New Castle, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, 50 miles (80.5 km) northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just 18 miles (29 km) east of Youngstown, Ohio
; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the 2000 census, and continues to decline with a Census Bureau estimate of 24,060 for 2009. It is the county seat
of Lawrence County
. New Castle is the principal city of the New Castle micropolitan area
and a part of the Pittsburgh-New Castle Combined Statistical Area
, which is the 18th largest in the United States
. It is the commercial center of a fertile agricultural region.
. He discovered that the original survey had neglected to stake out approximately 50 acres (202,343 m²) at the confluence of the Shenango River
and the Neshannock Creek, at that time a part of Allegheny County. Claiming the land for himself, he laid out what was to become the town of New Castle. Stewart laid out the town of New Castle in April of 1798. It comprised approximately 50 acres (202,343 m²), in what was then part of Allegheny County. New Castle became a borough in 1825, having a population of about 300. The city later became a part of Mercer County. On April 5, 1849 the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania signed an act creating Lawrence County named in honor of U.S. Navy Captain James Lawrence
. New Castle became a city in 1869 and was headed by its first Mayor, Thomas B. Morgan. At that time, the population had increased to about 6,000.
In 1849, a group of Old Order Amish by families from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
settled just north of New Castle in New Wilmington. Later migrations from Holmes County, Ohio
would make this Amish community one of the largest in Pennsylvania. Approximately 2,000 Amish live and work presently in the townships north of New Castle.
Business in New Castle began to flourish in the early 19th century with the construction of the canal system, which made its way through the city. Numerous manufacturing plants became located in New Castle because of the availability of transportation facilities and ready access to raw material markets. The canal system was later supplemented and then replaced by the railroad system which offered greater speed and capacity for freight, as well as year round service.
In the 1870s, the city became a major hub of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
. New Castle's population swelled from 11,600 in 1890 to 28,339 in 1900, and to 38,280 in 1910, as immigrants flocked to the city to work in the mills and nearby limestone quarries, particularly from Italy. Italian laborers of the era were frequent victims of the Black Hand society, which employed blackmail and extortion to rob the workers of their pay. In 1907 the headquarters of the Black Hand for the entire region was discovered in the village of Hillville a few miles west of New Castle. By this time New Castle was one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and with the construction of the largest tin plate mill in America, the city became the tin plate capital of the world. The tin plate industry marked a new increase the city's prosperity.
In 1908 New Castle was linked to Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway
, an interurban
trolley line. Steel and paper mills, foundries, a bronze bushing factory, and car-construction plants contributed to the economy. In addition, the Shenango China produced commercial china and created fine china for the White House, including dinnerware for Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower
and Lyndon B. Johnson
. Other ceramic factories produced bathroom fixtures and industrial refractory materials.
In the 1920s, New Castle enjoyed its greatest prosperity. The landscape of the city was transformed with the building of many beautiful structures, some of which still stand, such as The Cathedral, St. Mary's Church, and the Castleton Hotel. The city also established its identity. New Castle is known both as the "hot dog capital of the world" and the "fireworks capital of America." Its chili dogs are the product of Greek immigrants who came to New Castle in the early 20th century and established restaurants along with their homes. The notoriety for fireworks is credited to two local fireworks companies of international stature, S.Vitale Pyrotechnic Industries, Inc. (Pyrotecnico) and Zambelli Internationale.
In the 1930s the city, along with most cities of America, suffered tremendously during the Great Depression. As many businesses closed, members of the community lost their jobs and homes. During this trying time, the federal government established the Works Project Program (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). These programs offered jobs to many displaced workers. Many of the stone walls built by the WPA and the CCC still stand as a reminder of the historic demise of our economy.
During World Wars I and II, and the Korean War, industry enjoyed a temporary reprieve. In 1950, the population peaked at 48,834, but rapidly dwindled with the fall of the industrial age to 28,334 by 1990. The present population is about the same. New Castle is the County Seat of Lawrence County which has a population of approximately 100,000.
In 1998, the City of New Castle was a host city for the History Channel Great Race. Over 15,000 spectators gathered downtown for the festivities. The city also proudly celebrated its 200th birthday in 1998 with a downtown fireworks festival that attracted over 30,000 people.
