North Versailles ( ) is a first class

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

Allegheny County Allegheny County () is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's seco ...

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, ...

, United States. The population was 10,229 at the 2010 census. The township derives its name from the

Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...

History

North Versailles Township was formed September 18, 1869, by a division of (the original) Versailles Township into North and South Versailles townships. Versailles Township was one of the original seven townships of Allegheny County formed in 1788 from Westmoreland County. Additionally, the land which encompasses the present day North Versailles Township was disputed territory between Pennsylvania and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, which claimed the area as part of

Yohogania County Yohogania County was created by the new state of Virginia in 1776, in an area long disputed between Virginia and Pennsylvania. The county ceased to exist after the border dispute between the two states was resolved in the 1780s. Thus, it is somet ...

of the

District of West Augusta The District of West Augusta was a short-lived (1774–76) historical region of Colonial Virginia that encompassed much of what is now northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. History Before the Colony of Virginia and the Provin ...

. The territory designated in 1788 as Versailles Township now contains the townships of North Versailles and South Versailles; the boroughs of

White Oak The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera '' ...

, East McKeesport,

Wall A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or, is decorative. There are many kinds of walls, including: * Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the supe ...

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...

, and portions of

Wilmerding Wilmerding is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,190 at the 2010 census. It is located southeast of Pittsburgh. At the start of the twentieth century, it had extensive foundries and machine shops of ...

and

Trafford Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England, with an estimated population of 235,493 in 2017. It covers Retrieved on 13 December 2007. and includes the area of Old Trafford and the towns of Altrincham, Stretford, Ur ...

; as well as the major portion (excluding 10th ward) of the city of

McKeesport McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Monongahela River, Monongahela and Youghiogheny River, Youghiogheny rivers and within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population ...

. North Versailles was further divided with the formation of the boroughs of East McKeesport (1895),

(1904), and portions of the boroughs of

(1890) and

(1904). The section of

on the north side of Turtle Creek was originally part of the former Patton Township, and the majority of

is situated in Westmoreland County. An area of North Versailles (Allequippa Grove, later known as North McKeesport and Highland Grove) was annexed by the city of

. Early villages and population centers in North Versailles included

Port Perry Port Perry is a community located in Scugog, Ontario, Canada. The town is located northeast of central Toronto and north of Oshawa and Whitby. Port Perry has a population of 9,453 as of 2016. Port Perry serves as the administrative and commerc ...

, Saltsburgh and Allequippa Grove along 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 Cen ...

; Pleasant Hill near to what is now East McKeesport; Point Pleasant located near the present intersections of Route 30 and McKee and Naser roads; and Stewart's Station, Spring Hill, Mosside Station, Wall Station, and Wilmerding Station along Turtle Creek, a tributary of the Monongahela River. North Versailles has a number of named neighborhoods, including the following which roughly correspond to the township's seven wards: *Ward 1: Park Terrace *Ward 2: Arlington *Ward 3: Sunset and South Wilmerding *Ward 4: Green Valley and Fite Station *Ward 5: West Wilmerding *Ward 6: Dixon Hollow and Oak Hill *Ward 7: Crestas Terrace Fire Department: At one time, North Versailles was served by eight

volunteer fire department A volunteer fire department (VFD) is a fire department of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction. Volunteer and retained (on-call) firefighters are expected to be on call to respond t ...

s. Each ward was served by one department, with the exception of Ward 3, which had both the Sunset and South Wilmerding VFDs. Ward 4 and 6's fire departments were the Green Valley VFD and Dixon VFD respectively. Currently, three fire departments serve the township. Crestas VFD serves Crestas Terrace, West Wilmerding VFD serves West Wilmerding. The remaining five wards of the township are served by the Fire Department of North Versailles (FDNV) with 2 stations. The FDNV has the designation of Station 213 and is currently dispatched by the Allegheny County 911 center. Station 1 houses a rescue truck, an engine, and a squad. Station 2 houses an engine, and a squad; station 2 also houses the police department tactical vehicle. Station 213 also maintains a ladder truck. The stations are respectively the former Sunset-Central VFD, Green Valley VFD. Now known as FDNV Station 1 & 2. Fire Department of North Versailles Station 1 is located at 1021 Broad Street and Station 2 is located at 518 Oakhurst Street. Police Department: The North Versailles Police Department provides 24/7 police protection to the residents on North Versailles and responds to assist surrounding communities as needed. Select members of the police department are receiving tactical training to better serve the community. Up until end of 2016, the North Versailles Township Police department patrolled the borough of

