Latrobe is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Westmoreland County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 364,663. The county seat is Greensburg. Formed from, successively, Lancaster, Northumberland, and later Bedford co ...

, in the United States and part of the

Pittsburgh metropolitan 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, ...

. The city population was 8,338 as of the 2010 census (9,265 in 1990). It is located near Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as 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 1854, and as a city in 1999. The current mayor is Rosemarie M. Wolford. Latrobe is the home of the Latrobe Brewery (the original brewer of

Rolling Rock Rolling Rock is a 4.4% abv American lager launched in 1939 by the Latrobe Brewing Company. Although founded as a local beer in Western Pennsylvania, it was marketed aggressively and eventually became a national product. The brand was sold to Anh ...

beer). Latrobe was the home of

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...

er Arnold Palmer. It was the birthplace and childhood home of children's television personality Fred Rogers. The

banana split A banana split is an American ice cream-based dessert consisting of a peeled banana cut in half lengthwise, and served with ice-cream and sauce between the two pieces. There are many variations, but the classic banana split is made with three sc ...

was invented there by David Strickler in 1904. Latrobe is also home to the training camp of the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

. Latrobe was long recognized as the site of the first professional

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

game in 1895 until research found an 1892 game with paid players.

History

In 1852, Oliver Barnes (a civil engineer for 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 ...

) laid out the plans for the community that was incorporated in 1854 as the Borough of Latrobe. Barnes named the town for his best friend and college classmate,

Benjamin Latrobe Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe (May 1, 1764 – September 3, 1820) was an Anglo-American neoclassical architect who emigrated to the United States. He was one of the first formally trained, professional architects in the new United States, dra ...

, who was a civil engineer for the

B&O Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States, with its first section opening in 1830. Merchants from Baltimore, which had benefited to some extent from the construction of ...

. (His father,

Benjamin Henry Latrobe Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe (May 1, 1764 – September 3, 1820) was an Anglo-American neoclassical architect who emigrated to the United States. He was one of the first formally trained, professional architects in the new United States, dra ...

, was the architect who rebuilt the

United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morg ...

, after the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

.) Its location along the route of the Pennsylvania Railroad helped Latrobe develop into a significant industrial hub. Latrobe was also served by the Ligonier Valley Railroad from 1877 to 1952. In 1904, the

was invented in Latrobe by David Evans Strickler at the pharmacy that later became named Strickler's Drug Store.Turback, Michael (March 2004). ''The Banana Split Book''. Camino Books. Two

interurban The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...

(long-distance trolley) lines served Latrobe: * The Westmoreland County Railway Company connected Latrobe to Derry and operated from 1904 to 1932. * The Latrobe Street Railway Company connected Latrobe to Kingston and began operations in 1900. This line was purchased by West Penn Railways, which eventually linked it with its network running through Youngstown, Pleasant Unity, and eventually to Greensburg and Uniontown. Service ceased in 1952. Latrobe has two sites on 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 ...

within its city boundaries: * Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Latrobe (325 McKinley Avenue): This station was built by the

in 1903. *

Citizens National Bank of Latrobe Citizens National Bank of Latrobe, also known as Mellon National Bank Building, is a historic bank building located at Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. It was designed by architect Batholomew & Smith and built in 1926. It is a six-s ...

(816 Ligonier Street, at Main Street): This was previously known as the Mellon Bank Building. This six-story, 1926 structure was designed by the Greensburg firm of Batholomew and Smith. ''Note:'' This includes The former Fort Sloan, a small fortress established by the British settlers in the 1700s, is now a private residence, situated on the corner of Cedar St. and Raymond Ave.

Early professional football team

From 1895 until 1909, Latrobe was the home of the Latrobe Athletic Association, one of the earliest professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

teams. The team's

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...

John Brallier John Kinport "Sal" Brallier (December 12, 1876 – September 17, 1960) was one of the first professional American football players. He was nationally acknowledged as the first openly paid professional football player when he was given $10 to play f ...

