versus $23,402 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $13,858. About 20.5% of families and 25.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.8% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest

The multi-million-dollar, 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m²) Father Ryan Cultural Arts Center opened in 2008, at 420 Chartiers Avenue, adjacent to the F.O.R. Sto-Rox Library (at 500 Chartiers Avenue). It offers many creative and performing arts courses to the public.

The "Bottoms" neighborhood is the site of the McKees Rocks Indian Mound, a designated historic landmark, where the oldest human bones in eastern North America have been discovered.

McKees Rocks is located 10 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh.

McKees Rocks is also known for its fine food.

Surrounding and adjacent neighborhoods

Brighton Heights (Pittsburgh via McKees Rocks Bridge), Esplen (Pittsburgh), Kennedy Township, Stowe Township, Windgap (Pittsburgh)

Notable residents

• Olive Thomas - silent film actress, and the original flapper
• Billy Mays - The late Oxi-Clean spokesperson, well known for his bearded face and distinct voice.^[9]
• Bob Ligashesky - Sto-Rox Graduate of 1985. Special Teams coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Paul Spadafora - Former IBF World Lightweight Boxing Champion. Known as the "Pittsburgh Kid".
• Ted Kwalick - Penn State all-America football player and San Francisco 49ers all-Pro tight end. Member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Sonni Abatta - Former KDKA-TV News Anchor.
• Joe Federoff - Currently playing for the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL
• Chuck Fusina - Penn State, USFL, and NFL Football Player.
• John Kasich - Republican congressman and former presidential candidate.
• Myron Brown - Slippery Rock University basketball star, and NBA player.
• Jim Girvin - College and minor league hockey player.
• Catherine Baker Knoll - Former Pennsylvania Lt. Governor
• Dorrian Glenn - Slippery Rock University Running Back. 19 touchdowns in 11 games.
• Mario Panucci - College and minor league hockey player.
• Carl Kosak - Author
• Jeff Smith - an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the self-published comic book series Bone.
• Tom Clements - Quarterbacks Coach of the Green Bay Packers.

In popular culture

McKees Rocks is the fictionalized setting of the novels Duffy's Rocks, Riot, and more than a dozen by the crime writer K.C. Constantine.

See also

• List of cities and towns along the Ohio River
• Pressed Steel Car Strike of 1909

Gallery

The McKees Rocks Bridge from Island Avenue in McKees Rocks, PA.	Another view of the McKees Rocks Bridge.	Mancini's Bakery (since 1926) in McKees Rocks, PA.	McKees Rocks Mound historical marker.
"The Rocks" of McKees Rocks, PA.

References

External links

• Official website of the borough of McKees Rocks
• Official website of the Sto-Rox School District

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