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Sharon, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 41°13′48″N 80°29′56″W / 41.23000°N 80.49889°W / 41.23000; -80.49889
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Sharon, Pennsylvania
City
Downtown Sharon
Downtown Sharon
Location of Sharon in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
Location of Sharon in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
Coordinates: 41°13′48″N 80°29′56″W / 41.23000°N 80.49889°W / 41.23000; -80.49889
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyMercer
Established1795
Incorporated (borough)October 6, 1841
Incorporated (city)December 17, 1917
Government
 • TypeHome Rule
Area
[1]
 • Total3.77 sq mi (9.77 km2)
 • Land3.77 sq mi (9.77 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation
1,000 ft (300 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total13,147
 • Density3,487.27/sq mi (1,345.65/km2)
Time zoneUTC-4 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (EDT)
Zip Code
16146
Area code(s)724, 878
FIPS code42-69720
Websitewww.cityofsharon.net

Sharon is a city in western Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city, located along the banks of the Shenango River on the state border with Ohio, is about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Youngstown, about 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Cleveland and about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 13,147 at the 2020 census.[3] It is part of the Hermitage micropolitan area.

History

Frank H. Buhl Mansion

The Sharon area was first settled in 1795. It was incorporated as a borough on October 6, 1841, and incorporated as a city on December 17, 1918. The city operated under the Pennsylvania third-class city code until 2008, at which point it adopted a home rule charter under which the elected position of mayor was replaced with a hired city manager and financial officer.

The founding families of Sharon first settled on a flat plain bordering the Shenango River, between two hills on the southwestern edge of what is today Sharon's downtown business district. According to local legend, the community received its name from a Bible-reading settler who likened the location to the Plain of Sharon in Israel.

Initially a center of coal mining, Sharon's economy transitioned to iron and steelmaking and other heavy industry after the arrival of the Erie Extension Canal in the 1840s. Following extensive national deindustrialization of the 1970s and 1980s, the city's economy diversified and is now based primarily on light industry, education, health care, and social services.

Prior to Prohibition in 1919, Sharon was home to a large commercial beer brewery, Union Brewing Co., which was forced to close its doors like many U.S. breweries of the era. During World War II the Westinghouse Electric Corporation at Sharon produced 10,000 torpedoes for the US Navy.[4]

The Frank H. Buhl Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[5]

Sharon is the home of the original Quaker Steak & Lube, which opened in 1974,[6] and formerly The Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Geography

Sharon is located at 41°13′48″N 80°29′56″W / 41.23000°N 80.49889°W / 41.23000; -80.49889[7] in southwestern Mercer County. The city borders the city of Hermitage to the north and east, the city of Farrell to the south, and on the west the census-designated places of Masury and West Hill, Ohio.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2), all land. The Shenango River flows through the city and provides drinking water to Sharon and several surrounding communities.

Demography

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850541—
186090066.4%
18704,221369.0%
18805,68434.7%
18907,45931.2%
19008,91619.5%
191015,27071.3%
192021,74742.4%
193025,90819.1%
194025,622−1.1%
195026,4543.2%
196025,267−4.5%
197022,653−10.3%
198019,057−15.9%
199017,493−8.2%
200016,328−6.7%
201014,038−14.0%
202013,147−6.3%
Sources:[8][9][10][11][12][13]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 16,328 people, 6,791 households, and 4,189 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,342.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,676.7/km2). There were 7,388 housing units at an average density of 1,964.9 per square mile (758.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.44% White, 10.85% African American, 0.21% Asian, 0.18% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 2.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

From the Census Ancestry Question, Sharon has the following ethnic make-up: German 21%, Irish 14%, Italian 11%, Black or African American 11%, English 8%, Polish 5%, Slovak 5%, Welsh 3%, Scots-Irish 2%, Hungarian 2%, Dutch 2%, French (except Basque) 2%, Croatian 1%, Scottish 1%, Russian 1%, Swedish 1%, Arab 1%, Slavic 1%, American Indian tribes, specified 1%. Sharon's Jewish community is served by the Reform Jewish Temple Beth Israel.

There were 6,791 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city, the population was distributed with 24.4% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,945, and the median income for a family was $34,581. Males had a median income of $30,072 versus $20,988 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,913. About 14.0% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Children in Sharon are served by the Sharon City School District. The district colors are black and orange, and the school mascot is the Tiger. The following schools currently serve Sharon:

  • Case Avenue Elementary School – grades K-6
  • C.M. Musser Elementary School – grades K-6
  • West Hill Elementary School – grades K-6
  • Sharon Middle School – grades 7-8
  • Sharon High School – grades 9-12

Sharon is home to the Shenango campus of Pennsylvania State University, which offers several two-year and four-year degrees. It also hosts Laurel Technical Institute, a for-profit trade school, and the Sharon Regional Health System School of Nursing.

Tourism

Broadcast media

Television

Because of Sharon's location on the Pennsylvania/Ohio border, it is served by WKBN-TV (CBS), WFMJ-TV (NBC), WYTV (ABC), WYFX-LD (Fox) and WBCB (CW), all broadcast from nearby Youngstown, OH.

Radio

Sharon is served by AM radio stations such as WLOA (1470 AM) (Farrell, PA), WPIC (790 AM), WKBN (570 AM) (Youngstown, OH), and by FM radio stations such as WYFM/"Y-103" (102.9 FM), WLLF/"The River" (96.7 FM) (Mercer, PA), WYLE/"Willie 95.1" (95.1 FM) (Grove City, PA), WMXY/"Mix 98.9" (98.9 FM) (Youngstown, OH) and WWIZ/"Z-104" (West Middlesex, PA).

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. ^ "QuickFacts Sharon city, Pennsylvania; United States". Census. Census.
  3. ^ "QuickFacts Sharon city, Pennsylvania; United States". Census. Census.
  4. ^ "10,000 of the Torpedoes Made". The New York Times. October 7, 1945. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  5. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  6. ^ "Sharon: The Original". Quaker Steak & Lube®. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "Number of Inhabitants: Pennsylvania" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  9. ^ "Pennsylvania: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  10. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. ^ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  12. ^ "QuickFacts Sharon city, Pennsylvania; United States". Census. Census.
  13. ^ "Census". Census.gov.
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