Braddock 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
...
located in the eastern suburbs of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
in
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County ( ) is a County (United States), county in Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the List of counties in Pennsylvania, state's second-most populous county, after Philadelp ...
, United States, upstream from the mouth of the
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River ( , ), sometimes 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 nor ...
. The population was 1,721 as of the
2020 census, a 91.8% decline since its peak of 20,879 in 1920.
History
Braddock is named for General
Edward Braddock
Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europe and Canada as ...
(1695–1755), commander of American colonial forces at the start of the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
. The
Braddock Expedition
The Braddock Expedition, also known as Braddock's Campaign or Braddock's Defeat, was a British Empire, British military expedition which attempted to capture Fort Duquesne from the French colonial empire, French in 1755 during the French and Ind ...
to capture
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne ( , ; originally called ''Fort Du Quesne'') was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. It was later taken over by the British, and later the Americans, and developed ...
(modern day
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
) from the
French led to the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
general's own fatal wounding and a sound defeat of his troops after crossing the
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River ( , ), sometimes 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 nor ...
on July 9, 1755. This battle, now called the
Battle of the Monongahela, was a key event at the beginning of the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
.
The area surrounding
Braddock's Field was originally inhabited by the
Lenape
The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada.
The Lenape's historica ...
, ruled by
Queen Alliquippa.
In 1742,
John Fraser and his family established the area at the mouth of
Turtle Creek as the first permanent English settlement west of the
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range ( ) — also spelled Alleghany or Allegany, less formally the Alleghenies — is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the Eastern United States and Canada. Historically it represented a significant barr ...
.
George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
visited the area in 1753–1754. It was the site of Braddock's Defeat on July 9, 1755.
Braddock's first industrial facility, a barrel plant, opened in 1850.
The borough was incorporated on June 8, 1867.
The town's industrial economy began in 1873, when
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...
built the
Edgar Thomson Steel Works on the historic site of Braddock's Field in what is now
North Braddock, Pennsylvania. This was one of the first American
steel mills which used the
Bessemer process
The Bessemer process was the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass production of steel from molten pig iron before the development of the open hearth furnace. The key principle is steelmaking, removal of impurities and undesired eleme ...
. As of 2010, it continues operation as a part of the
United States Steel Corporation
The United States Steel Corporation is an American steel company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It maintains production facilities at several additional locations in the U.S. and Central Europe.
The company produces and sells steel products, ...
. This era of the town's history is depicted in
Thomas Bell's novel ''
Out of This Furnace''.
Braddock is also the location of the first of Andrew Carnegie's 1,679 (some sources list 1,689)
public libraries
''Public Libraries'' is the official publication of the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). It is devoted exclusively to public libraries. The print edition is published six times a year and i ...
in the United States, designed by
William Halsey Wood of
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...
, and dedicated on March 30, 1889. The
Carnegie Free Library of Braddock included a tunnel entrance for Carnegie's millworkers to enter a bathhouse in the basement to clean up before entering the facilities (which originally included billiard tables). An addition in 1893, by
Longfellow, Alden and Harlow (Boston & Pittsburgh, successors to
Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson, FAIA (September 29, 1838 – April 27, 1886) was an American architect, best known for his work in a style that became known as Richardsonian Romanesque. Along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, Richardson is one ...
), added a swimming pool, indoor basketball court, and 964-seat music hall that included a Votey pipe organ. The building was rescued from demolition in 1978 by the Braddock's Field Historical Society, and is still in use as a public library. The bathhouse has recently been converted to a pottery studio; the music hall underwent extensive restoration and musical performances will be presented in 2025.
During the early 1900s many immigrants settled in Braddock, primarily from Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary.
Braddock lost its importance with the collapse of the steel industry in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. This coincided with the
crack cocaine epidemic of the early 1980s, and the combination of the two woes nearly destroyed the community. In 1988, Braddock was designated a
financially distressed municipality. The entire water distribution system was rebuilt in 1990-1991 at a cost of $4.7 million, resulting in a fine system where only 5% of piped water is deemed "unaccounted-for". As of the early 2020s, Braddock's population is approximately 90% reduced from a peak of about 20,000 in the 1920s.
John Fetterman
John Karl Fetterman ( ; born August 15, 1969) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Pennsylvania, a seat he has held since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he served from 2006 to 2019 as the mayor o ...
, mayor of Braddock from 2006 until his 2019 inauguration as
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The lieutenant governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lieutenant governor is elected for a four-year term in the same year as the governor of Pennsylvania, governor. Each party picks a candidate for lieutena ...
, launched a campaign to
attract new residents to the area from the artistic and creative communities.
He also initiated various revitalization efforts, including the nonprofit organization Braddock Redux. In the
2022 midterms, Fetterman became the first
US Senator from Pennsylvania to hail from Braddock, and the second member of Congress, after
Matthew A. Dunn.
Since 1974, Braddock resident
Tony Buba has made many films. One of his earlier films is ''Justice League'' centering on the borough and its
industrial decline, including ''Struggles in Steel.'' In September 2010, the
IFC and
Sundance television channels showed the film ''Ready to Work: Portraits of Braddock'', produced by the Levi Strauss corporation. This film interviews many of the local residents and shows their efforts to revitalize the town.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and (13.85%) of which is water. Its average elevation is above sea level.
Braddock has two land borders, with
North Braddock from the north to the southeast, and
Rankin to the northwest. Across the
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River ( , ), sometimes 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 nor ...
to the south, Braddock is adjacent to
Whitaker and
West Mifflin.
Demographics
2020 census
According to the
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
in 2020, Braddock has an employment rate of 34.2%, a median household income of $23,050, 3.7% of the population has no health care coverage, with 10.7% of the population possessing a
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
or higher.
Government
The borough is represented by the
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four-year terms, stagger ...
's
45th district, the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts.
It ...
'
34th district, and in the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
.
Education
Woodland Hills School District is the local school district.
Media
*The 2010 film ''
One for the Money'' used the shuttered
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
UPMC is an American integrated delivery system, integrated global nonprofit health enterprise that has 100,000 employees, 40 hospitals with more than 8,000 licensed beds, 800 clinical locations including outpatient sites and doctors' offices, a ...
facility in Braddock as the "Trenton Police Headquarters".
*''
Out of the Furnace'', a film starring
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. List of awards and nominations received by C ...
released in 2013, was shot in Braddock.
*Parts of the 1996 TV film ''
The Christmas Tree'' were shot in the
Carnegie Free Library of Braddock
Notable people
*
Thomas Bell – novelist; set ''
Out of This Furnace'' in Braddock
*
Andrew J. Boyle – U.S. Army lieutenant general
*
Tony Buba – filmmaker
*
John Clayton – sportswriter and
NFL analyst
*
Henry Clay Drexler – recipient of the
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...
and
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
*
Matthew A. Dunn – former member of the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
*
John Fetterman
John Karl Fetterman ( ; born August 15, 1969) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Pennsylvania, a seat he has held since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he served from 2006 to 2019 as the mayor o ...
– former mayor of Braddock, former
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The lieutenant governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lieutenant governor is elected for a four-year term in the same year as the governor of Pennsylvania, governor. Each party picks a candidate for lieutena ...
, and
United States Senator from Pennsylvania
*
Gisele Barreto Fetterman
Gisele Barreto Fetterman (; born February 27, 1982) is a Brazilian-born American activist and nonprofit executive. She is a founder of the non-profit Freestore 15104 and a co-founder of the non-profits For Good PGH and 412 Food Rescue. She is m ...
– former Second Lady of
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 ...
*
LaToya Ruby Frazier – artist; 2015 MacArthur Fellow
*
James Samuel Gallagher – former member of the
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...
*
Joseph M. Gaydos
Joseph Matthew Gaydos (July 3, 1926 – February 7, 2015) was an American lawyer, World War II veteran, and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, serving 8 terms from 1968 to 1 ...
– former member of the United States House of Representatives
*
Vernon Irvin – Chief Marketing Officer for
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (XM) was one of the three satellite radio ( SDARS) and online radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Holdings. It provided pay-for-service radio, analogous to subscription cable ...
*
Captain Bill Jones – first superintendent of the
Edgar Thompson Works under
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...
*
Melville Kelly – former member of the United States House of Representatives; established the ''Braddock Leader'' newspaper
*
Billy Knight
William R. Knight (born June 9, 1952) is an American former professional basketball player and executive. Playing with the Indiana Pacers in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and later the National Basketball Association (NBA), he ...
– former
Pittsburgh Panther and
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
player and executive
*
Sean Lomax – professional whistler
*
John Maisto – former ambassador to
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
,
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
, and the
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States (OAS or OEA; ; ; ) is an international organization founded on 30 April 1948 to promote cooperation among its member states within the Americas.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, the OAS is ...
*
Tom Major-Ball – music hall performer and father of British Prime Minister
John Major
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British retired politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997. Following his defeat to Ton ...
*
Joseph A. McDonald –
steel industry
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high elastic modulus, yield strength, fracture strength and low raw material cost, steel is one of the ...
executive
*
Art Pallan – radio celebrity
*
George Peppard
George Peppard (October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He secured a major role as struggling writer Paul Varjak when he starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'' (1961), and later portrayed a character ...
– lived and worked in Braddock as a radio announcer in his early career
*
James L. Quinn – former member of the United States House of Representatives
*
Frank S. Scott – first enlisted member of the
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
to lose his life in an
aircraft accident
*
Lauren Tewes – actress best known for playing Cruise Director Julie McCoy on ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series pre ...
''
In popular culture
*
A&P's first
supermarket
A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...
opened in Braddock in 1936.
*
George A. Romero's 1978 horror film ''
Martin Martin may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Europe
* Martin, Croatia, a village
* Martin, Slovakia, a city
* Martín del Río, Aragón, Spain
* M ...
'' takes place in Braddock and was largely filmed there.
*
Levi Strauss & Co., the maker of Levi's jeans, chose the borough for its "youth" commercial campaign, which was televised in late 2010 and 2011.
*
Thomas Bell's historical novel ''
Out of This Furnace'' is set in Braddock during the 1890s to the 1930s.
* The 2022 feature film ''
Dear Zoe'' is primarily set in Braddock.
See also
*
Braddock's Battlefield History Center
References
External links
*
2005 ''Pittsburgh City Paper'' feature story about Braddock including history, interviews with residents and a controversial highway project''Pittsburgh City Paper'' feature story about Braddock's urban decay, and the recent influx of artists drawn to the city by mayor John Fetterman*
ttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/15/us-mayor-postcode-tattoo Article in the UK's ''Guardian'' newspaper about mayor John Fettermanbr>
The Battle of the Monongahela which took place in Braddock in 1755
{{authority control
1867 establishments in Pennsylvania
Boroughs in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Company towns in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania populated places on the Monongahela River
Pittsburgh metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1742