Kittanning ( ) 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
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
Armstrong County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,558. The county seat is Kittanning. The county was organized on March 12, 1800, from parts of Allegheny, Westmoreland and Lycom ...
, United States, and its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
.
It is situated northeast 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 ...
, along the east bank of the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ; ; ) is a tributary of the Ohio River that is located in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York in the United States. It runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border, nor ...
. The population was 3,921 at the
2020 census.
The name is derived from ''Kithanink'', which means 'on the main river' in Lenape or the
Delaware language
The Delaware languages, also known as the Lenape languages (), are Munsee and Unami, two closely related languages of the Eastern Algonquian subgroup of the Algonquian language family. Munsee and Unami were spoken aboriginally by the Lenape pe ...
, from ''kit-'' 'big' + ''hane'' 'mountain river' + -''ink'' (suffix used in place names). "The main river" is a Lenape term for the Allegheny and
Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
combined, which they considered as all one river. The borough and its bridge have been used as a setting for several recent films.
History
The borough is located on the east bank of the Allegheny River, founded on the site of the eighteenth-century
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 ...
(Delaware) village of
Kittanning at the western end of the
Kittanning Path
The Kittanning Path was a major east-west Native American trail that crossed the Allegheny Mountains barrier ridge connecting the Susquehanna River valleys in the center of Pennsylvania to the highlands of the Appalachian Plateau and thence t ...
, an ancient Native American path.
In 1756, the village was destroyed by
John Armstrong Sr. at the
Battle of Kittanning during 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 ...
. During the attack, a blast from the explosion of gunpowder stored in
Captain Jacobs
Tewea, better known by his English name Captain Jacobs, (d. September 8, 1756) was a Lenape chief during the French and Indian War. Jacobs received his English name from a Pennsylvanian settler named Arthur Buchanan, who thought the chief resemble ...
's house was heard at
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 ...
, present 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 ...
, 44 miles away.
Kittanning was designated as the seat of Armstrong County when the county was organized. It was settled by European Americans largely after the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, although
Anthony Sadowski
Anthony Sadowski (c. 1669 – April 22, 1736) was a Poland, Polish-born The Indian Trade, Indian trader and interpreter employed by the List of colonial governors of Pennsylvania, provincial governor of Pennsylvania as an Indian agent in the weste ...
(also recorded by the anglicized name of Sandusky), a prominent Polish-American trader, and other Native American traders operated here before the War.
During the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, the 103rd Regiment of Pennsylvania Infantry volunteers was organized at Kittanning from September 1861 to February 1862. Among other engagements, the unit participated in the
Siege of Yorktown (1862)
The Battle of Yorktown or siege of Yorktown was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Marching from Fort Monroe, Union Army, Union Major general (United States), Maj. Gen. George B. McC ...
as well as the
Battle of Plymouth (1864)
The Battle of Plymouth was an engagement during the American Civil War that was fought from April 17 through April 20, 1864, in Washington County, North Carolina, Washington County, North Carolina in the American Civil War, North Carolina.
Bat ...
, during which most of the regiment was captured.
By the early in the 20th century, the city had developed considerable industry: large iron and steel works, foundries, and coal mines, all associated with the steel and iron industries of Pittsburgh; glassworks, flour and lumber mills; china, pottery, brick, lime, and clay works; and mirror and typewriter factories, breweries, etc. It reached its peak of population in 1930 and was adversely affected 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 ...
. After World War II, changes in industry and restructuring of heavy industry caused a loss of jobs in many of these works, with an associated population decline.
The playground on North Jefferson Street was developed on the former site of the historic Kittanning Cemetery. In order to enable this, the city moved 274 graves in 1960 to a new cemetery formed along Troy Hill Road.
In 1900, 3,902 people lived in Kittanning, and in 1910, there were 4,311 inhabitants. After Kittanning merged with Wickboro (1910 population 2,775), in 1914, the population was estimated at 10,000, which was likely high. The 1920 census counted 7,153 residents. In 1930, there were 7,808 residents; in 1940, 7,550. Since late 20th century industrial decline, the population was 4,044 at the
2010 census.
The
Allegheny River Lock and Dam No. 7 and
Armstrong County Courthouse and Jail are each listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.
Geography
Kittanning is located at (40.820085, −79.521398).
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 , all land.
Demographics
As of the
2000 census,
there were 4,787 people, 2,032 households, and 1,117 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,251 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makeup of the borough was 97.31% White, 1.57% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.
There were 2,032 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.0% were non-families. 40.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.96.
The borough median age of 40 years was the same as the county median age. The distribution by age group was 22.2% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $20,921, and the median income for a family was $30,822. Males had a median income of $29,036 versus $20,040 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 $13,787. About 12.3% of families and 16.4% 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 14.8% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
All public schools in the Kittanning attendance area are a part of the
Armstrong School District.
The Kittanning Public Library was established in 1923 as the Kittanning Free Library. As of 2020, the library had 4,189 registered users and circulated 10,930 items in that fiscal year. The library is one of six independent libraries in Armstrong County, and is supported by the New Castle Library District.
Media
Newspapers in Kittanning include the ''
Leader Times
The ''Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'', also known as "the Trib", is the second-largest daily newspaper serving the Greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area of Western Pennsylvania. It transitioned to an all-digital format on December 1, 2016, but remain ...