Despite recent economic challenges, the city continues to serve as the headquarters of Pyrotecnico
Fireworks, the winner of the 2008 Gold Jupiter, awarded at the world’s most prestigious fireworks venue: LaRonde in Montreal, Canada. Started by Constantino Vitale in Italy in 1889, Constantino immigrated to New Castle continuing his business there in the 1920s. Five generations of the Vitale family have transformed the company. In the 1990s the company's name was changed to Pyrotecnico and has grown to be a world leader in the industry. Also located in New Castle is Zambelli Fireworks
, which was founded in New Castle. Zambelli Fireworks
is one of the world's leading fireworks
and pyrotechnics
companies. These fireworks companies have been featured in venues such as presidential celebrations and Super Bowls. Pyrotecnico and Zambelli Fireworks have changed the face of the fireworks industry. This has gained the city the highly-earned nickname, "Fireworks Capital of America." New Castle has recently opened Zambelli Plaza (actually a park with a light-up fireworks display) catty-corner from the Cascade Center
in 2007 in honor of the Zambelli family's accomplishments.
Over the past 40 years, New Castle has been transformed from its primary reliance on industry to a well balanced economic base consisting of manufacturing, retail, and service related business establishments. Many buildings and old stately homes are being restored by developers and families.
The Lawrence County Historical Society, chartered in 1938, has its purpose to preserve the history of Lawrence County and to educate the public. The historical society is located in the elegant 19 room Joseph A. Clavelli mansion, which overlooks the City of New Castle. Several exhibits are displayed for public view in the mansion.
at the mouth of Neshannock Creek.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²), of which, 8.5 square miles (22 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.47%) is water.
of 2000, there were 26,309 people, 10,727 households, and 6,725 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,082.0 people per square mile (1,189.5/km²). There were 11,709 housing units at an average density of 1,371.6 per square mile (529.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.77% White, 20.79% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races
, and 1.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population. 33.4% were of Italian, 15.0% German
, 8.1% Irish
and 5.9% Polish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,727 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples
living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,598, and the median income for a family was $32,539. Males had a median income of $30,112 versus $20,754 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,730. About 17.1% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.8% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
. (see below) The downtown streets and sidewalks were completely rebuilt in the early 21st century to resemble the style at the turn of the 19th century, and local businesses are beginning to move into the downtown
area. The revitalization of downtown also saw two major routes into the city, Pennsylvania Route 65
and U.S. Route 224
, which have both had their terminus extended into downtown since the start of 2007.
InfoCision
, a telemarketing
services company, restored the old New Castle Dry Goods Co. building, where it moved its offices into from the Cascade Galleria. The building had been vacant since the late 1980s when the Troutman's department store
closed and became registered on the National Register of Historic Places
. The building is now known as the Pier I Complex Building.
The downtown area has also become the home of several bank
offices, hosting the regional headquarters of Huntington
, FirstMerit
, and First Commonwealth
(all descended from banks formerly based in the city but later acquired) as well as branches for PNC Bank
and First National Bank
. Mellon Bank also had offices across the street from the current Zambelli Plaza before selling off its New Castle-area branches to First National Bank, which closed the office building since it already had the aforementioned branch in downtown. Mellon's former parking lot
was restored and is now the parking lot for the Cascade Center and other downtown businesses. Although the downtown has grown, many buildings and houses within the city limits are still abandoned.
The revitalization of downtown has improved economic activity. While most shopping malls have actually seen an increase in tenants in the past couple of years, many of them had seen several empty storefronts from the late 1990s until very recently. For instance, Lawrence Village Plaza, a 300000 sq ft (27,870.9 m²) shopping center in Shenango Township
, struggled to place a supermarket
in after Sparkle closed in the late 1990s, though it still is home to a Kmart
that is not officially part of the plaza. Dunham's Sports
, Aaron's, and a Do It Best
hardware store currently serve the plaza as anchor store
s.
The Cascade Galleria, a more conventional mall
located within the city near downtown, once home to Sears
and G. C. Murphy
, faced market
competition
in the mid-1990s when Wal-Mart
opened its first supercenter
in Pennsylvania
in 1995 in Union Township
west of the city. (Previously, Wal-Mart only operated standard discount stores in Pennsylvania.) Shortly after Wal-Mart opened, Sears moved across U.S. Route 224
from Wal-Mart while Lowe's
, Hills
, and Peebles
all opened up locations in the area. Meanwhile McCrory Stores
(owner of the G. C. Murphy brand) closed all of the company's stores by 2001, though the New Castle G. C. Murphy closed shortly after Wal-Mart opened.
AT&T
has offices in the former G. C. Murphy side of the mall, while the former Sears portion has been subdivided into several other service-related businesses as well as a Family Dollar
location and a Revol Wireless store. The United States Postal Service
, in fact, currently uses the former Sears Auto Center building as a service garage for its mail trucks, while the Post Office itself has a branch inside the main portion of the mall, which it moved into after the loss of its two anchors. Hills later became Ames, which also closed its doors, and the building remains vacant. Peebles closed and is now Tractor Supply Company
. Around the same time Tractor Supply Company opened, though, Peebles later reopened in another location in Neshannock Township
in parts of the former Kmart
section of the Field Club Commons plaza after Kmart reduced itself to one location in the New Castle area after it filed for chapter 11
bankruptcy
in 2002, with Tuesday Morning
taking up the other half.
