Chicora, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Chicora is a borough in Butler County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 1,021 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 1,021 people, 419 households, and 287 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,841.9 people per square mile (716.7/km²). There were 463 housing units at an average density of 835.3 per square mile (325.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.51% White, 0.20% African American and 0.29% Native American.
There were 419 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the borough the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,000, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $32,143 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $17,815. About 3.5% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
fell in the vicinity of Chicora. Named the "Chicora Meteor", the 450+ tonne meteorite exploded approximately twelve miles above the Earth's surface. Only two fragments of the meteorite were found following initial investigations. They had masses 242g and 61g, and were discovered some miles short of the calculated point of impact of the main mass - which is yet to be found. Two more small fragments were found nearby in 1940.
Numerous reports of the Chicora Meteor mention that a cow was struck and injured by a falling stone; other accounts say that the cow was killed by the stone.
The meteor was an olivine-hypersthene chondrite. Its remains were split between the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
and the Smithsonian Institution
.
The sound and light of the exploding meteor were initially mistaken for an explosion in the powder magazine
at West Winfield, and was compared by investigators FW Preston, EP Henderson and James R Randolph as comparable to with the Halifax explosion
of 1917 in destructive power. "If it had landed on Pittsburgh there would have been few survivors", they stated.
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,021 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Chicora is located at 40°56′58"N 79°44′33"W (40.949468, -79.742631).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,021 people, 419 households, and 287 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,841.9 people per square mile (716.7/km²). There were 463 housing units at an average density of 835.3 per square mile (325.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.51% White, 0.20% African American and 0.29% Native American.
There were 419 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the borough the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,000, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $32,143 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $17,815. About 3.5% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Chicora Meteor
On June 24, 1938 a meteoriteMeteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
fell in the vicinity of Chicora. Named the "Chicora Meteor", the 450+ tonne meteorite exploded approximately twelve miles above the Earth's surface. Only two fragments of the meteorite were found following initial investigations. They had masses 242g and 61g, and were discovered some miles short of the calculated point of impact of the main mass - which is yet to be found. Two more small fragments were found nearby in 1940.
Numerous reports of the Chicora Meteor mention that a cow was struck and injured by a falling stone; other accounts say that the cow was killed by the stone.
The meteor was an olivine-hypersthene chondrite. Its remains were split between the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, located at 4400 Forbes Avenue in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, was founded by the Pittsburgh-based industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1896...
and the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
The sound and light of the exploding meteor were initially mistaken for an explosion in the powder magazine
Powder Magazine
Powder Magazine, Powder House, or Powderworks may refer to:* Gunpowder magazine*Magazine , the general term-in the United States:* Powder Magazine , listed on the NRHP in Alabama...
at West Winfield, and was compared by investigators FW Preston, EP Henderson and James R Randolph as comparable to with the Halifax explosion
Halifax Explosion
The Halifax Explosion occurred on Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was devastated by the huge detonation of the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship, fully loaded with wartime explosives, which accidentally collided with the Norwegian SS Imo in "The Narrows"...
of 1917 in destructive power. "If it had landed on Pittsburgh there would have been few survivors", they stated.