Ambridge, Pennsylvania

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ambridge is a borough in Beaver County in western Pennsylvania, incorporated in 1910 and named after the American Bridge Company, which had significant operations there. Ambridge is located 16 miles (25 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, alongside the Ohio river. In 1910, 5,205 people lived in Ambridge; in 1920, 12,730 people lived there, and in 1940, 18,968 people resided in Ambridge. The population was 7,769 at the 2000 census.

The Harmony Society first settled the area in the early 1800s, founding the village of "Oekonomie" or Old Economy in 1824. Although initially successful, accumulating significant landholdings, the sect went into decline.

By the end of the nineteenth century only a few Harmonists remained. In 1905 the Society was dissolved and its vast real estate holdings sold, much of it to the American Bridge Company, who subsequently enlarged the town and renamed it Ambridge.

Ambridge had been a highly productive place at one time. The borough was widely known for bridge building, metal molding, and the manufacture of tubes (large iron pipes). During World War II, numerous small vessels such as LSTs were constructed in Ambridge by American Bridge Company. ABC ended operations in Ambridge in 1983.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Education
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Ambridge is located at 40°35′35″N, 80°13′31″W (40.593167, -80.225200)^GR1, along the Ohio River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²). 3.8 km² (1.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (12.87%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 7,769 people, 3,595 households, and 1,966 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,026.8/km² (5,232.8/mi²). There were 4,099 housing units at an average density of 1,069.3/km² (2,760.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 85.69% White, 11.38% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.

There were 3,595 households out of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.6% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 39.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $26,263, and the median income for a family was $35,529. Males had a median income of $30,996 versus $21,455 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,089. About 16.4% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

The town is served by the Ambridge Area School District [1]. The town's high school is Ambridge Area High School.

Ambridge is also home to Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Ambridge Area Discussion - Discussion Board for the Community
Ambridge Borough site
Old Economy Village museum interpreting the history of the Harmony Society
Information on the Ohio River Bridge in Ambridge
Ambridge Postcards from rootsweb.com
Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 40.593167° -80.2252°
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

	v • d • e Municipalities and Communities of Beaver County, Pennsylvania County Seat: Beaver
Cities	Aliquippa \| Beaver Falls
Boroughs	Ambridge \| Baden \| Beaver \| Big Beaver \| Bridgewater \| Conway \| Darlington \| East Rochester \| Eastvale \| Economy \| Ellwood City \| Fallston \| Frankfort Springs \| Freedom \| Georgetown \| Glasgow \| Homewood \| Hookstown \| Industry \| Koppel \| Midland \| Monaca \| New Brighton \| New Galilee \| Ohioville \| Patterson Heights \| Rochester \| Shippingport \| South Heights \| West Mayfield
Townships	Brighton \| Center \| Chippewa \| Darlington \| Daugherty \| Franklin \| Greene \| Hanover \| Harmony \| Hopewell \| Independence \| Marion \| New Sewickley \| North Sewickley \| Patterson \| Potter \| Pulaski \| Raccoon \| Rochester \| South Beaver \| Vanport \| White