, with several areas also served by their respective school district
s. New Castle Area, or "Ne Ca Hi" as it is called by locals, also serves nearby West Pittsburgh. The Lawrence County Career and Technical Center is also located in the city.
facilities: the New Castle Beauty School for cosmetology
students in downtown, the New Castle School of Trades
for technical trades in Pulaski Township
, the Jameson School of Nursing (owned & operated by Jameson Health System) within the city, and the Lawrence County branch of Butler County Community College
, which opened in 2008 in Union Township and serves as a de-facto community college
to Lawrence County, which doesn't have its own community college. The city is a short drive from the main BC3 campus in Butler
as well as the Community College of Beaver County
in Center Township
.
Among more traditional four-year universities
within short driving distance includes Geneva College
in Beaver Falls
, Grove City College
in Grove City
, Slippery Rock University
in Slippery Rock
, Westminster College
in New Wilmington
, and Youngstown State University
in Youngstown just outside of downtown
. Penn State
also has two branches within driving distance: the Beaver campus
in Monaca
and the Shenango campus
in Sharon
.
service to patrons around the city and makes three daily trips to Pittsburgh.
Among local routes, Interstate 376
, Pennsylvania Route 18
, and U.S. Route 422
are the major routes running through the city, while two more major routes — Pennsylvania Route 65
and U.S. Route 224
— both terminate in the city. Pennsylvania Route 108
and Pennsylvania Route 168
also run through the city. U.S. 422 Business, a former alignment of U.S. 422, runs through the city, ending on each side of the city when the main 422 leaves the New Castle Bypass. I-376 and U.S. 422 are briefly concurrent
with each other on the New Castle Bypass, though south of New Castle until Chippewa Township
near Beaver Falls
, I-376 is tolled
by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
. The area is located a short drive from Interstate 79
, Interstate 80
, and Interstate 76
/Pennsylvania Turnpike
.
The closest airport
is the New Castle Municipal Airport which is a purely municipal airport with no commercial service. Most residents of New Castle use Pittsburgh International Airport
which is about 42 miles (67.6 km) from downtown. Also, Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport
, Akron-Canton Airport, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
are all within driving distance of the city center.
, a newspaper
published in the afternoon
Monday-Friday. On the weekends, the paper publishes the New Castle News Weekend, which is published on Saturday mornings and serves the entire weekend, giving the coupons normally seen in Sunday newspapers a day early since the paper doesn't publish on Sundays. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
, and The Vindicator
also have large distributions in the area.
The area is served by both the Pittsburgh and Youngstown television
stations, with regular news coverage in the area from both. Despite being considerably closer to Youngstown, New Castle is part of the Pittsburgh DMA by Nielsen Media Research
. It is, however, part of the Youngstown radio
market according to Arbitron
ratings, even though most Pittsburgh-area radio stations can easily be heard within the area.
New Castle was home to the first ABC
television affiliate in Western Pennsylvania
when WKST-TV signed on in 1953, as WTAE-TV
in Pittsburgh didn't sign on until 1958 and WJET-TV
didn't sign on in Erie
until 1966. The station moved its license to Youngstown in 1964, moved to channel 33, and changed its call sign
to WYTV
. WYTV remains an ABC affiliate today, while the channel 45 allocation is now used by PBS
member station WNEO
in Alliance, Ohio
. Currently, the only TV station in New Castle is WPCP-LP 56, a low-powered
satellite station of Pittsburgh low-powered independent station WBGN-LP
, although it is currently off-air due to the channel 56 allocation needing to be freed up and is expected to be back on the air in digital
on channel 27. WPXI
did recently apply to the FCC
for a repeater station on channel 33 in the city.
As far as radio goes, New Castle is home to two AM stations: talk
station WKST
1200 and sports talk station WJST
AM 1280, the latter being a Fox Sports Radio
affiliate. On the FM side of the dial, WKPL
FM 92.1, an oldies
station, was licensed in New Castle before its license was moved to Ellwood City
in 2004, though it still includes New Castle as one of its local communities as part of its FCC
-mandated station identification
. The AM stations are owned by Altoona
-based Forever Broadcasting, LLC while WKPL is owned by Froggy
parent Keymarket Communications of Pittsburgh.
