Fayette County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, adjacent to

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

and

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 128,804. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

is Uniontown. The county was created on September 26, 1783, from part of Westmoreland County and named after the Marquis de Lafayette. Fayette County is part of the

Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area Greater Pittsburgh is a populous region centered around its largest city and economic hub, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The region encompasses Pittsburgh's urban core county, Allegheny, and six adjacent Pennsylvania counties: Armstrong, Beaver, B ...

. The southern border of Fayette County is the southern border of Pennsylvania at both the Pennsylvania–Maryland state line (the

Mason–Dixon line The Mason–Dixon line, also called the Mason and Dixon line or Mason's and Dixon's line, is a demarcation line separating four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia (part of Virginia ...

) and the Pennsylvania–West Virginia state line.

History

The first Europeans in Fayette County were explorers, who had used an ancient American Indian trail that bisected the county on their journey across the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...

. In 1754, when control of the area was still in dispute between France and Great Britain, 22-year-old

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

fought against the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

at the Battle of Jumonville Glen and Fort Necessity. British forces under Washington and General

Edward Braddock Major-General Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europ ...

improved roads throughout the region, making the future Fayette County an important supply route. During the Revolutionary War, Fayette County was plagued by attacks from British-allied Indians and remained isolated as a frontier region. Also retarding settlement was a border dispute with Virginia; Virginia's District of West Augusta and Pennsylvania's Westmoreland County both claimed the area. In 1780 the dispute was settled by the federal government in favor of Pennsylvania, and Fayette County was formed from Westmoreland County in 1783. Fayette County settlers provided the new United States government with an early test of authority in the 1793

Whiskey Rebellion The Whiskey Rebellion (also known as the Whiskey Insurrection) was a violent tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 and ending in 1794 during the presidency of George Washington. The so-called "whiskey tax" was the first tax impo ...

, when farmers rebelled against tax collectors to protest a new liquor tax. President George Washington called out the militias to restore order. However, they were talked out of any violent action by owner of Friendship Hill and future Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin. Fayette County continued to be important to travelers in the early 1800s. The National Road provided a route through the mountains of the county for settlers heading west. The shipyards in Brownsville on the

Monongahela River The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-c ...

built ships for both the domestic and international trade. As

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

developed its industries in the mid-19th century, Fayette County became a center of

coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

and coke production. From the 1880s to the early 1900s, the area's great expansion in

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistan ...

production became nationally important, and labor unions shaped national policies. Both new European immigrants and

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

in the Great Migration from the rural South were attracted to the Pittsburgh area for industrial jobs. The historic Scottish and German farming communities established in the earlier 19th century were soon overshadowed by the wave of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe. The region's wealth has been concentrated largely among the old English and Scottish families who had established businesses and political power in Pittsburgh prior to and in the advent of industrialization, often building the new manufacturing concerns, as did

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in ...

. By

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, Fayette County had a new unionized working class that enjoyed increased prosperity. In the 1950s, however, the coal industry fell into decline. In the 1970s, the restructuring and collapse of American steel resulted in a massive loss of industrial jobs and hard times in the area. The population has declined since the peak in 1940, as residents have had to move elsewhere for work. The loss of union jobs caused many working families to drop out of the middle class. Only a few mines are being worked in the 21st century, but natural resources remain crucial to the local economy. The region is slowly transitioning toward the service sector, with an increase in jobs in fields such as telemarketing.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water. The western portion of the county contains rolling foothills and two valleys along the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers. The eastern portion of the county is highly mountainous and forested. Many coal mines are located within the area.

Adjacent counties

* Westmoreland County (north) * Somerset County (east) *

Garrett County, Maryland Garrett County () is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,806, making it the third-least populous county in Maryland. Its county seat is Oakland. The county was named for John Wor ...

