Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Greensburg, Pennsylvania
City
Downtown Greensburg
Downtown Greensburg
Flag of Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Flag
Official seal of Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Seal
Interactive map of Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is located in Pennsylvania
Greensburg
Greensburg
Location within Pennsylvania
Greensburg is located in the United States
Greensburg
Greensburg
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 40°17′52″N 79°32′32″W / 40.29778°N 79.54222°W / 40.29778; -79.54222
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyWestmoreland
IncorporatedFebruary 9, 1799
Named afterNathanael Greene
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council
 • BodyGreensburg City Council
 • MayorRobert L. Bell (D)
 • Fire ChiefThomas Bell
Area
[1]
 • Total
4.05 sq mi (10.50 km2)
 • Land4.05 sq mi (10.50 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,017 ft (310 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total
14,976
 • Density3,693/sq mi (1,425.8/km2)
 • Demonym
Greensburger
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
15601, 15605, 15606
Area codes724, 878
FIPS code42-31200[3]
GNIS feature ID1215700[4]
Websitewww.greensburgpa.org

Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat.[5][6] The population was 14,976 at the 2020 census. Located 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Pittsburgh, Greensburg is a part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The city lies within the Laurel Highlands and the ecoregion of the Western Allegheny Plateau.[7] The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War.[5]

History

Greensburg in 1930

Hannastown was the original Westmoreland County seat. According to historian John Boucher, after Hannastown was attacked and burned by "Indians and Tories" in 1782,[8] efforts began to relocate the county seat. On December 10, 1785, county officials contracted with Christopher Truby and William Jack to purchase two acres of Newtown land to erect public buildings. Ludwick Otterman later subscribed to the agreement. Boucher, therefore, designates December 10, 1785, as the date Newtown became the Westmoreland County seat.[9]

The first courthouse and jail were a single log-and-plank building. The jail portion had a heavy stone wall that extended some distance above the ground, "perhaps to keep prisoners from cutting their way out".[10] Court was first held in this structure on January 7, 1787.[11] By 1801, a two-story brick courthouse had been erected. A later courthouse, the fourth, was built on the same lot.[12] The area surrounding the courthouse became Greensburg ("Greenesburgh", as some documents referred to it at the time). It was named for American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene.[13] Greensburg was formally incorporated as a borough on February 9, 1799, making it the first borough in the county.[14]


Seton Hill University, formerly Seton Hill College, and previously St. Joseph's Academy, became a four-year women's institution in 1918. Greensburg became a City of the Third Class on January 2, 1928.

Greengate Mall and Westmoreland Mall opened in 1965 and 1977, respectively.

Westmoreland County Courthouse
Hotel Rappe, later Greensburger Hotel, later General Greene Hotel, at 24 West Otterman Street in 1983. Built in 1903, since demolished.

The city is home to the Diocese of Greensburg.

Neighborhoods

Two neighborhoods have been designated as U.S. historic districts, the Greensburg Downtown Historic District and the Academy Hill Historic District. Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Greensburg Railroad Station and Westmoreland County Courthouse.[15]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1810685—
182077112.6%
18308105.1%
1840800−1.2%
18501,05131.4%
18601,38832.1%
18701,64218.3%
18802,50052.3%
18904,20268.1%
19006,50854.9%
191013,01299.9%
192015,03315.5%
193016,5089.8%
194016,7431.4%
195016,9231.1%
196017,3832.7%
197017,077−1.8%
198017,5883.0%
199016,318−7.2%
200015,899−2.6%
201014,892−6.3%
202014,9760.6%
Sources:[3][16][17][18][2]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Greensburg had a population of 14,976. The median age was 40.9 years. 17.4% of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 83.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 80.8 males age 18 and over.[19]

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.[20]

There were 6,834 households in Greensburg, of which 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 32.3% were married-couple households, 23.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 42.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]

There were 7,607 housing units, of which 10.2% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%, and the rental vacancy rate was 9.3%.[19]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[21]
RaceNumberPercent
White12,98886.7%
Black or African American7745.2%
American Indian and Alaska Native300.2%
Asian1551.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander00.0%
Some other race890.6%
Two or more races9406.3%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)3122.1%

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 15,889 people, 7,144 households, and 3,922 families residing in the city.[3] The population density was 3,746.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,446.4/km2). There were 7,734 housing units at an average density of 1,823.4 per square mile (704.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.43% White, 3.91% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.

There were 7,144 households, out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.1% were non-families. 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11, and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 20.2% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,324, and the median income for a family was $41,112. Males had a median income of $33,306 versus $24,246 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,312. About 10.8% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.[3]

City Hall, formerly headquarters of West Penn Railways

Economy

The former Troutman's Department Store on South Main Street
South Pennsylvania Avenue

Westmoreland Mall and the attached Live! Casino Pittsburgh is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the Greensburg area and Westmoreland County. Nearly 300 employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry work in the State Office Building on North Main Street.[22]

Notable institutions

Government and politics

Greensburg is an incorporated city governed by a mayor and a four-member City Council. The mayor and the City Council members serve four-year terms. The seat of government is the Greensburg City Hall.

Greensburg is home to the 14th Quartermaster Detachment, a United States Army Reserve unit.[23][24]

Education

University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg

The city limits are within the Greensburg-Salem School District.[25] The private Greensburg Central Catholic High School is also in the town.

Seton Hill University and the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg are in the town.

Professional sports

American football

Greensburg Athletic Association (1893)

From 1890 to 1900 Greensburg was home to the Greensburg Athletic Association, one of the earliest professional American football teams.[26]

Baseball

In 1907,l Greensburg fielded the Greensburg Red Sox, a Minor League Baseball team in the Class D Western Pennsylvania League, which played one season.[27] From 1934 to 1939 Greensburg was the home of the Greensburg Red Wings, a Class D Minor League Baseball team.[28]

Notable people

Sister cities

Greensburg has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Greensburg". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Greensburg Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Level III Ecoregions of Pennsylvania". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  8. ↑ Boucher, John Newton (1906). History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Lewis Publishing Company. p. 197. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  9. ↑ Boucher. op.cit. p. 183.
  10. ↑ Boucher op. cit. p. 192.
  11. ↑ Boucher. op.cit. p. 194.
  12. ↑ "Boucher op cit, page 192". {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  13. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 144.
  14. ↑ Wendling, Gerald P. (January 1, 1992). The Birth of Westmoreland County. Tax Office, Westmoreland County. pp. Section 6, Exhibit 25.
  15. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Number of Inhabitants: Pennsylvania" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Pennsylvania: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  19. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  21. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  22. ↑ Stiles, Bob (June 18, 2012). "Sale of Office Building Won't Affect State Services". Tribune-Review. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  23. ↑ Mansfield, Karen (February 26, 2026). "Families, survivors mark 35th anniversary of Iraq missile attack". Observer-Reporter, Washington PA. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  24. ↑ Johnson, Dani. "35 years later, PWED remembers fallen 14th QM Detachment". U.S. Army. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
  25. ↑ Geography Division (January 15, 2021). 2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Westmoreland County, PA (PDF) (Map). Suitland, Maryland: U.S. Census Bureau. p. 3 (PDF p. 4/5). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2026. - Text list
  26. ↑ Van Atta, Robert (1983). "The History of Pro Football at Greensburg, Pennsylvania (1894–1900)" (PDF). Coffin Corner. No. Annual. Professional Football Researchers Association. pp. 1–14. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2010.
  27. ↑ BR Minors Greensburg Red Sox
  28. ↑ "Offutt Field- Greensburg, Pennsylvania -Former Home of the Greensburg Red Wings". Digital Ballparks. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
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