Fayette County is a
county located in the
U.S. state of
Pennsylvania. As of the
2000 census, the population was 148,644. The county is part of the
Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Fayette County was created on
September 26,
1783, from part of
Westmoreland County and named after the
Marquis de Lafayette. Its
county seat is
Uniontown.
History
The first European settlers to Fayette County were western explorers who used an Indian trail that bisected Fayette County as part of their journey across the
Appalachian Mountains. When the ownership of the area was still undecided, 22-year-old
George Washington fought his first battles against the
French at Jumonville Glen and
Fort Necessity in
1754. British forces under Washington and General
Edward Braddock improved roads throughout the region, making the future Fayette County an important supply through route. Despite being originally claimed by Virginia, the region became part of Pennsylvania, eventually becoming its own jurisdiction after succeeding from
Westmoreland County in 1783. During the
American Revolution, Fayette County was hit hard by attacks from British-allied Indian groups and remained an isolated frontier hinterland.
Fayette County settlers provided the first real test for the authority of the more centralized incarnation of the American government after the signing of the Constitution. During the 1793
Whiskey Rebellion, rural farmers took up arms against tax collectors in protest of a new excise on liquor. However, new President Washington called out federal soldiers to quell the uprising. In the early portions of the Nineteenth Century, Fayette County continued to be an important travel point. The
National Road provided access for settlers heading west, while the shipyards in
Brownsville created vessels that were used for shipping for domestic and international trade.
As Pittsburgh developed as an industrial powerhouse in the mid-1800s, Fayette County transitioned to become a center of the coal mining and coke production. From the 1880s to the 1900s, an explosion in steel production led to area industry becoming extremely profitable and nationally important. Because cheap labor was needed, new immigrant populations arrived to Fayette County en masse. The traditional Scottish and German farming communities soon became dwarfed by Southern and Eastern Europeans. However, the region's wealth remained concentrated in old English families with connections to Pittsburgh.
By the mid-1900s, Fayette County industry had created a new unionized working class that enjoyed increased prosperity. However, by the 1950s, the coal industry fell into decline and in the 1970s, the collapse of American steel brought hard times to Fayette County. Only a few mines remain, but natural resources remain crucial to the local economy. The region continues to struggle but is slowly transitioning toward the service sector, with jobs added in fields such as telemarketing.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 798 square miles (2,067 km²), of which, 790 square miles (2,046 km²) of it is land and 8 square miles (20 km²) of it (0.98%) is water. The western portion of the county contains rolling foothills and two valleys along the
Monongahela River and
Youghiogheny Rivers. The eastern portion of the county is highly mountainous and forested. Many coal mines are located within the area.
Adjacent counties
Transportation
While Fayette County is a generally rural area and is not directly tied into the interstate system, it features four-lane access to the city of
Pittsburgh and several of its major suburban areas. Future state highway plans call for the establishment of direct freeway connections with Pittsburgh to the north and
Morgantown, West Virginia to the south.
U.S. and Pennsylvania Highways
U.S. Route 40- connects in the west with Washington County and provides access to the Pittsbugh edge suburb of Washington; after forming part of a freeway bypass of Uniontown, becomes a major two lane mountain highway heading toward Maryland
Pennsylvania Route 43- toll freeway currently connecting Uniontown to Pittsburgh's southern suburbs, with eventually plans to extend the route to the city limits; eventually will also provide freeway access to Morgantown
Pennsylvania Route 857- rural highway connecting Uniontown and Morgantown that is largely bipassed by Route 43
Public Transportation
The primary provider of mass transportation withing the region is
Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation, which features local bus routes as well as twice-daily commuter service to Pittsburgh.
Amtrak rail service along the Chicago-to-Washington-via-Cleveland
Capitol Limited route stops at
Connellsville Station. General aviation services are also provided at the
Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport.
Government
The County of Fayette is governed by a three-member publicly elected commission. The three commissioners serve in both executive and legislative capacities. By state law, the commission must have a minority party, guaranteeing a political split on the commission. Each term is for four years.
The three current commissioners for Fayette County are Vince Vicities (
Democrat), Vince Zapotosky (Democrat), and Angela Zimmerlink (
Republican).
Vicities is the son of a former county commissioner, and worked in the office of the state auditor general and as director of Fayette County Waste Management prior to taking office in 1996. Zapotosky formerly worked as an aide to Congressman
Frank Mascara and later was an administrator at Douglas Business School. Zimmerlink previously held a career in real estate.