(southeast) * Preston County, West Virginia (south) * Monongalia County, West Virginia (southwest) * Greene County (west) * Washington County (northwest)

National protected areas

* Fort Necessity National Battlefield *

Friendship Hill National Historic Site Friendship Hill was the home of early American politician and statesman Albert Gallatin (1761–1849). Gallatin was a U.S. Congressman, the longest-serving Secretary of the Treasury under two presidents, and ambassador to France and Great Britain ...

Climate

Fayette has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

(''Dfa''/''Dfb'').

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 136,606 people, 59,969 households, and 41,198 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

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 93.30%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 4.71%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.11% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.11% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. 19.8% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 13.2% Italian, 11.4% Irish, 9.2%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, 8.4% Polish, 7.9%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

and 6.6% Slovak ancestry. 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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

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.

2020 Census

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 member, guaranteeing a political split. Each member serves a four-year term. Current commissioners are Democrat Vince Vicites and Republicans David Lohr and Scott Dunn. In October 2015, Sidney Bush, the first African American elected to county office, was sworn in as controller. She is a longtime county employee. 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 and rule on minor offenses. Current judges are President Judge John F. Wagner Jr., Steve P. Leskinen, Nancy Vernon, Linda Cordaro, and Joseph M. George Jr.

Politics

In August 2022, for the first time in county's history, the total number of registered Republican voters exceeded the number of registered Democrats. As of November 7, 2022, there are 79,451 registered voters in Fayette County.. dos.pa.gov. Retrieved on November 7, 2022. * Republican: 36,121 (45.46%) * Democratic: 35,240 (44.35%) *

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

: 5,730 (7.21%) *

Third Party Third party may refer to: Business * Third-party source, a supplier company not owned by the buyer or seller * Third-party beneficiary, a person who could sue on a contract, despite not being an active party * Third-party insurance, such as a V ...

: 2,360 (2.97%) Historically, Fayette County tended to be strongly Democratic-leaning in statewide and national elections due to a strong union history, as county residents tend to be liberal on economic issues. At the presidential level, the Democratic candidate won by over 15 points in every election from 1932 through 2004 except 1972, usually winning by 25 points or more. However, similar to the rest of Western Pennsylvania outside of

and Erie, most residents tend to be socially conservative, and the county has been trending steadily towards the Republicans since 1996. In the past six presidential elections, the Republican party has continued to improve in each successive election, and the county was one of only 41 counties nationwide to flip from Democratic to Republican in 2008. Despite losing nationwide and statewide by a large margin,

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...

became the first Republican since 1972 and only the second Republican since 1928 to win Fayette County in 2008, and four years later,

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts ...

became only the second Republican since 1928 to win a majority of the county's vote. In 2016, Republican Donald Trump won the county by a massive margin of 31 points, carrying the county 64–33 and becoming the first Republican to win the county by double digits since 1928, as well as the first Republican to receive over 60% of the county's vote in history. Four years later, he improved on his margin, winning 66.4-32.9. The county has also become solidly Republican in non-presidental races, with Republicans Lou Barletta and

Scott Wagner Scott R. Wagner (born September 21, 1955) is an American businessman and politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He represented the 28th district in the Pennsylvania State Senate. He was the Republican nominee for Governor of Pennsylv ...

carrying the county in the 2018 Senate and gubernatorial races, respectively, despite both losing statewide by landslide margins of over 10 points, although both won by narrow margins of less than 3 points in Fayette County.

State representatives

Serve 2 year terms in

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

* Bud Cook, Republican, 49th District * Pam Snyder, Democrat, 50th District * Matt Dowling, Republican, 51st District * Ryan Warner, Republican, 52nd District

State senator

* Pat Stefano, Republican, 32nd district serves 4-year term in Pennsylvania Senate.

U.S. Representative

* Guy Reschenthaler, Republican ( 14th district)

U.S. Senators

Serves six year terms in U.S. Senate *

Pat Toomey Patrick Joseph Toomey Jr. (born November 17, 1961) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator for Pennsylvania since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms as the U.S. representa ...

