Perry Township is a

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, ...

in Fayette County,

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 2,336 at the 2020 census, a decline from the figure of 2,552 tabulated in 2010. The

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 ...

serves the township. Star Junction, Wickhaven, Whitsett, Banning and Layton are unincorporated communities within the township. The

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 ...

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 ...

, a separate municipality, lies

enclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

d at the center of the township.

History

The

Star Junction Historic District Star Junction Historic District is a national Historic district (United States), historic district located at Perry Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Perry Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 163 contributing bui ...

and Whitsett Historic District are listed 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 v ...

. Also listed are the

Alliance Furnace Alliance Furnace, also known as Jacob's Creek Furnace and Alliance Iron Works, is a historic iron furnace located at Perry Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1789, and is a stone structure measuring 25 feet square and 15 fe ...

Providence Quaker Cemetery and Chapel Providence Quaker Cemetery and Chapel, also known as Providence Meeting House, is a historic chapel and cemetery located on Quaker Church Road about 2 miles southwest of Perryopolis, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The cemetery was used by Quake ...

, and

Layton Bridge The Layton Bridge is a Pratt truss bridge over the Youghiogheny River in Layton, Pennsylvania Layton is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. History Layton is the former site of a large brickworks, due to local depos ...

Geography

Perry Township is in northwestern Fayette County, bordered by Westmoreland County to the north. 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 2.16%, is water. 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. s ...

flows through the northern part of the township and forms part of the township's eastern border.

Pennsylvania Route 51 Pennsylvania Route 51 (PA 51) is a major state highway in Western Pennsylvania. It runs for from Uniontown to the Ohio state line near Darlington, where it connects with Ohio State Route 14. PA 51 is the termination point for Pennsylvania ...

passes through the township, leading north to

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 ...

and south to Uniontown, the Fayette County seat.

Demographics

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 2,786 people, 1,170 households, and 806 families residing 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 141.0 people per square mile (54.4/km²). There were 1,245 housing units at an average density of 63.0/sq mi (24.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.12%

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 ...

, 3.02%

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, 0.14%

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 ...

, 0.07% 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 0.54% 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 0.22% of the population. There were 1,170 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% 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, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.86. In the township the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males. The median income for a household in the township was $32,143, and the median income for a family was $37,413. Males had a median income of $32,261 versus $21,295 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 $16,241. About 9.7% of families and 12.2% 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 18.0% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

In popular culture

Portions of the movie '' The Silence of the Lambs'' were filmed in the village of Layton. The home is still owned by the same family (the Lloyds), as during the time of filming. The home was sold by the Lloyds a few years ago.

Notable people

Charles Henry King Charles Henry King (March 12, 1853 – February 27, 1930) was an Omaha businessman and banker who was instrumental in founding several cities in the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. He saw opportunity with the expansion of the railroad west and bu ...

, paternal grandfather of President

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...

. He moved to the frontier in

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

and became an extremely wealthy businessman and banker there and through pursuits in

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

. In 1908 he took his family to

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...

, where his fortune was estimated at $20 million. In 1912 his son

Leslie Lynch King Sr. Leslie Lynch King Sr. (July 25, 1884 – February 18, 1941) was the biological father of U.S. President Gerald Ford. Because of his alcoholism and abusive behavior, his wife, Dorothy Gardner, left him sixteen days after Ford's birth. Person ...

married Dorothy Gardner. Their son Leslie Lynch King, Jr. (Gerald Ford) was born in 1913. Image:jctnewtown.jpg, Star Junction coal-patch style housing Image:Jctturkeyknob.jpg, A string of Star Junction company homes Image:laytonbridge.jpg, One lane bridge and tunnel between Perryopolis and Layton Image:laytonpatch.jpg, Layton, a key filming location for The Silence of the Lambs Image:youghtrail.jpg, Yough River Trail access Image:whitsettpatch.jpg, Whitsett company homes Image:whitsettriverrd.jpg, Rural Pennsylvania in Fall Image:wickhaven.jpg, Wickhaven housing

References

External links

Perry Township

{{coord, 40, 05, 00, N, 79, 45, 59, W, type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki, display=title Townships in Fayette County, Pennsylvania