. Emergency Medical Services: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the Township of North Versailles is provided by the Fire Department of North Versailles (FDNV) out of Station 1. The FDNV EMS Division is dispatched by Allegheny County 911 and holds the station number of 390. FDNV EMS Division maintains 2 type 3 ambulances (designated 391 & 392) licensed at the Advanced Life Support (ALS) level by the PA Department of Health. One ambulance is staffed 24/7 by an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and an Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P or Paramedic) and the crews work 24-hour shifts. Members of FDNV EMS Division are cross trained in firefighting and technical rescue. The division is managed by a Chief officer. FDNV EMS responds to approximately 2,500 calls a year. UPMC pre-hospital services maintains an ALS licensed response unit at station 1 dispatched by Allegheny County 911 and holds the Station number 920. This unit provides ALS assistance to EMS services in the area.

Government and Politics

Schools

North Versailles, East McKeesport,

, and

consolidated school systems in the early 1960s to form the

East Allegheny School District The East Allegheny School District is a small, suburban, public school district covering the Boroughs of East McKeesport, Wall and Wilmerding and North Versailles Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses approximate ...

. East Allegheny High School (the Wildcats – 1969) is situated off Route 48 (Jack's Run Road) near the intersection of U.S. Route 30. Green Valley School (1955) is the only surviving school of the former North Versailles School District which included (but is not limited to) the following other schools during the township's history: *Port Perry School *Saltsburg(h) School *Bowman School *Pleasant Hills School *Spring Hill School *Kincaid School *Point Pleasant School *Oak Hill School *North McKeesport School *Arlington School *Sunset School *South Wilmerding School *Dixon Avenue School *Crestas School *Keith School *West Wilmerding School *Park Terrace Junior High Prior to the formation of the East Allegheny School District, North Versailles high school age students were able to choose to go to one of several high schools in other districts including: East McKeesport High School (the Rams), Westinghouse Memorial High School (the Wildcats), Turtle Creek High School (the Creekers), McKeesport Area High School (the Tigers), and East Pittsburgh High School (the Shamrocks). At the formation of the East Allegheny School District (known as Westinghouse Valley Area Schools from 1962 to 1966), Westinghouse Memorial High School became the district's official high school until the building of East Allegheny High School in 1969. The former East McKeesport High School was transformed into a Junior High serving East McKeesport,

and certain portions of North Versailles near East McKeesport. Park Terrace Junior High (1955—the Bobcats) served the township. During the 1968–69 school year, Park Terrace was designated a middle school serving all seventh and eighth graders in the district and East McKeesport served only 9th grade students for this one year; it would serve other populations until its closure in 1982. Neither school building exists today. The North Versailles Police Department currently staffs police officers in East Allegheny High School and Logan Middle School.

Geography

North Versailles is located at (40.380219, -79.810178). 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 township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.93%, is water. North Versailles is bordered by the

to the west, Turtle Creek to the west and north,

North Huntingdon North Huntingdon Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 31,847 at the 2020 census. History Named after England's Earl of Huntingdon, Huntingdon Township was founded on April 6, 1772 in Pe ...

and Westmoreland County to the east, and the city of

and the borough of

to the south. The township surrounds East McKeesport,

, and

. The

Lincoln Highway The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated October 31, 1913 ...

US Route 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...

, traverses North Versailles and on its western border crosses the Turtle Creek valley via the

George Westinghouse Bridge George Westinghouse Memorial Bridge in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, carries U.S. Route 30, the Lincoln Highway The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressl ...

into

East Pittsburgh East Pittsburgh is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, about southeast of the confluence of the Monongahela and the Allegheny rivers at Pittsburgh. The population in 1900 stood at 2,883, and in 1910, at 5,615. As of the 2020 census, t ...