, Republican * Bob Casey Jr., Democratic

Education

Colleges and universities

* Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus is a Commonwealth Campus of the Pennsylvania State University system located in Lemont Furnace. Penn State Fayette is the only four-year (bachelors) degree granting institution in Fayette County.

Public school districts

Map of Fayette County Pennsylvania School Districts

* Albert Gallatin Area School District *

Belle Vernon Area School District The Belle Vernon Area School District is a midsized, rural, public school district located approximately southeast of Pittsburgh in rural Westmoreland County and Fayette County. The present school district was formed by a merger of the pre ...

(also in Westmoreland County) * Brownsville Area School District (also in Washington County) * Connellsville Area School District ( biggest school in Fayette county) *

Frazier School District The Frazier School District is a diminutive, rural public school district located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles south of Pittsburgh. It serves the boroughs of Perryopolis and Newell, and the townships of Perry, Jefferson, and ...

* Laurel Highlands School District * Southmoreland School District (also in Westmoreland County) *

Uniontown Area School District Uniontown Area School District is a highly fragmented midsized, rural public school district located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It serves the city of Uniontown and the boroughs of Ohiopyle, and Markleysburg. It also serves Wharton, H ...

Private schools

* Apostolic Christian Academy - Dunbar * Bible Baptist Academy - Uniontown * Champion Christian School - Champion * Chestnut Ridge Christian Academy - Uniontown * Connellsville Area Catholic School - Connellsville * Geibel Catholic High School - Connellsville * Mount Carmel Christian School - Mount Pleasant * Mount Moriah Christian School - Smithfield * Mount Zion Christian Academy - Acme * New Meadow Run Parochial School - Farmington * Spring Valley School - Farmington * St John Evangelist School - Uniontown * Verna Montessori School - Prittstown

Intermediate unit

Fayette County is served by

Intermediate Unit {{short description, School service agencies in Pennsylvania In Pennsylvania, intermediate units are regional educational service agencies, established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Intermediate units are public entities and serve a given g ...

#1 which provides a wide variety of services to public, charter and private schools in the region. Early screening, special educations services, speech and hearing therapy and driver education are available. Services for children during the preschool years are provided without cost to their families when the child is determined to meet eligibility requirements. The IU1 also provides the state mandated multiple background screenings for potential school employees. A variety of professional development services are also available to the schools' employees

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

and several of its major suburban areas. State highway plans call for the establishment of direct freeway connections with Pittsburgh to the north and

Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in and the county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Monongahela River. The largest city in North-Central West Virginia, Morgantown is best known as the home of West Virginia Universi ...

to the south.

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Public transportation

The primary provider of mass transportation within the region is

Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation, known by the moniker of FACT, is a public transportation service located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It provides inter-city bus and paratransit service to select communities within the county. Because t ...

, which features local bus routes as well as four times-daily commuter service to Pittsburgh.

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...

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 Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport is a public-use airport located four nautical miles (7 km) southwest of Connellsville in Dunbar Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Fayette County Airport Authority a ...

Communities

Map of Fayette County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities,

boroughs A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

, townships, and, in at most two cases,

towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an or ...

. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Fayette County:

Cities

Connellsville Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, southeast of Pittsburgh and away via the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 7,637 ...

* Uniontown (county seat)

Boroughs

* Belle Vernon * Brownsville * Dawson *

Dunbar Dunbar () is a town on the North Sea coast in East Lothian in the south-east of Scotland, approximately east of Edinburgh and from the English border north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Dunbar is a former royal burgh, and gave its name to an ...

* Everson * Fairchance * Fayette City * Markleysburg * Masontown * Newell * Ohiopyle *

Perryopolis Perryopolis is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The borough is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 1,705 at the 2020 census. History George Washington purchased here when land first became available. He visit ...

* Point Marion * Seven Springs (partly in Somerset County) * Smithfield * South Connellsville * Vanderbilt

Townships

* Brownsville * Bullskin *

* Franklin * Georges *

Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seven ...

