Marion Center, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Marion Center is a borough in Indiana County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 451 at the 2000 census.
. The Indiana Register first advertised lots for sale on September 1, 1841. Marion became incorporated as a borough in June 1869. The post office used a name distinct from the town (Brady Post Office) until December 26, 1890 when both were changed to Marion Center.
In 1885, New York banker Adrien Iselin purchased the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Railway. A branch near the Jefferson-Indiana County Line (Indiana Junction) led south into Indiana County ending at Vintondale. The tracks from Jefferson County
into Indiana County were first laid near Juneau in October 1902. Trains ran through Marion Center by April 1903. The first passenger train stopped at Marion Center on May 3, 1904. The last train, the Hoodlbug, left on June 10, 1950.
Marion Center had a vibrant community life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Two hotels were erected on Main Street in the 19th century. Hotel Marion, built in 1879 by Alexander Adams, had 15 rooms and was three stories tall. It burned in the 1920s. The second hotel, Mahoning House, at the corner of Main and Manor Streets, occupied the site of the former general store operated by McLaughlin, Kinter, and Company. Horatio Simons converted it to a hotel on June 1, 1904. It was torn down in the 1930s to make way for Harry Black's service station. A dentist office (operated by Dr. L. N. Park) and a pharmacy (operated by William Griffith) were located on Main Street near the store of H. P. Wetzel (located at Craig and Main Streets). By 1887, Wetzel had built a store measuring 20- by 40 feet (12.2 m). He later added an additional 40 feet (12.2 m) to the store. He was succeeded by Frank Wetzel who operated a grocery store on the site until the 1940s.
A summer normal school
operated in the borough in the early 20th century. Joseph Weaver instructed students during the approximately 12 week course. Passing the superintendent's exam upon completion of the program licensed one to teach in the county's common schools. The first school in Marion Center, a log building on North Manor Street, burned in 1834. Its first teacher was William Work. A second school was built on the same site in 1848. A third building was erected in the 1860s. The North Manor Street site became home to the area's high school (1916–1929). It was torn down in the late 1990s to make way for a public park (named after famous local artist, Linton Park).
of 15759 and is a part of area code 724
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
Pennsylvania Route 403
runs through the center of Marion Center, entering from the south where it becomes Manor Street at the borough line. It then turns west onto Main Street and reaches its northern terminus just west of the borough at U.S. Route 119
. The two main streets of the borough run perpendicular to one another: Manor Street, north-south, and Main Street, east-west. Both streets are broken up by short, one-block alleys.
Marion Center is connected to the villages of Deckers Point (via Deckers Point Road, concurrent with Main Street to the borough line), Dixonville
(via South Manor Street, concurrent with PA-403 to the borough line), and Rochester Mills (via Richmond Road). Though US-119 does not pass through the borough, it connects the town to the micropolitan area of Indiana
to the south and the larger borough of Punxsutawney
to the north.
One unnamed tributary of Pine Run flows through the borough. It runs generally east-west and flows just south of Park Avenue, connecting to Pine Run west of the borough line and east of U.S. Highway 119. This stream has two in-flows. The first is very narrow, being small enough to easily step across, and drains the east side of the hill in the southeast section of the borough. The second drains the west side of the same hill and connects to the main flow behind the post office near its intersection with South Manor Street. All three minor water flows are perennial (though the very narrow one does dry up when rainfall is low) and have sources within the borough limits. Pine Run connects to Crooked Creek (a tributary of the Allegheny River) about five miles (8 km) south of the borough.
. The high school (Marion Center Area High School) and elementary school (W.A McCreery Elementary School) are located west of the borough between the borough line and U.S. Route 119. There are no institutions of higher education in the borough.
On June 21, 2002, Sam Erwin walked into the school district office with a .32-caliber pistol. One secretary was injured attempting to escape over an embankment wall outside the office building, and the assistant to the superintendent was non-fatally wounded in the right leg after being shot by the assailant in the lobby of the district office. Indiana County police said the incident concerned a dispute Erwin had with the district over his wife, Nancy Erwin (formerly Mogle), an 8th grade algebra teacher, losing her teaching position in 2001 after teaching for 21 years. Sam Erwin pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal homicide and one count of aggravated assault. Nancy Erwin pleaded guilty to one count of complicity to aggravated assault. As a result, she lost her teaching license.
" after President Franklin D. Roosevelt
ordered all banks to close for a Bank Holiday
on March 4. Instead of closing, Marion Center Bank pulled its screen down half-way and continued to operate.
In 1958, Marion Center Bank added a drive-thru window to its current facility. This was the first of its kind in Indiana County. A second lane was added in 1979. Marion Center Bank expanded to a second location in Clymer
on December 6, 1984. Today, the bank has six locations in the tri-county area: Willow Springs (opened in April 1996), Dayton
(1997), Big Run (1997), and Punxsutawney (2000). Construction began in summer 2010 on the seventh branch in Indiana.