, became the first football player to admit playing for money. In 1895, he accepted $10 and expenses to play for Latrobe in a 12–0 victory over the Jeannette Athletic Club. Brallier was thought to be the first professional football player, until the 1960s. Then, documents surfaced showing that Pudge Heffelfinger, a former three-time All-American from

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

, was employed to play

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

for the Allegheny Athletic Association three years earlier. In 1897, Latrobe was the first football team to play a full season with a team composed entirely of professional players. In 1898, Latrobe and two players from their rivals, the

Greensburg Athletic Association The Greensburg Athletic Association was an early organized football team, based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, that played in the unofficial Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit from 1890 until 1900. At times referred to as the Greens ...

, formed the first professional football all-star team for a game against the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club, to be played at Pittsburgh's Exposition Park. Duquesne went on to win the game 16–0. On November 18, 1905, Latrobe defeated the

Canton Bulldogs The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and the American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football Lea ...

, which later became a founding member, and two-time champion, of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...

, 6–0. Aside from Brallier, the Latrobe Athletic Association included several of the era's top players, such as

Ed Abbaticchio Edward James Abbaticchio (April 15, 1877 – January 6, 1957) was the first Major League Baseball player and first professional football player of Italian ancestry. Baseball Born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Abbatticchio was primarily a shortstop ...

, Charles Barney, Alf Bull,

Jack Gass John "Jack" Gass was an early professional football player. He played mostly with the Latrobe Athletic Association from 1895 until 1899. In 1898, he was a member of the Western Pennsylvania All-Stars, which was a team put together by Latrobe ma ...

, Walter Okeson, Harry Ryan, Doggie Trenchard, and Eddie Wood, and manager Dave Berry.

Brewing

The

Latrobe Brewing Company Latrobe Brewing Company was founded in 1893 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania as part of the Pittsburgh Brewing Company. Forced to close in 1920 due to prohibition, it was purchased by the Tito brothers and reopened in 1933 selling “Latrobe Old German” ...

, founded in 1939, was one of the largest breweries in the United States and the maker of

beer. In May 2006,

Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV ( AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple ...

purchased the

brands, but not the brewery. In June 2006, City Brewing Company from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, entered into negotiations to buy the brewery. In September 2006, City Brewing Company agreed to purchase the brewery, and they licensed it to the

Boston Beer Company The Boston Beer Company is an American brewery founded in 1984. Boston Beer Company's first brand of beer was named Samuel Adams after Founding Father Samuel Adams, an American revolutionary patriot. Since its founding, Boston Beer has started ...

in April 2007 as a satellite brewery to produce Samuel Adams beers. Sam Adams production did not last long. The plant is currently brewing

Iron City Beer Pittsburgh Brewing Company (formerly known as Iron City Brewing Company) is a beer company headquartered in the Lawrenceville (Pittsburgh), Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States best known for producing brands ...

under contract. In addition, Duquesne Bottling Company has brewed the revived Duquesne Beer, "The Prince of Pilseners", at the Latrobe plant.

Mining

Coal mining was once an important industry in Westmoreland County. While mining activity has largely ceased, most of the city of Latrobe lies in a zone where abandoned underground mines are prevalent, according to a March 1, 2022 article in ''The Latrobe Bulletin''. In 2017, a home in the city's Cramer Heights neighborhood started to collapse after its foundation shifted. The house was condemned and eventually had to be torn down. After this incident, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection urged Latrobe residents to research whether their properties are undermined and consider applying fo
mine subsidence insurance

Geography

Latrobe is located at (40.314940, -79.381171). 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 th ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. It has a hot-summer

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'') and average monthly temperatures range from 28.9 °F in January to 72.0 °F in July

Surrounding neighborhoods

Latrobe shares borders with the townships of Derry Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Derry to the north, northwest, east, and southeast, and

Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a ...

to the west and southwest.

Demographics

Mozart Hall, Latrobe, Pennsylvania - 20210605

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, 8,338 people, 3,786 households, and 2,458 families resided in the city. 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 3,913.6 people per square mile (1,509.8/km). The 4,258 housing units averaged 1,852.8 per square mile (714.8/km). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the city was 98.78% White, 0.32% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.37% of the population. Of 3,786 households, 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were not families. About 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.86. In the city, the population was distribute as 1,730 persons under the age of 18, 429 persons from 20 to 24, 2583 persons from 25 to 49, 1780 persons from 50 to 64, and 1614 persons who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,268, and for a family was $42,168. Males had a median income of $31,802 versus $22,227 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 city was $18,208. About 6.5% of families and 9.4% 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 ...

, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over. Federally, Latrobe is part of

Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district Pennsylvania's 14th congressional district is located in the southwestern part of the state and includes all of Fayette County, Greene County, and Washington County, as well as the western part of Westmoreland County. It is represented by Re ...

Media

Latrobe is part of the Pittsburgh television market. Only one Johnstown-Altoona television station WJAC-TV can be received in Latrobe.

Transportation

* Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (formerly known as Westmoreland County Airport) *

Latrobe (Amtrak station) Latrobe or La Trobe may refer to: People * Christian Ignatius Latrobe (1758–1836), English clergyman and musician * Charles La Trobe (1801–1875), first lieutenant-governor of Victoria, Australia, son of C. I. Latrobe * Benjamin Henry Latrobe ( ...

* Westmoreland Transit Daily runs locally and commuter runs to Pittsburgh and Johnstown

Notable people

* Mary Temple Bayard (1853-1916), American writer, journalist *

(1876-1960), first openly paid professional football player and the first star of the professional game. *

Walt Corey Walter Martin Corey (May 9, 1938 – October 23, 2022) was an American professional football player and coach. He played as a linebacker for seven seasons in the American Football League (AFL) before coaching in the National Football League (NF ...

player and coach * Keith Ferrazzi, author and entrepreneur * Dennis Ferry, trumpeter for Orchestre de la Suisse Romande * Gregory S. Forbes, meteorologist and severe weather expert for

the Weather Channel The Weather Channel (TWC) is an American pay television channel owned by Weather Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Allen Media Group. The channel's headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia. Launched on May 2, 1982, the channel broadcasts weather foreca ...

Hanna Green Hanna Green (born October 16, 1994) is an American track and field athlete, known for middle-distance races, primarily 800 meters. Biography Green went to high school at Greater Latrobe Senior High School in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. There she pri ...

, track and field runner *

Kevin Guskiewicz Kevin Guskiewicz (born April 8, 1966) is an American academic administrator who is the 12th chancellor and 30th chief executive of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He gained prominence as a neuroscientist, sports medicine researc ...

, Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill *

Francis J. Harvey Francis Joseph Harvey (born July 8, 1943) served as the 19th Secretary of the United States Army from November 19, 2004, to March 9, 2007. Education and family Harvey was born and raised in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He earned his doctorate in Metall ...

, United States Secretary of the Army * Daniel Lentz, classical composer * Chris Lightcap, jazz bassist *

Jackie Mason Jackie Mason (born Yacov Moshe Maza; yi, יעקב משה מזא; June 9, 1928 – July 24, 2021) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. His 1986 one-man show ''The World According to Me!'' won a Special Tony Award, an Outer Critics Ci ...

, comedian and actor, ordained a rabbi in Latrobe * Arnold Palmer, iconic professional golfer, member of

World Golf Hall of Fame The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site honors both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 go ...

* Fred Rogers, host of PBS series '' Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'', lived in Latrobe from birth through high school. He is buried in Unity Cemetery. *

Eliza Kennedy Smith Eliza Kennedy Smith (December 11, 1889 – October 23, 1964), also known as Mrs. R. Templeton Smith, was a 20th-century American suffragist, civic activist, and government reformer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Upon her death in 1964, ''The Pitts ...

, also known as Mrs. R. Templeton Smith; suffragist, civic activist, and government watchdog, and president of the Allegheny County League of Women Voters * Andy Stynchula, National Football League player * Scott Warner, lighting designer and fixture development *

Boniface Wimmer Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, (1809–1887) was a German monk who in 1846 founded the first Benedictine monastery in the United States, Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, forty miles southeast of Pittsburgh. In 1855 Wimmer founded ...

, Benedictine monk, founded

Saint Vincent Archabbey Saint Vincent Archabbey is a Benedictine monastery in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the city of Latrobe. A member of the American-Cassinese Congregation, it is the oldest Benedictine monastery in the United States and the largest in th ...

in 1845

References

External links

*
Greater Latrobe Community Network
{{authority control Cities in Pennsylvania Cities in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh metropolitan area 1852 establishments in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1852