The city was the site of an important development in the history of Warner Bros.
studios, given that the first Warner Bros. theater, the Cascade, opened there in 1907. (The Warners, most of whom were Polish
Jewish immigrants, resided in Youngstown.) The theater was restored and reopened in 2006. The building was nearly condemned
ten years earlier after a wall
fell on the sidewalk
near East Washington Street (one of the city's main thoroughfares) before its historical significance was discovered, saving the building. Municipal officials have planned recent revitalization efforts
around the former theater, which is now known as Cascade Center
. The facility currently features two restaurants and a local stage theater, and plans are in progress to turn the complex into New Castle's version of Station Square
in Pittsburgh. This revitalization plan, however, will focus on motion pictures
rather than train
s.
The Cascade Center itself is named after Cascade Park, located on the outskirts of the city's East Side in Shenango Township
along Pennsylvania Route 65
. A former trolley park
, it was restored and converted into a regular outdoor park
in the 1980s with a few historical buildings as well as the park's entrance sign restored, avoiding the fate of nearby Idora Park
in Youngstown. The park hosts the annual Back to the 50s Weekend classic car
show, and previously hosted the similarly themed Thunder in the Cascades motorcycle
show until concerns about nudity
and alcohol
use at the event as opposed to the more family
-friendly Back to the 50's Weekend had the event moved to the Lawrence County Fairgrounds in nearby Hickory Township
in the early 21st century.
The New Castle Playhouse, a community theatre
, is located along Long Avenue and puts on several shows a year, and is one of the only such theatres between Youngstown and theatre-rich Pittsburgh.
The Old Princeton School
, located nearby, has been the venue for rock concerts.
New Castle is also a short drive from McConnells Mill State Park
in Slippery Rock Township
and neighboring Moraine State Park
in Muddy Creek Township
in Butler County
.
In the 2011 movie, Super 8, New Castle, Pennsylvania is referenced as the "fireworks capital of the world."
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....
, 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...
, 50 miles (80.5 km) northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just 18 miles (29 km) east of Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the 2000 census, and continues to decline with a Census Bureau estimate of 24,060 for 2009. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lawrence County
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....
. New Castle is the principal city of the New Castle micropolitan area
United States micropolitan area
United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003...
and a part of the Pittsburgh-New Castle Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
, which is the 18th largest in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the commercial center of a fertile agricultural region.
History
In 1798, John Carlysle Stewart, a civil engineer, traveled to western Pennsylvania to resurvey the "donation lands" resurveyed lands, which had been reserved for veterans of the Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He discovered that the original survey had neglected to stake out approximately 50 acres (202,343 m²) at the confluence of the Shenango River
Shenango River
The Shenango River is a principal tributary of the Beaver River, approximately 100 mi long, in western Pennsylvania in the United States. It also briefly flows through small portions of northeastern Ohio...
and the Neshannock Creek, at that time a part of Allegheny County. Claiming the land for himself, he laid out what was to become the town of New Castle. Stewart laid out the town of New Castle in April of 1798. It comprised approximately 50 acres (202,343 m²), in what was then part of Allegheny County. New Castle became a borough in 1825, having a population of about 300. The city later became a part of Mercer County. On April 5, 1849 the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania signed an act creating Lawrence County named in honor of U.S. Navy Captain James Lawrence
James Lawrence
James Lawrence was an American naval officer. During the War of 1812, he commanded the USS Chesapeake in a single-ship action against HMS Shannon...
. New Castle became a city in 1869 and was headed by its first Mayor, Thomas B. Morgan. At that time, the population had increased to about 6,000.
In 1849, a group of Old Order Amish by families from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
settled just north of New Castle in New Wilmington. Later migrations from Holmes County, Ohio
Holmes County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,943 people, 11,337 households, and 9,194 families residing in the county. The population density was 92 people per square mile . There were 12,280 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
would make this Amish community one of the largest in Pennsylvania. Approximately 2,000 Amish live and work presently in the townships north of New Castle.
Business in New Castle began to flourish in the early 19th century with the construction of the canal system, which made its way through the city. Numerous manufacturing plants became located in New Castle because of the availability of transportation facilities and ready access to raw material markets. The canal system was later supplemented and then replaced by the railroad system which offered greater speed and capacity for freight, as well as year round service.
In the 1870s, the city became a major hub of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad , also known as the "Little Giant", was formed on May 11, 1875. Company headquarters were located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The line connected Pittsburgh in the east with Youngstown, Ohio at nearby Haselton, Ohio in the west and Connellsville, ...
. New Castle's population swelled from 11,600 in 1890 to 28,339 in 1900, and to 38,280 in 1910, as immigrants flocked to the city to work in the mills and nearby limestone quarries, particularly from Italy. Italian laborers of the era were frequent victims of the Black Hand society, which employed blackmail and extortion to rob the workers of their pay. In 1907 the headquarters of the Black Hand for the entire region was discovered in the village of Hillville a few miles west of New Castle. By this time New Castle was one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and with the construction of the largest tin plate mill in America, the city became the tin plate capital of the world. The tin plate industry marked a new increase the city's prosperity.