Marion Center Bank's main office is located at 501 East Main Street at the intersection with Manor Street.
of 2000, there were 451 people, 173 households, and 129 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 605.3 people per square mile (232.2/km²). There were 191 housing units at an average density of 256.4 per square mile (98.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White.
There were 173 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples
living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the borough the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $27,625, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $23,125 versus $20,625 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $12,048. About 15.5% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.
. The borough office is located at 1000 North Manor Street. The borough council holds meetings on the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal building.
The borough is part of the 41st state senate district, represented by Republican Donald C. White
and the 66th state house district, represented by Republican Samuel Smith
. The borough is located within the 9th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives
, currently represented by Republican Bill Shuster
. Current senators for Pennsylvania are Democrat Bob Casey, Jr.
and Republican Pat Toomey
.
Notable residents include local artist Diana Moretti (1950–Present) and Linton Park (1826–1906).
Indiana County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 58,077 registered voters in Indiana County .* Democratic: 26,653 * Republican: 24,159 * Other Parties: 7,265 -County commissioners:*Rodney Ruddock, Chairman, Republican...
, 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 451 at the 2000 census.
History
The village was laid out by John Park in 1841 and named Marion after the Revolutionary War hero General Francis MarionFrancis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
. The Indiana Register first advertised lots for sale on September 1, 1841. Marion became incorporated as a borough in June 1869. The post office used a name distinct from the town (Brady Post Office) until December 26, 1890 when both were changed to Marion Center.
Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,200. It was established on March 26, 1804, from part of Lycoming County and named for then-President Thomas Jefferson. Its county seat is Brookville...
into Indiana County were first laid near Juneau in October 1902. Trains ran through Marion Center by April 1903. The first passenger train stopped at Marion Center on May 3, 1904. The last train, the Hoodlbug, left on June 10, 1950.
Marion Center had a vibrant community life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Two hotels were erected on Main Street in the 19th century. Hotel Marion, built in 1879 by Alexander Adams, had 15 rooms and was three stories tall. It burned in the 1920s. The second hotel, Mahoning House, at the corner of Main and Manor Streets, occupied the site of the former general store operated by McLaughlin, Kinter, and Company. Horatio Simons converted it to a hotel on June 1, 1904. It was torn down in the 1930s to make way for Harry Black's service station. A dentist office (operated by Dr. L. N. Park) and a pharmacy (operated by William Griffith) were located on Main Street near the store of H. P. Wetzel (located at Craig and Main Streets). By 1887, Wetzel had built a store measuring 20- by 40 feet (12.2 m). He later added an additional 40 feet (12.2 m) to the store. He was succeeded by Frank Wetzel who operated a grocery store on the site until the 1940s.
A summer normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
operated in the borough in the early 20th century. Joseph Weaver instructed students during the approximately 12 week course. Passing the superintendent's exam upon completion of the program licensed one to teach in the county's common schools. The first school in Marion Center, a log building on North Manor Street, burned in 1834. Its first teacher was William Work. A second school was built on the same site in 1848. A third building was erected in the 1860s. The North Manor Street site became home to the area's high school (1916–1929). It was torn down in the late 1990s to make way for a public park (named after famous local artist, Linton Park).
Geography
Marion Center is located at 40°46′11"N 79°2′57"W (40.769782, -79.049030). Marion Center has been assigned the zip codeZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
of 15759 and is a part of area code 724
Area code 724
Area code 724 is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania telephone area code in western and southwestern Pennsylvania, including the outer suburbs of Pittsburgh. It was split from Area code 412 on February 1, 1998...
.
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 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
Pennsylvania Route 403
Pennsylvania Route 403
Pennsylvania Route 403 is a north–south state route in Somerset, Cambria and Indiana counties of Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 30 in the hamlet of Kantner in Quemahoning Township. The northern terminus is at U.S...
runs through the center of Marion Center, entering from the south where it becomes Manor Street at the borough line. It then turns west onto Main Street and reaches its northern terminus just west of the borough at U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119
U.S. Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is often referred to as Corridor G east of US 23 and KY 80 in Kentucky to Interstate 64 at Charleston, West Virginia.- Kentucky :US 119 is a two...
. The two main streets of the borough run perpendicular to one another: Manor Street, north-south, and Main Street, east-west. Both streets are broken up by short, one-block alleys.
Marion Center is connected to the villages of Deckers Point (via Deckers Point Road, concurrent with Main Street to the borough line), Dixonville
Dixonville, Pennsylvania
Dixonville is a census-designated place in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 450 at the 2000 census. The CDP lies mostly on the western edge of Green Township, though a small portion extends into Rayne Township.-Geography:...
