Hollidaysburg is a
borough
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 Ag ...
in and the
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 st ...
of
Blair County in the U.S. state of
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 on the
Juniata River
The Juniata River () is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed August 8, 2011 in central Pennsylvania. The river is ...
, south of
Altoona and is part of the
Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 Census, making it the eighteenth most populous city in Pennsylvania. ...
,
metropolitan statistical area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. In 1900, 2,998 people lived in the borough, in 1910, 3,734 lived there, and in 1940, 5,910 residents were counted. The population was 5,641 at the 2020 census. Coal, iron ore,
ganister
A ganister (or sometimes gannister ) is hard, fine-grained quartzose sandstone, or orthoquartzite,Jackson, J. A., 1997, ''Glossary of geology'', 4th ed. American Geological Institute, Alexandria. used in the manufacture of silica brick typically ...
, and limestone are found in the vicinity. In the past, the borough had foundries and machine shops, a silk mill, car works and
classification yard
A classification yard (American and Canadian English ( Canadian National Railway use)), marshalling yard (British, Hong Kong, Indian, Australian, and Canadian English ( Canadian Pacific Railway use)) or shunting yard (Central Europe) is a railway ...
s.
From 1834 to 1854, the borough was an important port on
Pennsylvania Main Line Canal
The Main Line of Public Works was a package of legislation passed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1826 to establish a means of transporting freight between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It funded the construction of various long-proposed can ...
, where the Juniata Division Canal connected to the
Allegheny Portage Railroad
The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad constructed through the Allegheny Mountains in central Pennsylvania, United States; it operated from 1834 to 1854 as the first transportation infrastructure through the gaps of the Allegheny ...
.
The center of Hollidaysburg is frequently referred to as "The Diamond," where the buildings and parking spaces form a diamond. This area serves as the hub for parades, festivals and other town celebrations.
History
Hollidaysburg was first laid out in 1796 and was named after Adam and William Holliday, Irish immigrants who founded the settlement; by 1814 it consisted of several houses and a tavern. Hollidaysburg became the main transfer point between the
Pennsylvania Canal
The Pennsylvania Canal (or sometimes Pennsylvania Canal system) was a complex system of transportation infrastructure improvements including canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and viaducts. The Canal and Works were constructed and assemb ...
and the Portage Railroad, a gateway to western Pennsylvania. The canal and Portage Railroad spurred industrial and commercial development in Hollidaysburg in the 1830s. In 1836, Hollidaysburg was established as a borough.
When Blair County was organized in 1846, the Borough of Hollidaysburg was designated the county seat. This designation allowed the borough to prosper when politicians and attorneys became attracted to the borough.
In 1903, the Pennsylvania Railroad constructed a large switching yard and
US Route 22
U.S. Route 22 (US 22) is a west–east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926, running from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jersey, at U.S. Route 1/9 in the Newark Airport Interchange ...
was directed through the borough. In addition, The Pennsylvania Railroad Constructed the Hollidaysburg Car shop to help ease the bustling of the
Altoona Shops. Years later,
Conrail
Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do busin ...
also built a car reclamation plant on the property. Hollidaysburg Reclamation plant and car shop are currently still operational and operated by
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...
Corporation.
Government
Hollidaysburg has a Council-Manager form of government. Voters elect a seven-member Borough Council who serve four-year terms. The Borough Council is responsible for formulating policies, enacting ordinances, setting tax rates, approving the annual budget, and appointing the Borough Manager.
Council is a policy making board and the Manager is Chief Administrative Officer. The Mayor has limited powers. The roles of a Council are to adopt goals and objectives, establish priorities, approve programs, approve expenditures, and approve contracts.
Historic district
Hollidaysburg established a local Historic District in 1989 and implemented a historic district ordinance. The purpose of the ordinance is to preserve the unique architectural and historical qualities of the borough. This ordinance regulates alterations, additions, new construction and demolition in the district.
The
Hollidaysburg Historic District
The Hollidaysburg Historic District is a national historic district which is located in Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania.