In 1908 New Castle was linked to Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway
Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway
The Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway, commonly called the Harmony Line, was a broad gauge interurban streetcar line connecting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States to Butler and New Castle via Harmony and a split at Evans City...
, an interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
trolley line. Steel and paper mills, foundries, a bronze bushing factory, and car-construction plants contributed to the economy. In addition, the Shenango China produced commercial china and created fine china for the White House, including dinnerware for Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
. Other ceramic factories produced bathroom fixtures and industrial refractory materials.
In the 1920s, New Castle enjoyed its greatest prosperity. The landscape of the city was transformed with the building of many beautiful structures, some of which still stand, such as The Cathedral, St. Mary's Church, and the Castleton Hotel. The city also established its identity. New Castle is known both as the "hot dog capital of the world" and the "fireworks capital of America." Its chili dogs are the product of Greek immigrants who came to New Castle in the early 20th century and established restaurants along with their homes. The notoriety for fireworks is credited to two local fireworks companies of international stature, S.Vitale Pyrotechnic Industries, Inc. (Pyrotecnico) and Zambelli Internationale.
In the 1930s the city, along with most cities of America, suffered tremendously during the Great Depression. As many businesses closed, members of the community lost their jobs and homes. During this trying time, the federal government established the Works Project Program (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). These programs offered jobs to many displaced workers. Many of the stone walls built by the WPA and the CCC still stand as a reminder of the historic demise of our economy.
During World Wars I and II, and the Korean War, industry enjoyed a temporary reprieve. In 1950, the population peaked at 48,834, but rapidly dwindled with the fall of the industrial age to 28,334 by 1990. The present population is about the same. New Castle is the County Seat of Lawrence County which has a population of approximately 100,000.
In 1998, the City of New Castle was a host city for the History Channel Great Race. Over 15,000 spectators gathered downtown for the festivities. The city also proudly celebrated its 200th birthday in 1998 with a downtown fireworks festival that attracted over 30,000 people.
Despite recent economic challenges, the city continues to serve as the headquarters of Pyrotecnico
Pyrotecnico
Pyrotecnico is a professional fireworks company based in New Castle, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1889 by Constantino Vitale. They currently operate nationwide with over 1,000 technicians throughout the U.S. with six primary offices located in New Castle, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Montgomery,...
Fireworks, the winner of the 2008 Gold Jupiter, awarded at the world’s most prestigious fireworks venue: LaRonde in Montreal, Canada. Started by Constantino Vitale in Italy in 1889, Constantino immigrated to New Castle continuing his business there in the 1920s. Five generations of the Vitale family have transformed the company. In the 1990s the company's name was changed to Pyrotecnico and has grown to be a world leader in the industry. Also located in New Castle is Zambelli Fireworks
Zambelli Fireworks
Zambelli Fireworks is a fireworks company based in New Castle, Pennsylvania, part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Zambelli has produced shows that have been televised on "MSNBC Investigates", the Odyssey Network, the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, The National Geographic Channel and...
, which was founded in New Castle. Zambelli Fireworks
Zambelli Fireworks
Zambelli Fireworks is a fireworks company based in New Castle, Pennsylvania, part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Zambelli has produced shows that have been televised on "MSNBC Investigates", the Odyssey Network, the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, The National Geographic Channel and...
is one of the world's leading fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
and pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
companies. These fireworks companies have been featured in venues such as presidential celebrations and Super Bowls. Pyrotecnico and Zambelli Fireworks have changed the face of the fireworks industry. This has gained the city the highly-earned nickname, "Fireworks Capital of America." New Castle has recently opened Zambelli Plaza (actually a park with a light-up fireworks display) catty-corner from the Cascade Center
Cascade Center
The Cascade Center at the Riverplex is an indoor and outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex located in downtown New Castle, Pennsylvania, which opened in 2006. Much of the complex sits on the former site of the Cascade, the first movie theater of the Warner Bros., hence the name. The...
in 2007 in honor of the Zambelli family's accomplishments.
Over the past 40 years, New Castle has been transformed from its primary reliance on industry to a well balanced economic base consisting of manufacturing, retail, and service related business establishments. Many buildings and old stately homes are being restored by developers and families.
The Lawrence County Historical Society, chartered in 1938, has its purpose to preserve the history of Lawrence County and to educate the public. The historical society is located in the elegant 19 room Joseph A. Clavelli mansion, which overlooks the City of New Castle. Several exhibits are displayed for public view in the mansion.