(via South Manor Street, concurrent with PA-403 to the borough line), and Rochester Mills (via Richmond Road). Though US-119 does not pass through the borough, it connects the town to the micropolitan area of Indiana
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,895 at the 2000 census.The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" because the national Christmas Tree Grower's Association was...
to the south and the larger borough of Punxsutawney
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Punxsutawney is a borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Pittsburgh. In 1907, Punxsutawney and Claysville boroughs were consolidated and incorporated as Greater Punxsutawney. A high-grade soft coal was mined in the surrounding region...
to the north.
One unnamed tributary of Pine Run flows through the borough. It runs generally east-west and flows just south of Park Avenue, connecting to Pine Run west of the borough line and east of U.S. Highway 119. This stream has two in-flows. The first is very narrow, being small enough to easily step across, and drains the east side of the hill in the southeast section of the borough. The second drains the west side of the same hill and connects to the main flow behind the post office near its intersection with South Manor Street. All three minor water flows are perennial (though the very narrow one does dry up when rainfall is low) and have sources within the borough limits. Pine Run connects to Crooked Creek (a tributary of the Allegheny River) about five miles (8 km) south of the borough.
Education
The borough is part of the Marion Center Area School DistrictMarion Center Area School District
The Marion Center Area School District is a schooldistrict in the state of Pennsylvania. It is located in Marion Center in Indiana County. It also serves the municipalities of Creekside, Washington Twp, Ernest, Rayne Twp, Plumville, East Mahoning Twp, South Mahoning Twp, Grant Twp, and Canoe Twp...
. The high school (Marion Center Area High School) and elementary school (W.A McCreery Elementary School) are located west of the borough between the borough line and U.S. Route 119. There are no institutions of higher education in the borough.
On June 21, 2002, Sam Erwin walked into the school district office with a .32-caliber pistol. One secretary was injured attempting to escape over an embankment wall outside the office building, and the assistant to the superintendent was non-fatally wounded in the right leg after being shot by the assailant in the lobby of the district office. Indiana County police said the incident concerned a dispute Erwin had with the district over his wife, Nancy Erwin (formerly Mogle), an 8th grade algebra teacher, losing her teaching position in 2001 after teaching for 21 years. Sam Erwin pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal homicide and one count of aggravated assault. Nancy Erwin pleaded guilty to one count of complicity to aggravated assault. As a result, she lost her teaching license.
Industry
Marion Center exports concrete and cement products through its supplier, Marion Center Supply. The central offices of Marion Center Supply are located in Marion Center.Finance
Marion Center Bank, a state-chartered bank formerly named Marion Center National Bank, opened in the summer of 1905. In 1933, Marion Center Bank earned the reputation of "the bank that did not close during the DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
" after President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
ordered all banks to close for a Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
on March 4. Instead of closing, Marion Center Bank pulled its screen down half-way and continued to operate.
In 1958, Marion Center Bank added a drive-thru window to its current facility. This was the first of its kind in Indiana County. A second lane was added in 1979. Marion Center Bank expanded to a second location in Clymer
Clymer, Pennsylvania
Clymer is a borough in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,547 at the 2000 census. The community was named after George Clymer, one of the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence.-Geography:...
on December 6, 1984. Today, the bank has six locations in the tri-county area: Willow Springs (opened in April 1996), Dayton
Dayton, Pennsylvania
Dayton is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 543 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dayton is located at ....
(1997), Big Run (1997), and Punxsutawney (2000). Construction began in summer 2010 on the seventh branch in Indiana.
Marion Center Bank's main office is located at 501 East Main Street at the intersection with Manor Street.
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 451 people, 173 households, and 129 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 605.3 people per square mile (232.2/km²). There were 191 housing units at an average density of 256.4 per square mile (98.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White.
There were 173 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% 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, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the borough the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $27,625, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $23,125 versus $20,625 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 $12,048. About 15.5% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government and Important Figures
The municipality type is boroughBorough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
. The borough office is located at 1000 North Manor Street. The borough council holds meetings on the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal building.
The borough is part of the 41st state senate district, represented by Republican Donald C. White
Donald C. White
Donald C. White is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 41st District since 2001.He is chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance and is the Vice Chairman of the Transportation Committee...
and the 66th state house district, represented by Republican Samuel Smith
Samuel H. Smith (politician)
Samuel H. "Sam" Smith is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 66th District and was elected in 1986. The district includes portions of Jefferson, Indiana and Armstrong counties...
. The borough is located within the 9th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, currently represented by Republican Bill Shuster
Bill Shuster
William Shuster is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a son of former Congressman Bud Shuster.-Early life, education and career:...
. Current senators for Pennsylvania are Democrat Bob Casey, Jr.
Bob Casey, Jr.
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in...
and Republican Pat Toomey
Pat Toomey
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Toomey, Sr. is the junior United States Senator for Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Toomey served as a U.S. Representative for three terms, but did not seek a fourth in compliance with a pledge he had made while running for office in 1998...
.
Notable residents include local artist Diana Moretti (1950–Present) and Linton Park (1826–1906).