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Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

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For other Pennsylvania townships of the same name, see [[:Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania (disambiguation)]].
Cranberry Township,
Butler County, Pennsylvania
Township
One of the township's numerous shopping centers
One of the township's numerous shopping centers
Location of Cranberry Township in Butler County
Location of Cranberry Township in Butler County
CountryUnited States
CommonwealthPennsylvania
CountyButler
Settled1796
Incorporated1804
Government
 • ChairmanBruce Mazzoni (R)
Area
 • Total22.8 sq mi (59 km2)
 • Land23 sq mi (60 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total28,098
 • Density1,231/sq mi (475.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Websitewww.cranberrytownship.org

Cranberry Township is a township in Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is classified as a Second Class Township and follows the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Second Class Township Code. The population was 28,098 as of the 2010 census.[1] Cranberry Township is the fastest growing area of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, and its population is forecasted to exceed 50,000 by 2030.[2]

Geography

Cranberry Township is located in western Pennsylvania (40.70996 N, 80.10605 W) and is a suburb of Pittsburgh. It is in the southwest corner of Butler County and is bordered by Jackson Township to the north, Forward Township at the northeast corner, and Adams Township and the borough of Seven Fields to the east. To the south, in Allegheny County, are Pine Township and Marshall Township. To the west is New Sewickley Township in Beaver County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 22.8 square miles (59.1 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.02%, is water.[1]

Government

The township is run by a 5-person board of supervisors who serve a six-year term. Currently, the composition of the board is entirely Republican:

  • Bruce Mazzoni, chairman (R)
  • Mike Manipole, vice chairman (R)
  • Richard M. Hadley (R)
  • Bruce Hezlep (R)
  • John Skorupan (R)[3]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870479—
18801,180146.3%
19603,596—
19704,87335.5%
198011,066127.1%
199014,81633.9%
200023,62559.5%
201028,09818.9%
Sources:[4]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 23,625 people, 8,352 households, and 6,556 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,036.5 people per square mile (400.2/km²). There were 8,724 housing units at an average density of 382.8/sq mi (147.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.80% White, 0.88% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 8,352 households out of which 44.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $66,588, and the median income for a family was $74,113. Males had a median income of $52,675 versus $33,155 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,349. About 2.1% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.0% of those ages 65 and older.

History

Prior to the French and Indian War, George Washington and Christopher Gist reportedly traveled through the area that became Cranberry Township.

The township was founded in 1804. It is not to be confused with Cranberry Township in Venango County, formerly Fairfield Township (founded 1806), which is located only 60 miles (97 km) away.[6]

The most populated section of the township was originally known as Criders Corners, which referred to the junction of the old Perry Highway (now Dutilh Road) and the Old Mars-Criders Road (now bypassed in favor of Pennsylvania Route 228). The crossroads was named for Jacob Crider (1823–1902), a trustee of Dutilh United Methodist Church, who purchased 50 acres (200,000 m2) of land there in 1871. The township's current name is derived from the cranberry bogs which could be found in the area in days past.[7] The township also includes part of the considerably smaller former town of Ogle, and other small areas formerly known as Fernway and Fox Run.

The first church in Cranberry Township was Plains Presbyterian Church, which was founded in 1806.

In 1989, the Cranberry Township Historical Society was founded.

One reason for the township's tremendous growth is its location. Serving as the intersection of Interstate 76 (the Pennsylvania Turnpike) and 79, U.S. Route 19, and Pennsylvania Route 228, the community is easily accessible from virtually all directions. In addition, the completion of Interstate 279 in 1989 cut travel time to Pittsburgh to under half an hour.