''.
Infrastructure
Kittanning was home to the
Armstrong Power Plant from 1958 to 2012.
Notable people
*
Nick Bowers
Nick Bowers (born May 26, 1996) is an American professional football tight end. He played college football at Penn State.
Early life
Bowers attended Kittanning High School and was a four-year letterman. In his senior year, Bowers played wide re ...
, NFL tight end for the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
*
Joe Cooper, racing driver
*
Mitch Frerotte, former NFL player
*
Daniel Brodhead Heiner
Daniel Brodhead Heiner (December 30, 1854 – February 14, 1944) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a two-term Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1893 to 1897.
Biography
Daniel Brodhead ...
, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania
*
Ed Hobaugh, baseball player
*
Teri Hope, actress and Playboy Playmate
*
Jeanette Jena
Jeanette Ruth Einstein Jena (1896 – October 10, 1971) was an American arts patron and journalist. She was art critic for the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' for over thirty years, from 1935 to 1969.
Early life and education
Einstein was born in Ki ...
, art critic
*
Ralph Patt
Ralph Oliver Patt (5 December 1929 – 6 October 2010) was an American jazz guitarist who introduced major-thirds tuning. Patt's tuning simplified the learning of the fretboard and guitar chord, chords by beginners and improvisation by advanced ...
, jazz guitarist
*
Mickey Morandini
Michael Robert "Mickey" Morandini (born April 22, 1966), is an American former professional baseball second baseman and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays. His car ...
, baseball player
*
Dick Starr, major league pitcher
*
George L. Shoup
George Laird Shoup (June 15, 1836December 21, 1904) was an American politician who served as the first governor of Idaho, in addition to its last territorial governor. He served several months after statehood in 1890 and then became one of the s ...
, First governor of Idaho, United States senator
In popular culture
Several popular movies and televisions programs have been filmed in Kittanning.
The original bridge over the Allegheny River at Kittanning was torn down and replaced with the
Kittanning Citizens Bridge, which was built higher above ground level to avoid flooding. Scenes with the town and bridge were the used in the film ''
The Mothman Prophecies
''The Mothman Prophecies'' is a 1975 book by John Keel.
Synopsis
The book relates Keel's accounts of his investigation into alleged sightings of a large, winged creature known as Mothman in the vicinity of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, during ...
'' (
2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
) starring
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began appearing in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film), Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Hea ...
and
Laura Linney
Laura Leggett Linney (born February 5, 1964) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several awards, including two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards and five Tony Awards. ...
, which was filmed in the Kittanning area.
Scenes for the 2009 horror movie ''
My Bloody Valentine 3D
''My Bloody Valentine 3D'' is a 2009 American 3D film, 3D slasher film directed and co-edited by Patrick Lussier, and written by Todd Farmer and Zane Smith. A remake of the 1981 Canadian film My Bloody Valentine (film), of the same name, ...
'' were filmed in Kittanning.
The 2010 pilot episode for ''
Justified'', starring
Timothy Olyphant
Timothy David Olyphant ( ; born May 20, 1968) is an American actor. He made his acting debut in an off-Broadway theater in 1995, in ''The Monogamist'', and won the Theatre World Award for his performance, and then originated David Sedaris' '' ...
, was filmed in Kittanning and its surrounding areas.
Filming for the movie ''
One for the Money
"One for the Money" is an English-language children's rhyme. Children have used it as early as the 1820s to count before starting a race or other activity.
The full rhyme reads as:
One for the money,
Two for the show;
Three to make ready,
And f ...
'' took place during summer 2010.
The setting for three episodes of the
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
original TV series ''
Mindhunter'' is based in
Altoona, but scenes were actually shot in and around Kittanning in January 2017.
In the 2019 Netflix show ''
Manhunt
Manhunt may refer to:
Search processes
* Manhunt (law enforcement), a search for a dangerous fugitive
* Manhunt (military), a search for a high-value target by special operations forces or intelligence agencies
Social organisations
* Manhun ...
'' (the lone wolf), a second season of the show, based on the 1996
Centennial Olympic Park bombing
The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was a pipe bombing attack on Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, on July 27, 1996, during the Summer Olympics. The blast directly killed one person and injured 111 others; another pers ...
and the nationwide 5-year search of
Eric Rudolph
Eric Robert Rudolph (born September 19, 1966), also known as the Olympic Park Bomber, is an American domestic terrorist convicted of a series of bombings across the Southern United States between 1996 and 1998, which killed two people and injur ...
, was filmed in Kittanning. The show premiered on February 3, 2020.
See also
*
List of crossings of the Allegheny River
This is a list of current bridges and other crossings of the Allegheny River starting from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where it joins the Monongahela River, Monongahela to form the Ohio River.
Crossings
Pennsylvania
New York
Pennsylvan ...
*
List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania
This is a list of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania. There are currently 956 municipalities classified as Local government in Pennsylvania#Borough, boroughs and one classified as a Local government in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, town in Pennsyl ...
References
External links
Armstrong County Tourist Bureau websiteCarl's Kittanning.com website "since 1997"Kittanning Online– history of Kittanning and social networking site
{{authority control
County seats in Pennsylvania
Populated places established in 1724
Pittsburgh metropolitan area
Boroughs in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
1724 establishments in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania placenames of Native American origin