The Fayette County
Court of Common Pleas serves as the primary judicial arm in the region. Judges are elected to ten-year terms in accordance with Commonwealth law. Additionally, district judges serve throughout the county for minor offences. Current judges are Conrad Capuzzi, Gerald Solomon, John Warner, Ralph Warman, and Steve Leskinen.
Other county officials
- Clerk of Courts, Janice Snyder, Democrat
- Controller, Sean Lally, Democrat
- Coroner, Phillip E. Reilly, Democrat
- District Attorney, Nancy Vernon, Democrat
- Prothonotary, Lance Winterhalter, Democrat
- Recorder of Deeds, David Malosky, Democrat
- Register of Wills, Donald Redman, Democrat
- Sheriff, Gary D. Brownfield, Sr., Democrat
- Treasurer, Robert F. Danko, Democrat
Politics
As of
November 2008, there are 91,386 registered voters in Fayette County .
- Other Parties: 6,575 (7.19%)
Fayette County tends to be Democratic-leaning in statewide and national elections. While Democratic politics are entrenched because of a strong union history, the county is generally socially conservative. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore won 57% of the vote and Republican George W. Bush won 40%. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry won 53% of the vote and Republican George W. Bush won 45%. In 2006, Democrats Governor Ed Rendell and Senator Bob Casey, Jr. won 59% and 65% of the vote in Fayette County. In 2008, Fayette County trended Republican and went for Republican John McCain 49.62% over Democrat Barack Obama 49.21%, a difference of 215 votes.
State Representatives
State Senator
US Representatives
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 148,644 people, 59,969 households, and 41,198 families residing in the county. The
population density was 188 people per square mile (73/km²). There were 66,490 housing units at an average density of 84 per square mile (32/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.30%
White, 3.51%
Black or
African American, 0.11%
Native American, 0.22%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander, 0.11% from
other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 0.38% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race. 19.8% were of
German, 13.2%
Italian, 11.4%
Irish, 9.2%
American, 8.4%
Polish, 7.9%
English and 6.6%
Slovak ancestry according to
Census 2000.
There were 59,969 households out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.80% were
married couples living together, 12.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.70% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.60 males.
A study released in 2009 by PathWays PA, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, found that 35% of families in Fayette County were economically distressed, that is, failing to earn a wage that would adequately provide food, shelter, child care, health care, and other basic necessities.
Municipalities
Map of Fayette County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:
cities,
boroughs,
townships, and, in at most two cases,
towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Fayette County:
Cities
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated places
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the
U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
Map of Fayette County, Pennsylvania School Districts
Education
Public School Districts
Private High Schools
Fixtures
- Fort Necessity is a reconstructed historic stockade that was originally built by George Washington to defend against an attack during the French and Indian War. Washington's loss at Fort Necessity was the only blemish on his military record. It is now operated as a national battlefield.
- * General Edward Braddock's Grave is across the highway from Fort Necessity. He was mortally wounded attacking Fort Duquesne (at the "forks of the Ohio River" in Pittsburgh) during the French and Indian War. It is a unit of the national battlefield. Under an agreement with British government, the site of Braddock's grave is considered British soil.
- * Two historic fixtures from the National Road exist within Fayette County's borders. Searights Toll House is one of few remaining toll collection stops along the old route. The Washington Tavern is a classic example of an early-19th-century inn along the National Road.
- The town of Perryopolis was designed by George Washington during his days as a surveyor. It includes a failed grist mill that Washington attempted to operate.
- Fallingwater, architect Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous home, is located within the county, atop a beautiful waterfall. His lesser known but equally impressive Kentuck Knob is also located in the county.
- Fayette County's southern border is marked with plaques that mark its significance as part of the Mason-Dixon Line
- Laurel Ridge State Park contains an extensive hiking trail that traverses much of Pennsylvania's Appalachian foothills.
- The county contains the largest cave in Pennsylvania, Laurel Caverns, which is popular as both a tour and spelunking destination.
- A historic trading post that eventually was turned into a spectacular mansion is featured in Nemacolin Castle.
Notable Fayette Countians
- Tom Foster, writer and television producer
- Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury to Jefferson and Madison built his home at Friendship Hill.
- Secretary of State and WW II Supreme Commander George C. Marshall of the Marshall Plan was born and educated through High School in the county seat, Uniontown.
- Two home-improvement families make Fayette County home. Both the Lowe family (of Lowe's) and the Hardy family (of 84 Lumber) reside in the county. The Hardys also maintain a huge resort and golf course.
- Rock and roller Fabian built and maintains a home in the county.