. Other highways in the township include PA 48 (Jack's Run Road/Mosside Boulevard—the Orange Belt) and

PA 148 Pennsylvania Route 148 (PA 148) is a , north–south state highway located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 48, PA 48 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, McKeesport. The northern terminus is at U.S. R ...

(Fifth Avenue Extension—the Yellow Belt). In addition to Routes 48 and 148, Greensburg Pike Section 2 and the East Pittsburgh McKeesport Boulevard provide access to the Tri Boro Expressway.
Topographic map of North Versailles and surrounding area

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,229 people, 4,785 households, and 2,792 families living in the township. The population density was 1,275 per square mile. There were 5,219 housing units at an average density of 650.7 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 82.93%

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 ...

, 13.77%

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 ...

, 0.13% Native American, 0.74%

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 ...

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.22% 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 2.20% 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 ...

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 0.90% of the population. 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 incl ...

of 2000, there were 11,125 people, 4,933 households, and 3,102 families living in the township. 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 1,371.9 people per square mile (529.6/km). There were 5,227 housing units at an average density of 644.6/sq mi (248.8/km). The racial makeup of the township was 87.81%

, 9.77%

, 0.06% Native American, 0.76%

, 0.03%

, 0.22% from

, and 1.35% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.49% of the population. There were 4,933 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% 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, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82. In the township the population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males. The median income for a household in the township was $30,617, and the median income for a family was $38,145. Males had a median income of $31,389 versus $25,451 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 township was $16,991. About 8.5% of families and 9.8% 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 17.4% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Comedienne

Donna Jean Young Donna may refer to the short form of the honorific ''nobildonna'', the female form of Don (honorific) in Italian. People *Donna (given name); includes name origin and list of people and characters with the name * Roberto Di Donna (born 1968), Ita ...

, whose career was built upon her material related to East McKeesport and "Woolmerding" (as she pronounced and spelled

in her act), was a resident of Broadway Extension, Arlington Plan, North Versailles Township. In her youth, portions of North Versailles used East McKeesport as a postal address and were long associated with this community. Young was briefly a cast member on Rowan and Martin's ''

Laugh-In ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, hosted by comedians Dan ...

''. In 1968, she released an album on

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

, ''Live From East McKeesport''. Noted jazz drummer

Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...

(

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awar ...

and numerous others) is a 1977 graduate of East Allegheny High School. Gordon Jones, a 1975 graduate of East Allegheny High School, was an All-American wide receiver at the

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 universit ...

and went on to play in the

NFL 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 major ...

for the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...

and the

Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...

. Elroy (Roy) Face, was a Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher from 1953 to 1966. Face holds the major league record for most wins by a relief pitcher, 18–1 in 1959. In a 16-season career, he posted a 104–95 record with a 3.48 ERA and 877 strikeouts in 1375 innings pitched and 848 games. His NL record of 193 saves was not broken until 1982. face was an all-star from 1959–61 and the first pitcher to save three games in the World Series (versus New York Yankees). Favorite pitch: fork ball. Since 1983, he has resided in North Versailles, Pennsylvania as a carpenter.

Further information

*1876 – Atlas of the Cities of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, and the Adjoining Boroughs. Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins & Co., 1876. *1903 – Eastern Vicinity of Pittsburgh. Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins & Co., 1903. *Bureau of Social Research—Federation of Social Agencies of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and Allegheny Conference on Community Development. Recreational Facilities Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Volume III, Minor Civil Divisions: McKees Rocks to Wilmerding. Pittsburgh: by the author, 1947. *Fleming, George Thornton. History of Pittsburgh & Environs, Volume III. New York: American Historical Society, 1922. *Sokol, John L. (Szarc, John J. ed.) North Versailles 100th Anniversary. North Versailles, PA: by the author, 1970. *Warrantee Atlas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins & Co., 1914.

References

External links

North Versailles TownshipFire Department of North Versailles

Maps