In 2004 Frank Evanson, a coporal from the Cranberry Township Police Department, accused a a rape victim of inventing the a story to steal $600 from the gas station where she was employed [8] When the rapist was captured and confessed the charges were dropped and Cranberry township was sued for 1.5 million dollars. [9]

Transportation

Interstate 79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) run through Cranberry Township. U.S. Route 19 and Pennsylvania Route 228 are also important main roads in the municipality. These four roads are connected by a newly completed interchange: the $44.3 million, joint PennDOT/Pennsylvania Turnpike venture, named the "Cranberry Connector Project" and under construction for several years, opened in early 2004 and has effectively provided direct, non-stop connection between the heavily-traveled roads. The northern terminus of Interstate 279, an important artery that serves as a direct expressway connection to downtown Pittsburgh from the north, is located 6 miles (10 km) south of the township.

Cranberry Township is the location of the only Tesla supercharger station for the Pittsburgh metro area and one of three for the state.

Economy

Cranberry Township is one of the fastest-growing areas in the United States in both population and business.[10] While many residential communities are being built, even more so are retail stores. One of the busiest business centers is at the Cranberry Mall. A few of the stores at the mall include a Giant Eagle, Hallmark Cards, and Cranberry Cinemas theater (formerly Carmike Cinemas). Cranberry Township is also home to the Thorn Hill Industrial Park, where many businesses are headquartered, including the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review — whose NewsWorks warehouse prints that paper as well as the USA Today for the Pittsburgh area — and, until 2007, clothing company American Eagle Outfitters's headquarters was located in the nearby municipality of Marshall Township (The company has now relocated its headquarters to the South Side in the city of Pittsburgh). In 2005, Wellington Energy, a sub-division of Wellington Power Corporation located in Lawrenceville, opened in Cranberry and is continuing to grow as a leader in Electric & Gas Meter AMR Deployment and Project Management. Additionally, Parkvale Bank has a thriving branch in the Cranberry Mall. Cranberry Township is slowly becoming the heart of a regional retail center.[6]

A UPMC Passavant Hospital that has an Emergency department and surgery center is located in Cranberry Township. In years past, Cranberry Township had no post office of its own, so residents and businesses located there shared ZIP codes with many surrounding cities and towns (such as nearby Mars and Evans City). Consequently, their mailing addresses were quite confusing, with many people proclaiming the need for their own ZIP code. Cranberry Township finally secured its own post office in 1994 after demand on the other post offices serving the region became exceedingly heavy.

On 20 March 2007, Westinghouse Electric Company announced that it would move its headquarters from Monroeville, Pennsylvania, and build a $140 million research facility in Cranberry Township that would employ over 3,000 people.[11] The Westinghouse site sits on 85 acres (34 ha) of land.[12] The move to Butler County was an unexpected choice.[13] The company began the move in mid-2009 and completed it in late 2010.[14]

The Pittsburgh Penguins and UPMC are in the early stages of building a new practice facility to open in Cranberry near the PA 228/I-79 interchange. The UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex is expected to open by July 2015 and will be the Penguins regular practice facility, freeing up the Consol Energy Center for other events on days the Penguins aren't scheduled to play.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Cranberry township, Butler County, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  2. ^ Official Website - Winter 2013. Cranberry Township. Retrieved on 2013-07-17.
  3. ^ http://www.cranberrytownship.org/index.aspx?NID=468
  4. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ a b "Cranberry Township -Official Website". Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  7. ^ Hazard, Samuel (1832). Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania. W.F. Geddes. p. 389.
  8. ^ http://www.vice.com/read/i-was-rapedand-then-the-police-told-me-i-made-it-up?utm_source=vicefbus
  9. ^ http://www.post-gazette.com/neighborhoods-north/2010/08/04/Lawsuit-against-Cranberry-detective-advances/stories/201008040131
  10. ^ Cranberry building boom goes on and on
  11. ^ Westinghouse center goes to Cranberry
  12. ^ Hiruo, Elaine (March 21, 2007). "Westinghouse to move to new site". Nucleonics Weekly. 12. 48: 1.
  13. ^ Hiruo, Elaine (March 20, 2007). "Westinghouse to move to new site". Nucleonics Weekly. 12. 48: 1.
  14. ^ Westinghouse making the big move to Cranberry
  15. ^ http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/breaking/new-site-in-cranberry-chosen-for-upmc-penguins-joint-development-695672/
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