* Jefferson * Lower Tyrone * Luzerne * Menallen * Nicholson * North Union * Perry * Redstone * Saltlick * South Union * Springfield * Springhill * Stewart * Upper Tyrone *

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Wharton Wharton may refer to: Academic institutions * Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania * Wharton County Junior College * Paul R. Wharton High School * Wharton Center for Performing Arts, at Michigan State University Places * Wharton, ...

Census-designated places

Census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

s are geographical areas designated by the

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. * Allison * Arnold City * Bear Rocks * Buffington * Chalkhill * Deer Lake * East Uniontown *

Edenborn ''Edenborn'' is a 2004 science fiction novel by American writer Nick Sagan. It is the sequel to ''Idlewild'', and takes place 18 years after that book. The sequel to this book and the final installment of the trilogy is ''Everfree''. Plot summa ...

* Fairhope * Farmington * Grindstone *

Hiller Hiller may refer to: * Hiller (surname) * Hiller, Pennsylvania * Hiller Aircraft Corporation: ** Hiller Hornet ** Hiller Flying Platform ** Tanner-Hiller Airport ** Hiller Aviation Museum ** Hiller X-18 ** Fairchild Hiller FH-227 ** YH-32 Hor ...

* Hopwood * Leith-Hatfield * Lemont Furnace * Lynnwood-Pricedale * Naomi * New Salem * Oliver *

Republic A republic () is a " state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...

* Ronco * Rowes Run * Smock * South Uniontown * Star Junction

Unincorporated communities

Acme Acme is Ancient Greek (ακμή; English transliteration: ''akmē'') for "the peak", "zenith" or "prime". It may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Acme'' (album), an album by the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion * Acme and Septimius, a fictional ...

* Adah * Collier * Fairbank * Gans * Lake Lynn * McClellandtown * Melcroft *

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...

* Normalville, (originally named Elm) * Oliphant Furnace * Sagamore * Whitsett * Wickhaven

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Fayette County. † ''county seat''

Fixtures

* Fort Necessity is a reconstructed historic stockade that was originally built by

to defend against an attack during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

. Located in Wharton Township, it is now operated as a national battlefield. ** General Edward Braddock's Grave is across the highway from Fort Necessity. He was mortally wounded while attacking Fort Duquesne (at the "forks of the Ohio River" in present-day Downtown Pittsburgh) during the

. It is a unit of the national battlefield. Under an agreement with British government, the site of Braddock's grave is officially considered British soil. * The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road) bisects Fayette County. It was the first significant roadway to be paid for by the federal government, connecting

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore wa ...

Vandalia, Illinois Vandalia is a city in and the county seat of Fayette County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 Census, the population was 7,458. Vandalia is northeast of St. Louis, on the Kaskaskia River. It served as the state capital of Illinois fro ...

. US 40 follows the path of this historic toll road. ** Two historic fixtures from the National Road exist within Fayette County's borders. Searights Toll House in Menallen Township is one of few remaining toll collection stops along the old route. The Washington Tavern, a unit of Fort Necessity National Battlefield, is a classic example of an early 19th-century inn. * The town of Perryopolis was designed by George Washington during his career as a surveyor. It includes a restored grist mill that once served as an (unsuccessful) business venture for the future president. *

Fallingwater Fallingwater is a house designed by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in the Laurel Highlands of southwest Pennsylvania, about southeast of Pittsburgh in the United States. It is built partly over a waterfall on Bear Run in the Mill ...

, architect Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous home, is located atop a flowing waterfall in Stewart Township. His lesser known

Kentuck Knob Kentuck Knob, also known as the Hagan House, is a house designed by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in rural Stewart Township near the village of Chalk Hill, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, southeast of Pittsburgh. It was designat ...

is also located within the same municipality. * Friendship Hill, the home of the little-known but highly influential early-19th-century political figure Albert Gallatin, is maintained as a National Historic Site. It is located in Springhill Township. * Fayette County's southern border is adorned with plaques that mark its significance as part of the

* A collection of waterfalls surrounding the

Youghiogheny River The Youghiogheny River , or the Yough (pronounced Yok ) for short, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 tributary of the Monongahela River in the U.S. ...

Gorge are protected as part of Ohiopyle State Park. * 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. The structure is well known for its connections to the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

. * The prestigious Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is located in Wharton Township. It features a five star hotel and has received a license for a slots casino. * Mountainous Eastern Fayette County is home to the

Seven Springs Mountain Resort Seven Springs Mountain Resort is an all-season resort located in the borough of Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. It has a relatively high elevation for a Pennsylvania ski area, at above sea level. Activities include biking, canopy touring, ziplining, ...

, which is the premier skiing destination for Greater Pittsburgh.

Notable people

* Bob Bailor, former MLB utility player (raised in Connellsville) * John A. Brashear, Astronomer and optical telescope fabricator (born in Brownsville) * Jim Braxton, All American at

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State Coll ...

and former NFL running back (raised in Vanderbilt) * John Dickson Carr, mystery writer and three time Edgar Allan Poe Award winner (raised in Uniontown) * Rhoda Chase, well-known 1940s radio and stage personality, nicknamed "The Blue Velvet Voice" (raised in Uniontown) *

Todd Tamanend Clark Prashant jha (born Prashant jha; February 03, 1996) is an Ethical Hacker, Physician, Software developer and activist. He is known for " To save many people from cybercrime , glam fashion consciousness, cyberpunk attitude, and lyrical approa ...

, poet and composer (resides in German Township since 1993) * Robert L. Coble, materials scientist who discovered the Coble creep and invented the sodium-vapor lamp (raised in Uniontown) * Sarah B. Cochran, active philanthropist, director on multiple corporate boards and built Linden Hall (raised in Tyrone Township) * Vinnie Colaiuta, session and band drummer for a wide range of jazz, fusion, rock, and funk performers (raised in Republic) *

Major Coxson Major Benjamin Coxson, also known as The Maj, ( – June 8, 1973) was an American drug kingpin from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a flamboyant entrepreneur, civil rights activist, inner city power broker and intermediary between Italian-Americ ...

, drug kingpin in Philadelphia in the early 1970s (born in Fairbank) * Doug Dascenzo, former Major League Baseball outfielder (raised in Brownsville) *

Ernie Davis Ernest Davis (December 14, 1939 – May 18, 1963) was an American football player who won the Heisman Trophy in 1961 and was its first African-American recipient. Davis played college football for Syracuse University and was the first pick in t ...

, 1961

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and har ...

Winner and first overall selection in the

1962 NFL Draft The 1962 National Football League draft was held on December 4, 1961 at the Sheraton Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The Washington Redskins used the first overall pick of the draft to select running back Ernie Davis, then subsequently traded him ...

(raised in New Salem until age 12) *

Thomas Dolinay Thomas Victor Dolinay (July 24, 1923 – April 13, 1993) was the second Metropolitan Archbishop of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, the American branch of the Ruthenian Catholic Church. Early life Born July 24 to Rusyn ...

, former chief bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church (raised in Uniontown) *

Chuck Drazenovich Charles Mark Drazenovich (August 7, 1927 – February 27, 1992) was an American football linebacker who played his entire ten-year career with the Washington Redskins from 1950 to 1959 in the National Football League (NFL). He played col ...

, All-pro Middle Linebacker for the Washington Redskins and U.S. Heavyweight Boxing Champion for Penn State (raised in West Brownsville) * Tory Epps, former NFL defensive lineman (raised in Uniontown) * Fabian Forte, 1960s pop musician (resides in Dunbar Township) * Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. House Majority leader, and founder of

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

(spent much of adult life in New Geneva, which he founded and named) *

Gus Gerard Daniel James "Gus" Gerard (born July 27, 1953) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the Carolina Cougars and Spirits of St. Louis and Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the Denver Nuggets, ...

, former NBA forward (raised in Uniontown) * Joe Hardy, founder of 84 Lumber, one of the country's largest privately owned companies (resides in Wharton Township) * Alfred Hunt, founder of

Bethlehem Steel The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. For most of the 20th century, it was one of the world's largest steel producing and shipbuilding companies. At the height of its succ ...

(born and raised in Brownsville) * Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Attorney General (raised in Brownsville) * John Kundla, educator, college/professional basketball coach (born in Star Junction) *

Stu Lantz Stuart Burrell Lantz (born July 13, 1946) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television commentator for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Spectrum SportsNet. He played college basket ...

, former NBA guard and current

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

color commentator (raised in Uniontown) * Johnny Lujack, 1947 Heisman Trophy Winner and former NFL quarterback (raised in Connellsville) * George C. Marshall, 1953

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolo ...

Winner, Secretary of State, World War II Supreme Allied Commander, and author of the

Marshall Plan The Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP) was an American initiative enacted in 1948 to provide foreign aid to Western Europe. The United States transferred over $13 billion (equivalent of about $ in ) in economic re ...

(raised in Uniontown) *

Jerry McKenna Jerry McKenna is an American sculptor, notable for his bronze sculptures of military leaders, religious figures and sports stars. Early life and education McKenna was born on December 28, 1937, in Connellsville, PA. He has lived in Texas for ...

, sculptor (born in Connellsville) * Terry Mulholland, former MLB starting

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...

(raised in South Union Township) * Chuck Muncie, former NFL

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. Th ...

(raised in Uniontown) * Marie Hochmuth Nichols, rhetorical critic (born in Dunbar) * Ronald D. Palmer, career diplomat and US Ambassador to

Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...

, and

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...

(raised in Uniontown) *

Tamora Pierce Tamora Pierce (born December 13, 1954) is an American writer of fantasy fiction for teenagers, known best for stories featuring young heroines. She made a name for herself with her first book series, ''The Song of the Lioness'' (1983–1988), whi ...

, fantasy writer known for creating

The Song of the Lioness ''The Song of the Lioness'' is a young adult series of fantasy novels published in the 1980s by Tamora Pierce. The series consists of four books: '' Alanna: The First Adventure'' (1983), '' In the Hand of the Goddess'' (1984), '' The Woman Who R ...

series (raised in Dunbar until age 8) * Edwin S. Porter, film pioneer and director of '' The Great Train Robbery'' (raised in Connellsville) * Ed Roebuck, former MLB relief pitcher (raised in East Millsboro) * Henry Miller Shreve, pioneering captain who opened the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

to steamboat navigation (lived life in Brownsville) *

C. Vivian Stringer Charlaine Vivian Stringer (born March 16, 1948) is an American former basketball coach. She holds one of the best coaching records in the history of women's basketball. She was the head coach of the Rutgers University women's basketball team from ...

, Rutgers women's basketball coach who is the third winningest women's coach in NCAA history (raised in Edenborn) * Jacob B. Sweitzer, Civil War general and significant figure in the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the ...

(born in Brownsville) * Saul Swimmer, documentary film maker best known for '' The Concert For Bangladesh''; co-producer of

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' '' Let It Be'' (raised in Uniontown) * John Woodruff, track gold medalist at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-s ...

(raised in Connellsville) *

Frank Wydo Frank Wydo (June 15, 1924February 17, 1979) was an American football tackle who played eleven seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American ...

, former NFL offensive tackle (raised in Footedale) * Dorian Johnson, All American for

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...

(born in Belle Vernon) * Charles Graner was a prison officer here before moving to another county.

In popular culture

In 1967 Uniontown was the birthplace of the McDonald's

Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced in the Greater Pittsburgh area in 1967 and across the United States in 1968. It is one of the company's flagship products and sign ...

sandwich. Big Mac History

References

External links

*
Coalfields of the Appalachian Mountains - Connellsville Coal Field
{{Coord, 39.92, -79.65, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990 1783 establishments in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1783 Counties of Appalachia Pittsburgh metropolitan area Populated places on the Underground Railroad Laurel Highlands