Geography
New Castle is located at 40°58′50"N 80°20′40"W (40.997325, -80.344556), along the Shenango RiverShenango River
The Shenango River is a principal tributary of the Beaver River, approximately 100 mi long, in western Pennsylvania in the United States. It also briefly flows through small portions of northeastern Ohio...
at the mouth of Neshannock Creek.
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 city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²), of which, 8.5 square miles (22 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.47%) 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 26,309 people, 10,727 households, and 6,725 families residing in the city. 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 3,082.0 people per square mile (1,189.5/km²). There were 11,709 housing units at an average density of 1,371.6 per square mile (529.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.77% White, 20.79% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.30% 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 1.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population. 33.4% were of Italian, 15.0% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 8.1% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 5.9% Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,727 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% 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, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,598, and the median income for a family was $32,539. Males had a median income of $30,112 versus $20,754 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 city was $13,730. About 17.1% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.8% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Downtown New Castle is currently undergoing a redevelopment centered around the Cascade CenterCascade Center
The Cascade Center at the Riverplex is an indoor and outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex located in downtown New Castle, Pennsylvania, which opened in 2006. Much of the complex sits on the former site of the Cascade, the first movie theater of the Warner Bros., hence the name. The...
. (see below) The downtown streets and sidewalks were completely rebuilt in the early 21st century to resemble the style at the turn of the 19th century, and local businesses are beginning to move into the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
area. The revitalization of downtown also saw two major routes into the city, Pennsylvania Route 65
Pennsylvania Route 65
Pennsylvania Route 65 is a major state highway located in western Pennsylvania, United States. The route, traveling north–south from the Interstate 279/U.S...
and U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224 is a spur of U.S. Route 24. It currently runs for 289 miles from New Castle, Pennsylvania at Pennsylvania Route 18 to Huntington, Indiana at U.S. Route 24. It passes through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana...
, which have both had their terminus extended into downtown since the start of 2007.
InfoCision
InfoCision Management Corporation
InfoCision Management Corporation is a Bath Township, Ohio based company that operates call centers. The second-largest teleservice company in the United States, the firm operates 30 call centers at 12 locations throughout Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania where it employs more than 4,000 people...
, a telemarketing
Telemarketing
Telemarketing is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled during the call.Telemarketing can also include recorded sales pitches...
services company, restored the old New Castle Dry Goods Co. building, where it moved its offices into from the Cascade Galleria. The building had been vacant since the late 1980s when the Troutman's department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
closed and became registered on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The building is now known as the Pier I Complex Building.
The downtown area has also become the home of several bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
offices, hosting the regional headquarters of Huntington
Huntington Bancshares
Huntington Bancshares, Inc., is a US$53 billion Midwestern bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It is the 24th largest American bank. As of October 22, 2008, it was listed on the S&P 500...
, FirstMerit
FirstMerit Corp.
FirstMerit Corporation is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with assets of $14.3 billion USD as of June 30, 2011 and 207 banking offices and 213 ATMs in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and the Chicago area. FirstMerit Corporation provides a complete range of banking...
, and First Commonwealth
First Commonwealth Bank
First Commonwealth Financial Corporation is a financial services company based in Indiana, Pennsylvania, primarily serving the Western and the Central Pennsylvania regions....
(all descended from banks formerly based in the city but later acquired) as well as branches for PNC Bank
PNC Financial Services
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial services corporation, with assets of approximately $264.3 billion...
and First National Bank
FNB Corporation
FNB Corporation is a financial services corporation based in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, which operates banks under the name First National Bank in Ohio and Pennsylvania....
. Mellon Bank also had offices across the street from the current Zambelli Plaza before selling off its New Castle-area branches to First National Bank, which closed the office building since it already had the aforementioned branch in downtown. Mellon's former parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
was restored and is now the parking lot for the Cascade Center and other downtown businesses. Although the downtown has grown, many buildings and houses within the city limits are still abandoned.
Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Shenango Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,633 at the 2000 census. Shenango Township is situated between the cities of New Castle, Pennsylvania , and Ellwood City, Pennsylvania .-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the...
, struggled to place a supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
in after Sparkle closed in the late 1990s, though it still is home to a Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
that is not officially part of the plaza. Dunham's Sports
Dunham's Sports
Dunham's Sports is a regional sporting goods superstore chain owned by Dunham's Athleisure Corporation, with stores located in the Midwestern United States. The chain specializes in athletic equipment, clothing, and other sports-related items...
, Aaron's, and a Do It Best
Do It Best
Do It Best Corp. is a hardware store retailers' cooperative. It was founded as Hardware Wholesalers, Inc in 1945 in Fort Wayne, Indiana by Arnold H. Gerberding along with 75 dealers who would become members and invest $1,000 in exchange for shares of stock in the company. Donald Wolf was CEO...
hardware store currently serve the plaza as anchor store
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
s.
The Cascade Galleria, a more conventional mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
located within the city near downtown, once home to Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
and G. C. Murphy
G. C. Murphy
G.C. Murphy is a defunct chain of five and dime or variety stores in the United States.- Origins of chain :The chain was founded in 1906 in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, by George Clinton Murphy. Murphy had gotten his start in retail as a manager of a McCrory's store in 1896...
, faced market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
competition
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
in the mid-1990s when Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
opened its first supercenter
Hypermarket
In commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and general merchandise...
in 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...
in 1995 in Union Township
Union Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,103 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 9.7 square miles , of which, 9.6 square miles of it is land and...
west of the city. (Previously, Wal-Mart only operated standard discount stores in Pennsylvania.) Shortly after Wal-Mart opened, Sears moved across U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224 is a spur of U.S. Route 24. It currently runs for 289 miles from New Castle, Pennsylvania at Pennsylvania Route 18 to Huntington, Indiana at U.S. Route 24. It passes through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana...
from Wal-Mart while Lowe's
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
, Hills
Hills Department Stores
Hills Department Store was a Canton, Massachusetts, based discount department store chain. It was founded in 1957 in Youngstown, Ohio, and existed until 1999 when it was acquired by Ames. Most stores were located in Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, though the company had...
, and Peebles
Peebles (store)
Peebles is a department store chain in the eastern and upper-midwestern United States. It is owned by Stage Stores, which also operates under the Bealls, Palais Royal and Stage banners...
all opened up locations in the area. Meanwhile McCrory Stores
McCrory Stores
J.G. McCrory's or McCrory Stores was a chain of five and dime stores in the United States based in York, Pennsylvania. The stores typically sold shoes, clothing, housewares, fabrics, penny candy, toys, cosmetics, and often included a lunch counter or snack bar...
(owner of the G. C. Murphy brand) closed all of the company's stores by 2001, though the New Castle G. C. Murphy closed shortly after Wal-Mart opened.
AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
has offices in the former G. C. Murphy side of the mall, while the former Sears portion has been subdivided into several other service-related businesses as well as a Family Dollar
Family Dollar
Family Dollar is a regional chain of variety stores in the United States. It opened in 1959 and operates approximately 6,617 stores in 44 states and the District of Columbia. It is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina....
location and a Revol Wireless store. The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
, in fact, currently uses the former Sears Auto Center building as a service garage for its mail trucks, while the Post Office itself has a branch inside the main portion of the mall, which it moved into after the loss of its two anchors. Hills later became Ames, which also closed its doors, and the building remains vacant. Peebles closed and is now Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company
Tractor Supply Company is a large retail chain of stores that offers a number of products for home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden maintenance, and livestock, equine and pet care. It is a leading U.S. retailer in its market.Founded as a mail order tractor parts business in 1938, the...
. Around the same time Tractor Supply Company opened, though, Peebles later reopened in another location in Neshannock Township
Neshannock Township, Pennsylvania
Neshannock Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 9,216 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 17.4 square miles , of which, 17.3 square miles of it is land and...
in parts of the former Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
section of the Field Club Commons plaza after Kmart reduced itself to one location in the New Castle area after it filed for chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 2002, with Tuesday Morning
Tuesday Morning
Tuesday Morning is a discount gift and home accessory chain with its headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Founded in 1974, the chain is known for its deep discounts on gifts and accessories seen in more upscale department stores...
taking up the other half.
Public schools
The city itself is served by the New Castle Area School DistrictNew Castle Area School District
New Castle Area School District is a public school district located in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The district serves the city of New Castle, plus South New Castle, and Taylor Township. Schools include Croton Pre-Kindergarten, Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten, Thaddeus Stevens Primary, West Side...
, with several areas also served by their respective school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s. New Castle Area, or "Ne Ca Hi" as it is called by locals, also serves nearby West Pittsburgh. The Lawrence County Career and Technical Center is also located in the city.
Post-secondary education
New Castle proper is primarily served by four post-secondary educationTertiary education
Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school...
facilities: the New Castle Beauty School for cosmetology
Cosmetology
Cosmetology is the study and application of beauty treatment. Branches of specialty including hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/pedicures, and electrology....
students in downtown, the New Castle School of Trades
New Castle School of Trades
New Castle School of Trades was founded in 1945 as a technical trades school in Pulaski, Pennsylvania. New Castle School of Trades is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. NCST accepts students from Ohio and Pennsylvania and has provided hands-on...
for technical trades in Pulaski Township
Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Pulaski Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,658 at the 2000 census.- Geography :...
, the Jameson School of Nursing (owned & operated by Jameson Health System) within the city, and the Lawrence County branch of Butler County Community College
Butler County Community College (Pennsylvania)
Butler County Community College is located in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Its motto is "The Smart Place to Start," referring to the large number of students who attend two years before transferring to other colleges.The college also offers courses in Cranberry Township, as well...
, which opened in 2008 in Union Township and serves as a de-facto community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
to Lawrence County, which doesn't have its own community college. The city is a short drive from the main BC3 campus in Butler
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
as well as the Community College of Beaver County
Community College of Beaver County
The Community College of Beaver County is a community college located in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The school includes approximately 3,000 students from in and around Beaver County. While CCBC is a community college and only offers two-year degrees and various certification courses, CCBC is...
in Center Township
Center Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania
Center Township is a township in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States.Center Township is a rapidly growing community located approximately northwest of Pittsburgh...
.
Among more traditional four-year universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
within short driving distance includes Geneva College
Geneva College
Geneva College is a Christian liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, north of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1848, in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in...
in Beaver Falls
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,987 at the 2010 census. It is located 31 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, and on the Beaver River, six miles from its confluence with the Ohio River...
, Grove City College
Grove City College
Grove City College is a Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, about north of Pittsburgh. According to the College Bulletin, its stated three-fold mission is to provide an excellent education at an affordable price in a thoroughly Christian environment...
in Grove City
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Grove City is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, approximately north of Pittsburgh. It is the home of Grove City College, a private conservative Christian liberal arts college; General Electric; Instron; USIS; George G. Howe Co.; and a number of small businesses. It is also the home to...
, Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public, master's-level university that offers some doctoral programs in cooperation with Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Both institutions are members of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education...
in Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,068 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.-Geography:Slippery Rock is located at ....
, Westminster College
Westminster College, Pennsylvania
Westminster College is a liberal arts college located in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1852, it is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church...
in New Wilmington
New Wilmington, Pennsylvania
New Wilmington is a borough in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, first platted in 1824 and established as a borough on April 9, 1873. The population was 2,452 at the 2000 census...
, and Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
in Youngstown just outside of downtown
Downtown Youngstown
Downtown Youngstown is the traditional center of the city of Youngstown, Ohio, United States. After decades of precipitous decline, the downtown area shows signs of renewal...
. Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
also has two branches within driving distance: the Beaver campus
Penn State Beaver
Penn State Beaver is a commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Monaca, PA in Center Township, PA-Campus History:The land where the campus now exists was once a farm owned by the Hartenbach family. The family home still stands today and faces Brodhead Road...
in Monaca
Monaca, Pennsylvania
Monaca is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States along the Ohio River, northwest of Pittsburgh. Monaca was first incorporated as Phillipsburg in 1840, and had been known by that name since the 1820s. In 1892, the name of the borough was changed to Monaca in honor of the Native...
and the Shenango campus
Penn State Shenango
Penn State Shenango is a Commonwealth Campus of the Pennsylvania State University, located on a campus in downtown Sharon, Pennsylvania. Penn State Shenango has the distinction of being the only urban campus in the Penn State system, although some parts of Penn State Altoona that are located in...
in Sharon
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, northwest of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
.
St.Vitus School
This is a unique school because it is the only Catholic school left in the town. The school consists of roughly 150 children and the amount of students continues to drop almost every year. The school was founded by Father DeMita in the early 20th century and is funded by St. Vitus Church. The school has many extra curricular activites, such as a basketball team, track team, and also stage productions. It also serves as host for an old style Italian festival every summer.Transportation
New Castle has public transportation in the form of the New Castle Transit Authority, which provides busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service to patrons around the city and makes three daily trips to Pittsburgh.
Among local routes, Interstate 376
Interstate 376
Interstate 376 is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, located entirely within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville, after having crossed the Turnpike...
, Pennsylvania Route 18
Pennsylvania Route 18
Pennsylvania Route 18 is a major north–south highway in Western Pennsylvania whose southern terminus is at the West Virginia state line in Greene County, Pennsylvania near the village of Garrison, while the northern terminus is at PA Route 5 in Lake City, Pennsylvania...
, and U.S. Route 422
U.S. Route 422
U.S. Route 422 is a long spur route of US 22 split into two segments in the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The western spur begins in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and ends at Ebensburg, Pennsylvania...
are the major routes running through the city, while two more major routes — Pennsylvania Route 65
Pennsylvania Route 65
Pennsylvania Route 65 is a major state highway located in western Pennsylvania, United States. The route, traveling north–south from the Interstate 279/U.S...
and U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224 is a spur of U.S. Route 24. It currently runs for 289 miles from New Castle, