Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Fox Chapel is a borough
in Allegheny County
, Pennsylvania
, USA
, and is a suburb of Pittsburgh located 6 miles (10 km) northeast of downtown.
The population was 5,388 as of the 2010 census.
tribes hunted and fished in the general Fox Chapel area. Virginia
and Pennsylvania
both claimed the territory. The dispute was not resolved until after the Revolutionary War.http://www.ohara.pa.us/history.htm Today, less than 1% of its population is Native American
.
, accompanied by Christopher Gist
, pushed his way across Fox Chapel land as he came south from Fort Le Boeuf
where he had delivered a letter to the French commander, ordering him, in the name of the Governor of Virginia, to return to Canada
.http://www.foxchapeldistrictassociation.org/history.htm
was the subject of contention between French and English. Indian allies of both empires fought settlers for control of the region. French soldiers built Fort Duquesne
on the site of a former British outpost at the forks of the Ohio in 1754, and four years later British troops replaced it with a fort of their own, Fort Pitt
. The bloody battles of Braddock's defeat, Bushy Run, and Colonel Bouquet's relief of the Indian siege of Pittsburgh provided many British and Virginia scalps, which were triumphantly brought home to adorn wigwam
s situated in what is now Fox Chapel. The Revolutionary War, too, produced further military activity.
chief
, Guyasuta
, closely associated with the district, involved in every clash, sometimes aiding the English and sometimes the French. He first appeared as George Washington's guide during his journey from Logstown
to Fort Le Boeuf in 1753. Guyasuta led the Indians against General Grant in 1758. He was probably the leader of the Seneca band that destroyed Fort Venango
in 1763, butchering the entire garrison. He was in a band of warriors that burned the frontier village of Hannastown
, north of Greensburg
. He was also at the Battle of Bushy Run
, where the Indians were defeated by Colonel Bouquet.
Despite Chief Guyasuta's violent history, General O'Hara furnished a cabin
for him on O'Hara's estate north of the Allegheny River
(now Fox Chapel), and provided necessities during the declining years of his life. He died about 1800.
Among the early landowners was James O'Hara, a Revolutionary Army general
and prominent Pittsburgh businessman. During the depression of 1818, he was saved from financial ruin by the counsel of James Ross, a noted lawyer and former senator. In exchange for his help, O'Hara gave Ross 1700 acres (7 km²) of land, which is now part of Fox Chapel, and comprises the Delafield Estates section of the borough, as well as the development along Buckingham Road known as the "Ross Meadows Plan of Lots".
In general, there was little growth or development throughout the 19th century, and it remained for the 20th, with the advent of the automobile, for Pittsburghers to become aware of the advantages of the Fox Chapel District as a suburb.http://www.foxchapeldistrictassociation.org/history.htm The Pittsburgh Field Club
opened in 1882, and the Fox Chapel Golf Club opened in 1919. In 1922, Shady Side Academy
opened its senior school on property that was formerly two large farms.
Fox Chapel was originally part of O'Hara and Indiana townships. In 1928, approximately 40 landowners assembled at Shady Side Academy and voted to incorporate the Fox Chapel District Association. The matters of immediate concern that they addressed were fire and police protection. As time went on, the District Association named roads and handled development and zoning. However, by 1933 the District Association had grown concerned that its interests were at variance with those of both townships, and a petition was filed to allow the formation of a new borough. Despite vigorous opposition by both townships, on August 3, 1934, a court ordered the incorporation of Fox Chapel Borough from 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²) of O'Hara Township and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of Indiana Township. Over the years, other residents adjacent to the borough petitioned the council for annexation, increasing the area of the borough to approximately 8.5 square miles (22 km²).
Its wooded hills and uncrowded residential developments are a regional asset. It strives to preserve openness and spaciousness in the midst of urbanization and industrialization. http://www.fox-chapel.pa.us/home_history.htm
in 1831 and farmed the land around the present Faith United Methodist Church
until his death in 1889. Shortly after his death in 1889 his daughter, Eliza Fox Teats, donated some land to the Methodist Protestant Church for a chapel
to be named in honor of her father.http://www.fox-chapel.pa.us/home_history.htm
. The high school is located in O'Hara Township. The middle school is located in Dorseyville
, a small community five miles to the north of the borough in Indiana Township. Elementary school children attend schools located in either Indiana Township or O'Hara Township. These are O'Hara Elementary, Kerr, Fairview, and Hartwood.
Fox Chapel Area School District (which includes the communities of Aspinwall
, Fox Chapel, Indiana Township, O'Hara Township, Sharpsburg
, and Blawnox
) is widely respected for its excellent teachers as well as the wide selection of course offerings.
Fox Chapel has two private schools: Shady Side Academy
, a co-educational school, which operates a middle school and a high school; and the Fox Chapel Country Day School, which offers private education for kindergarten and grades one through five.
The Fox Chapel Chabad
- Community Hebrew School has classes on Sunday and Wednesday and offers a supplemental Jewish education. http://www.foxchapeljewish.com
on the campus of Shady Side Academy presents three to seven public performances each year featuring both local and touring artists in the Richard E. Rauh Theater. These performances feature world music and culture as well as Pittsburgh artists.
The Boyd Community Center delivers dynamic high quality cultural, educational, and recreational classes, camps, workshops, and memorable special events. The friendly atmosphere, innovative programming, and planned revitalization of the facilities provide an inviting community gathering place.
offer golf, tennis, swimming, and fine dining. The Fox Chapel Racquet Club offers tennis and swimming. The Chapel Gate Swimming & Tennis Club and the Community Swim Club are in O'Hara Township and near the border with Fox Chapel.
Church, Fox Chapel Episcopal
Church, Fox Chapel Presbyterian
Church, and Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church.
In 1953 a group of families living in the Fox Chapel area began to worship together at Shady Side Academy; the congregation became Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, located at the intersection of Fox Chapel Road and Field Club Road. The Rev. Bickford Lang served as the first pastor. The congregation was officially organized in October 1953 with 339 charter members. The chapel was erected in December 1953, and worship services began to be held on the site of the present church. The church facility has grown to include a Christian Education building, atrium, fellowship hall and a Georgian sanctuary. The Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church has been led by five senior pastors since its founding.
Chabad Fox Chapel - The Jewish Center, opened in 2002 and serves the entire Fox Chapel Area with a Jewish community center, Jewish day camp, Hebrew school and full adult education program with no membership fees.
Adat Shalom, located on Guys Run Road in Indiana Township, serves approximately 240 Jewish families from the Fox Chapel area. http://www.goadatshalom.org/
The borough has 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of parkland known as McCahill Park set aside for active recreational use. It includes two baseball fields, a basketball court, and a large open field used for rugby, touch football
, and soccer games.
s in western Pennsylvania
. Its 134 acre (0.54227924 km²), most of which have been leased to ASWP by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
, contain more than 5 miles (8 km) of walking trails which are open from dawn to dusk every day year-round. The area consists of woodlands, fields, streams, and a pond. Some paths are accessible for individuals with special needs
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), of which 0.13% is water.
of 2000, there were 5,436 people, 1,875 households, and 1,599 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 693.9 people per square mile (268.1/km²). There were 1,942 housing units at an average density of 247.9 per square mile (95.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.29% White, 0.55% African American, 0.02% Native American, 5.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 1,875 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.9% were married couples
living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the borough the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 18.1% from 25 to 44, 33.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $147,298, and the median income for a family was $191,378. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $60,179 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $80,610. About 3.8% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, 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...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is a suburb of Pittsburgh located 6 miles (10 km) northeast of downtown.
The population was 5,388 as of the 2010 census.
History
In the 1750s, the Seneca Indians lived in the region. Until the late 18th century, American IndianIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribes hunted and fished in the general Fox Chapel area. Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and 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...
both claimed the territory. The dispute was not resolved until after the Revolutionary War.http://www.ohara.pa.us/history.htm Today, less than 1% of its population is Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
.
George Washington
It is probable that in December 1753, George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, accompanied by Christopher Gist
Christopher Gist
Christopher Gist was an accomplished American explorer, surveyor and frontiersman. He was one of the first white explorers of the Ohio Country . He is credited with providing the first detailed description of the Ohio Country to Great Britain and her colonists...
, pushed his way across Fox Chapel land as he came south from Fort Le Boeuf
Fort Le Boeuf
Fort Le Boeuf, , was a fort established by the French in 1753 on a fork of French Creek, in present-day Waterford, in northwest Pennsylvania...
where he had delivered a letter to the French commander, ordering him, in the name of the Governor of Virginia, to return to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.http://www.foxchapeldistrictassociation.org/history.htm
French and Indian Wars
For the next 10 years, all the land at the forks of the Ohio RiverOhio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
was the subject of contention between French and English. Indian allies of both empires fought settlers for control of the region. French soldiers built Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania....
on the site of a former British outpost at the forks of the Ohio in 1754, and four years later British troops replaced it with a fort of their own, Fort Pitt
Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)
Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...
. The bloody battles of Braddock's defeat, Bushy Run, and Colonel Bouquet's relief of the Indian siege of Pittsburgh provided many British and Virginia scalps, which were triumphantly brought home to adorn wigwam
Wigwam
A wigwam or wickiup is a domed room dwelling used by certain Native American tribes. The term wickiup is generally used to label these kinds of dwellings in American Southwest and West. Wigwam is usually applied to these structures in the American Northeast...
s situated in what is now Fox Chapel. The Revolutionary War, too, produced further military activity.
Guyasuta
Through this warlike panorama moved the SenecaSeneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
, Guyasuta
Guyasuta
Guyasuta was an important leader of the Seneca people in the second half of the eighteenth century, playing a central role in the diplomacy and warfare of that era...
, closely associated with the district, involved in every clash, sometimes aiding the English and sometimes the French. He first appeared as George Washington's guide during his journey from Logstown
Logstown
The riverside village of Logstown was a significant Native American settlement in Western Pennsylvania and the site of the 1752 signing of the treaty of friendship between the Ohio Company and the Amerindians occupying the region in the years leading up to the...
to Fort Le Boeuf in 1753. Guyasuta led the Indians against General Grant in 1758. He was probably the leader of the Seneca band that destroyed Fort Venango
Fort Venango
Fort Venango was a small British fort built in 1760 near the site of present Franklin, Pennsylvania. The fort replaced Fort Machault, a French fort burned by the French in 1759 after they left the area near the end of the French and Indian War. On June 16, 1763, during Pontiac's Rebellion, the fort...
in 1763, butchering the entire garrison. He was in a band of warriors that burned the frontier village of Hannastown
Hannastown, Pennsylvania
Hannastown is an unincorporated community and important historical and archaeological site located in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Although the village is not tracked by the Census Bureau, it has been assigned the ZIP code 15635....
, north of Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
. He was also at the Battle of Bushy Run
Battle of Bushy Run
The Battle of Bushy Run was fought on August 5-6, 1763, in western Pennsylvania, between a British column under the command of Colonel Henry Bouquet and a combined force of Delaware, Shawnee, Mingo, and Huron warriors. This action occurred during Pontiac's Rebellion...
, where the Indians were defeated by Colonel Bouquet.
Despite Chief Guyasuta's violent history, General O'Hara furnished a cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
for him on O'Hara's estate north of the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
(now Fox Chapel), and provided necessities during the declining years of his life. He died about 1800.
Settlement
The first white settler in the area was James Powers, who arrived around 1790.http://www.post-gazette.com/downloads/profile-foxchapel.htm The first schoolhouse was on Squaw Run, where it stood in 1806. It was a log house. A church was organized in 1818 on Kittanning Road, on a branch of Pine Creek.Among the early landowners was James O'Hara, a Revolutionary Army general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and prominent Pittsburgh businessman. During the depression of 1818, he was saved from financial ruin by the counsel of James Ross, a noted lawyer and former senator. In exchange for his help, O'Hara gave Ross 1700 acres (7 km²) of land, which is now part of Fox Chapel, and comprises the Delafield Estates section of the borough, as well as the development along Buckingham Road known as the "Ross Meadows Plan of Lots".
In general, there was little growth or development throughout the 19th century, and it remained for the 20th, with the advent of the automobile, for Pittsburghers to become aware of the advantages of the Fox Chapel District as a suburb.http://www.foxchapeldistrictassociation.org/history.htm The Pittsburgh Field Club
Pittsburgh Field Club
Pittsburgh Field Club is a private country club, established in 1882, located six miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh in the suburb of Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania...
opened in 1882, and the Fox Chapel Golf Club opened in 1919. In 1922, Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy is a private, secular coeducational PK-12 preparatory school located on three campuses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, established in 1883.- Campuses :Shady Side Academy has three campuses in Pittsburgh....
opened its senior school on property that was formerly two large farms.
Fox Chapel was originally part of O'Hara and Indiana townships. In 1928, approximately 40 landowners assembled at Shady Side Academy and voted to incorporate the Fox Chapel District Association. The matters of immediate concern that they addressed were fire and police protection. As time went on, the District Association named roads and handled development and zoning. However, by 1933 the District Association had grown concerned that its interests were at variance with those of both townships, and a petition was filed to allow the formation of a new borough. Despite vigorous opposition by both townships, on August 3, 1934, a court ordered the incorporation of Fox Chapel Borough from 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²) of O'Hara Township and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of Indiana Township. Over the years, other residents adjacent to the borough petitioned the council for annexation, increasing the area of the borough to approximately 8.5 square miles (22 km²).
Its wooded hills and uncrowded residential developments are a regional asset. It strives to preserve openness and spaciousness in the midst of urbanization and industrialization. http://www.fox-chapel.pa.us/home_history.htm
Name
The name "Fox Chapel" comes from John Fox, who emigrated from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1831 and farmed the land around the present Faith United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
until his death in 1889. Shortly after his death in 1889 his daughter, Eliza Fox Teats, donated some land to the Methodist Protestant Church for a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
to be named in honor of her father.http://www.fox-chapel.pa.us/home_history.htm
Schools
Public education is provided by the Fox Chapel Area School DistrictFox Chapel Area School District
Fox Chapel Area School District is a public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It serves the boroughs of Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel, and Sharpsburg, along with Indiana and O'Hara Townships. It is located approximately 12 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The district has...
. The high school is located in O'Hara Township. The middle school is located in Dorseyville
Dorseyville, Pennsylvania
Dorseyville is an unincorporated village in Indiana Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in the United States.-History:...
, a small community five miles to the north of the borough in Indiana Township. Elementary school children attend schools located in either Indiana Township or O'Hara Township. These are O'Hara Elementary, Kerr, Fairview, and Hartwood.
Fox Chapel Area School District (which includes the communities of Aspinwall
Aspinwall, Pennsylvania
Aspinwall is a borough on the Allegheny River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. It is essentially a residential place. In 1900, 1,231 people resided in Aspinwall, and that number rose to 2,592 in 1910, and 3,170 by 1920...
, Fox Chapel, Indiana Township, O'Hara Township, Sharpsburg
Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania
Sharpsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. In the past, it had a rolling mill, foundries, machine shops, and manufacturers of varnish, brick, glass, lumber products, wire, hair, felt, and lubricating oil. In 1900, 6,842 people...
, and Blawnox
Blawnox, Pennsylvania
Blawnox is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,432 at the 2010 census.-Name:The name, Blawnox, is derived from the Blaw-Knox Company, which had a manufacturing plant there providing much of the town's employment...
) is widely respected for its excellent teachers as well as the wide selection of course offerings.
Fox Chapel has two private schools: Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy is a private, secular coeducational PK-12 preparatory school located on three campuses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, established in 1883.- Campuses :Shady Side Academy has three campuses in Pittsburgh....
, a co-educational school, which operates a middle school and a high school; and the Fox Chapel Country Day School, which offers private education for kindergarten and grades one through five.
The Fox Chapel Chabad
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
- Community Hebrew School has classes on Sunday and Wednesday and offers a supplemental Jewish education. http://www.foxchapeljewish.com
Library
Located in O'Hara Township, the Lauri Ann West Memorial Library is funded through private contributions from its members and public grants, Fox Chapel being one of the larger municipal contributors. In 2007, plans were announced to build a new library.Arts
The Hillman Center for Performing ArtsHillman Center for Performing Arts
The Hillman Center for Performing Arts is a multi-stage performing arts venue on the campus of Shady Side Academy's Senior School in Fox Chapel, a northern suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Featuring dedicated music and vocal practice spaces, the Richard E. Rauh proscenium theater, and the Peter J...
on the campus of Shady Side Academy presents three to seven public performances each year featuring both local and touring artists in the Richard E. Rauh Theater. These performances feature world music and culture as well as Pittsburgh artists.
The Boyd Community Center delivers dynamic high quality cultural, educational, and recreational classes, camps, workshops, and memorable special events. The friendly atmosphere, innovative programming, and planned revitalization of the facilities provide an inviting community gathering place.
Private clubs
The Fox Chapel Golf Club and the Pittsburgh Field ClubPittsburgh Field Club
Pittsburgh Field Club is a private country club, established in 1882, located six miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh in the suburb of Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania...
offer golf, tennis, swimming, and fine dining. The Fox Chapel Racquet Club offers tennis and swimming. The Chapel Gate Swimming & Tennis Club and the Community Swim Club are in O'Hara Township and near the border with Fox Chapel.
Religion
Four churches are located within the borough: Faith MethodistUnited Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
Church, Fox Chapel Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Church, Fox Chapel Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
Church, and Good Shepherd Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
Church.
In 1953 a group of families living in the Fox Chapel area began to worship together at Shady Side Academy; the congregation became Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, located at the intersection of Fox Chapel Road and Field Club Road. The Rev. Bickford Lang served as the first pastor. The congregation was officially organized in October 1953 with 339 charter members. The chapel was erected in December 1953, and worship services began to be held on the site of the present church. The church facility has grown to include a Christian Education building, atrium, fellowship hall and a Georgian sanctuary. The Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church has been led by five senior pastors since its founding.
Chabad Fox Chapel - The Jewish Center, opened in 2002 and serves the entire Fox Chapel Area with a Jewish community center, Jewish day camp, Hebrew school and full adult education program with no membership fees.
Adat Shalom, located on Guys Run Road in Indiana Township, serves approximately 240 Jewish families from the Fox Chapel area. http://www.goadatshalom.org/
Parks
The borough owns over 300 acres (1.2 km²) of parkland. All but 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of this property (McCahill Park) is used as open space for passive recreation, e.g., walking trails or bird watching.The borough has 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of parkland known as McCahill Park set aside for active recreational use. It includes two baseball fields, a basketball court, and a large open field used for rugby, touch football
Touch football (American)
Touch football is a variant of American football in which the basic rules are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the person carrying the ball need only be touched by a member of the opposite team to end a down...
, and soccer games.
Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve
Headquarters of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP) since 1976, Beechwood Farms is one of the largest nature reserveNature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s in western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
. Its 134 acre (0.54227924 km²), most of which have been leased to ASWP by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy , headquartered in Pittsburgh, has been around for more than 75 years and exists to protect the water, land and life of western Pennsylvania. Half of all the land that has been protected by land trusts in Pennsylvania has been conserved by the Western...
, contain more than 5 miles (8 km) of walking trails which are open from dawn to dusk every day year-round. The area consists of woodlands, fields, streams, and a pond. Some paths are accessible for individuals with special needs
Special needs
In the USA, special needs is a term used in clinical diagnostic and functional development to describe individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. For instance, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International...
.
Geography
Fox Chapel is located at 40°30′46"N 79°53′35"W (40.512668, -79.892975).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 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), of which 0.13% is water.
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 5,436 people, 1,875 households, and 1,599 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 693.9 people per square mile (268.1/km²). There were 1,942 housing units at an average density of 247.9 per square mile (95.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.29% White, 0.55% African American, 0.02% Native American, 5.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 1,875 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.9% 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, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the borough the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 18.1% from 25 to 44, 33.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $147,298, and the median income for a family was $191,378. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $60,179 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 $80,610. About 3.8% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
Fox Chapel is the birthplace of, or home to, several notable people, including:- Rocky Bleier, former professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... - Bill CowherBill CowherWilliam Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
, former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers - Chip GanassiChip GanassiFloyd "Chip" Ganassi, Jr is a former American racecar driver and current racecar owner.He is currently the owner and president of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates which operates teams on the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series circuit...
, famous racecar driver - Edgar J. Kaufman, department store magnate
- Teresa Heinz KerryTeresa Heinz KerryMaria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira Heinz , known as Teresa Heinz, is an American businesswoman and philanthropist, the widow of former U.S. Senator H. John Heinz III , and the wife of U.S...
, wife of U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
John KerryJohn KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W... - Anisha NagarajanAnisha NagarajanAnisha Nagarajan; is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the Andrew Lloyd Webber theater musical, Bombay Dreams, and as Madhuri on the 2010 NBC television series, Outsourced.-Early life:...
, actress and singer, star of OutsourcedOutsourced (TV series)Outsourced is an American television sitcom set in an Indian workplace. It was based on the John Jeffcoat film of the same name and adapted by Ken Kwapis and Universal Media Studios for NBC. The series originally ran from September 23, 2010 to May 12, 2011... - Barry NelsonBarry Nelson (basketball)Barry Nelson is a former center who played in the National Basketball Association. Nelson was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the fifth round of the 1971 NBA Draft and spent the 1971-72 season with the team....
, former professional basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... - David NewellDavid NewellDavid Newell is a television actor who is remembered for his career as Mr. McFeely, the delivery man on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. His character's most famous catchphrase was "Speedy Delivery!" This was Newell's major role, but not his only one as he appeared in small film and TV parts...
, actor, Mister Rogers' NeighborhoodMister Rogers' NeighborhoodMister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"... - Matthew RidgwayMatthew RidgwayMatthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
, U.S. Army general - Rick Rockwell, reality TV personality starring in Fox's 2001 "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?"
- Beth Ostrosky Stern, current wife of radio's shock jock Howard SternHoward SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
- Jessi Rae Waltz, singer/songwriter of the band The ShellsThe ShellsThe Shells were an American doo wop ensemble formed in Brooklyn in 1956.The group scored a US pop hit in 1957 with the song "Baby Oh Baby", released on Johnson Records; the song cracked the Top 30. Further singles passed with little success until 1960, when producers Donn Fileti and Wayne Stierle...
External links
- Borough of Fox Chapel official website
- Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, headquartered at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel
- Chapel Gate Swim Club