McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
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McKees Rocks, also known as "The Rocks," is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the west 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 enamel ware, lumber, wall materials plaster, locomotive and springs, nuts and bolts, malleable castings, chains and forgings, freight and passenger cars, tin ware, and concrete, cigars.
McKees Rocks is one of the oldest sites of human habitation in eastern North America. Skeletons have been discovered that are thousands of years old, dating from a time before ancient Greece and Rome. 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. In 1900, 6,353 people resided here; 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 Pittsburgh, Allegheny and McKees Rocks Railroad is located in an area known as the 'Bottoms.'
The Manns Hotel, which is the second oldest building in the Pittsburgh area, is in McKees Rocks, dating from the 1700s (despite the incorrect year of 1803 being painted on the facade).
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 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.
The McKees Rocks Bridge, which carries traffic between McKees Rocks and Pittsburgh, is the largest bridge in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
Geography
McKees Rocks is located at 40°28′13″N 80°3′49″W / 40.47028°N 80.06361°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (40.470218, -80.063674)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.9 km² (1.1 mi²). 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (6.31%) is water. McKees Rocks is made up of several neighborhoods, such as Preston, Meyers Ridge, and "The Bottoms."
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 6,622 people, 2,905 households, and 1,652 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,458.4/km² (6,377.5/mi²). There were 3,402 housing units at an average density of 1,263.0/km² (3,276.4/mi²). 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 McKees Rocks Cultural Arts Center was slated to open in spring 2007, at 420 Chartiers Avenue, adjacent to the F.O.R. Sto-Rox Library (at 500 Chartiers Avenue).
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.
Doughboy's Pizza, at 508 Island Avenue, has impacted the pizza world since its opening in 2004.
Mama Lena's pizza, at 704 Island Avenue, holds the world record for largest pizza.
McKees Rocks is located just 15 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh.
Notable Residents
- Paul Spadafora- IBF's World Ligtweight 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.
- Chuck Fusina- Penn State, USFL, and NFL Football Player.
- Billy Mays- The Oxi-Clean spokesperson, well known for his smiling, bearded face.
- John Kasich- Republican congressman and former presidential candidate.
- Myron Brown- Slippery Rock University basketball star, and NBA player.
- Catherine Baker Knoll- Current Pennsylvania lieutenant governor
- Adam Dimichele- Sto-Rox athlete. Quarterback for the Temple Owls. Drafted by Toronto Blue Jays in 2005.
Surrounding and adjacent neighborhoods
Brighton Heights (Pittsburgh via McKees Rocks Bridge), Esplen (Pittsburgh), Kennedy Township, Stowe Township, Windgap (Pittsburgh)