History and architectural features
This district includes four hundred and twenty-six contributing buildings, w ...
encompasses the central part of the Borough. There are roughly 400 structures in the District. These structures are classified as Significant, Contributing, and Non-Contributing.
The Historical and Architectural Review Board is responsible for the review and regulation of changes within the district. This advisory board consists of seven members. The process involves making an application to get a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA). HARB Application. This application is then reviewed by the Board at its regular monthly meeting. HARB/HPC Meeting Agenda The HARB makes a recommendation to the Borough Council, who reviews the request and makes a final decision at its regular monthly meeting. If approved, a Certificate of Appropriateness is awarded and a zoning permit will be issued for the work. The charge for a COA is $10.00. There can be additional charges per the zoning permit, depending upon the type of project.
The Hollidaysburg Historic District was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1985. Located in the district and separately listed are the
Blair County Courthouse
Blair County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building located at Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1875–1876, and is a "T" shaped stone building in the Gothic Revival style. The entrance is flanked by two square, ...
and
Highland Hall.
Geography
Hollidaysburg is located at (40.431772, -78.392085).
According to the
United States 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 borough has a total area of , all land.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census,
there were 5,368 people, 2,224 households, and 1,349 families residing in the borough. 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 RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 2,392 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 98.19%
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 on ...
, 0.82%
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 ...
, 0.17%
Native American, 0.26%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.06% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.50% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.48% of the population.
There were 2,224 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% 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 t ...
living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough, the population was spread out, with 20.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $36,758, and the median income for a family was $43,209. Males had a median income of $33,315 versus $24,627 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the borough was $20,634. About 5.5% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Emergency services
The borough has its own police, fire, and EMS services.
The Hollidaysburg Police Department is located in the borough building on Blair Street. It has eight full-time officers, and a small component of auxiliary police, including one parking meter attendant. The fleet consists of three
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over seven generations since 1966.
The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version.
The Charger has ...
patrol cars and a
Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango is a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by Dodge in three generations starting with the 1998 model year. The first two generations were very similar in that both were based on the Dodge Dakota and Ram Pickup, both fe ...
patrol vehicle. Shifts are eight hours, and there are one to two officers on duty 24 hours a day. They respond to over 4000 calls for service per year.
The fire department is formally known as Phoenix Volunteer Fire Department, Blair County fire station 10. It is an all-volunteer fire department, and is over 100 years old. It consists of approximately 20 active volunteers, and responds to fires, vehicle accidents, medical incidents, and other public service details, using a four-vehicle fleet. The department responds to approximately 500 calls for service per year.
EMS services are provided by Hollidaysburg American Legion Ambulance Service and Blair County stations 410, 418, and 419. The service is a career department, employing casual and full-time personnel, including approximately twenty casual EMTs and paramedics, and nearly the same number full-time. The service originally started as a single ambulance, volunteer organization, in 1939, serving the borough. Over the years, it has grown substantially, and today operates four ambulances 24 hours a day, covering the boroughs of Hollidaysburg,
Martinsburg, the town of
Williamsburg, and the townships of
Blair,
Frankstown,
Catharine,
Woodbury Woodbury may refer to:
Geography
Antarctica
*Woodbury Glacier, a glacier on Graham Land, British Antarctic Territory
Australia
* Woodbury, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
England
* Woodbury, Bournemouth, an area in Dorset
*Woodbury, East Devo ...
,
North Woodbury, and
Huston; as well as providing paramedic assistance to ambulance services in several areas of
Bedford County. The service answers roughly 5500 emergency calls and non-emergency ambulance transports per year, as well as several thousand transports using wheelchair vans. The fleet consists of 8 ambulances, 4 wheelchair vans, and 1 medic response vehicle. The main station is located at 801 Scotch Valley Road in Hollidaysburg.
Notable people
*
Charlie Brenneman
Charles Brenneman (born February 9, 1981) is a former American mixed martial artist and currently is a motivational speaker. A professional from 2007 until 2014, he competed for the UFC, ShoXC, and was the winner of the first season of the televi ...
—
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
fighter
*
Jeff Bower (basketball)
Jeffrey Bower (born April 26, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and executive who last served as the vice president of basketball operations for the Phoenix Suns. Bower was also the former general manager for the Detroit Pistons f ...
—
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
executive/coach
*
James S. Frazer
James Somerville Frazer (July 17, 1824 – February 20, 1893) was an United States of America, American politician, lawyer, and judge who served in the Indiana House of Representatives and as a justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from January 3 ...
— Justice of the
Indiana Supreme Court
The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana ...
*
Hedda Hopper
Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...
—
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
gossip columnist
*
Maxwell Hunter
Maxwell White Hunter II (March 11, 1922 – November 10, 2001) was a prominent American aerospace engineer. He worked on the design of the Douglas B-42 and Douglas B-43 bombers, the Honest John, Nike-Ajax, and Nike-Zeus missiles, the Thor IR ...
— aerospace engineer
*
Adam Huber
Adam Huber (born May 8, 1987) is an American actor and model. He is known for playing Liam Ridley in the CW series ''Dynasty(2018-2022)''
Early life
Born in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Huber graduated from Hollidaysburg Area High School in 20 ...
; actor
*
Harold L. Ickes
Harold LeClair Ickes ( ; March 15, 1874 – February 3, 1952) was an American administrator, politician and lawyer. He served as United States Secretary of the Interior for nearly 13 years from 1933 to 1946, the longest tenure of anyone to hold th ...
— Secretary of the Interior for
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
*
Betty James
Betty M. James (February 13, 1918 – November 20, 2008) was an American businessperson who came up with the name for the Slinky her husband Richard T. James invented. She ran James Industries, the firm that manufactured the toy, by herself st ...
- businessperson who came up with the name for the
Slinky
The Slinky is a helical spring toy invented by Richard James in the early 1940s. It can perform a number of tricks, including travelling down a flight of steps end-over-end as it stretches and re-forms itself with the aid of gravity and its ow ...
her husband
Richard T. James invented
*
Sam Lafferty
Sam Lafferty (born March 6, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Born and raised in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Lafferty attended Hollidaysburg Area High School b ...
— NHL player for the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
*
Wallace McCamant
Wallace McCamant (September 22, 1867 – December 17, 1944) was an American jurist in Oregon. A Pennsylvania native, he served as the 46th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court from 1917 to 1918. Later he served briefly as a United States circuit ju ...
— jurist
*
Samuel Rea
Samuel Rea (September 21, 1855 – March 24, 1929) was an American engineer and the ninth president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, serving from 1913 to 1925. He joined the PRR in 1871, when the railroad had hardly outgrown its 1846 charter to bu ...
— president of the
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
from 1913–1925
*
Luke Rhodes —
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
long snapper
*
Wade Schalles
Wade Schalles (born September 10, 1951) is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler. In college, he represented Clarion University of Pennsylvania. He is also an accomplished black belt judoka and samboist, winning national champions ...
— 2-time
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling (also known as folkstyle wrestling) is the form of wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. This style of wrestling, with some slight modifications, is also practiced at high school and mi ...
champion (set records for most high school and collegiate pins and pin percentage), entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and coach
*
Daniel Hale Williams
Daniel Hale Williams (January 18, 1856 – August 4, 1931) was an African-American surgeon, who in 1893 performed what is referred to as "the first successful heart surgery". It was performed at Chicago's Provident Hospital, which he founded in ...
— African-American surgeon and a pioneer in the field of
cardiac surgery
Cardiac surgery, or cardiovascular surgery, is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. It is often used to treat complications of ischemic heart disease (for example, with coronary artery bypass grafting); to corr ...
*
Red Whittaker — roboticist
References
External links
*
{{authority control
1768 establishments in Pennsylvania
1836 establishments in Pennsylvania
Boroughs in Blair County, Pennsylvania
Boroughs in Pennsylvania
County seats in Pennsylvania
Populated places established in 1768