Bolivar, Pennsylvania
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Bolivar (, rhymes with "Oliver") is a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, 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 Westmoreland County,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, United States. The population was 436 at the 2020 census.


Geography

Bolivar is located at (40.394788, -79.151616). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and 5.26% is water. Bolivar is located on the northern border of Fairfield Township, along the
Conemaugh River The Conemaugh River is a tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Westmoreland, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Cambria counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The ...
.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 501 people, 200 households, and 148 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 220 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 95.81%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.40%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 3.19% Native American, 0.20% Asian, and 0.40% from two or more races. There were 200 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.85. In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $30,268, and the median income for a family was $35,682. Males had a median income of $25,341 versus $13,438 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the borough was $13,551. About 4.2% of families and 11.7% 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 26.5% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.


History

The first settlers arrived in Bolivar about the year 1829 and settled between Tubmill Creek and the
Conemaugh River The Conemaugh River is a tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Westmoreland, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Cambria counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The ...
. Most of the men were employed by the
Pennsylvania Canal The Pennsylvania Canal, sometimes known as the Pennsylvania Canal system, was a complex system of transportation infrastructure improvements, including canals, dams, Lock (water transport), locks, tow paths, Navigable aqueduct, aqueducts, and vi ...
. The canal was located on the south side of the Conemaugh River. Some of the locks still may be seen west of town. Several small brickyards were started in the area, producing a red brick. Some of the houses on Second Street were constructed of these brick. They are still well-preserved today after exposure to the elements for over a century. The
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad ( reporting mark PRR), legal name as 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. At its ...
replaced the canal in 1846. Brickyards No. 1, and No. 2, and No. 3 were constructed between the Conemaugh River and the railroad. Bolivar was beginning to grow and prosper and was known as a "Brick Town". In 1863 Bolivar withdrew from Fairfield Township and became a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, 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 ...
, under the grounds that it was designed like many other boroughs of the time, in a checkerboard pattern. Bolivar borough was incorporated November 25, 1863. The north side of the Conemaugh was a very desirable location for new construction of brickyards due to the completion of the
Western Pennsylvania Railroad The Conemaugh Line is a rail line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Conpit Junction, Pennsylvania (west of New Florence, Pennsylvania, New Florence) northwest and southwest to ...
from Blairsville to Bolivar, and the close proximity to coal and clay. No. 4 Brickyard at the time of its first operation was the largest brickyard in the North American continent, having a capacity of 100,000 paving blocks each day. The Robinson Brothers also constructed a brickyard, and it is the only one in existence at the present time, being known as Garfield Refractories Co. The Enamel Works started in 1899 with a large government contract. The Bolivar School was constructed of brick made from the Enamel Works. J. B. Hammond got control of the five brickyards in Bolivar and several in Clearfield County just before the start of the 20th century, and a rapid expansion took place. This might be called "The Golden Era of Bolivar." A large hotel was started near the station and a large department store was planned for Washington and Second Streets. Pipes were laid under the streets for central heating, but the dream was never realized. A panic took place in 1902, the bank failed (the depositors were paid in full later) and the brickyards were forced into receivership. From 1914 through the 1920s, Bolivar enjoyed its second boom period. Soissons and General Refractories took over the brickyards and the Lacolle Mine and Ridgeview Coal Mines were opened, and shipped large quantities of coal. Mining, lumbering and manufacturing employed many persons. The Lincoln Brickyard enjoyed a brief period of prosperity under the leadership of Lorenzo Mumford. He was a leader, designer of bricks, and salesman, and kept the yard going for many months. He sold a million bricks to the Chase National Bank in New York for construction of one of its banks. Bolivar was hit hard by the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
of the 1930s. The following losses during the depression and the years ensuing have not been replaced in many instances. Bolivar has lost six brickyards, two large coal companies, restaurants, flour and feed mill, railroad station, express station, two banks, lumber yard, opera house, movie house, dentist office, The Bolivar News, Cornet Band, swimming pool, bakery, jewelry store, furniture store. The Antiochian Village was established in 1978. The Ligonier Meeting of American bishops took place there in 1994.


References

{{authority control Boroughs in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1829 Pittsburgh metropolitan area 1863 establishments in Pennsylvania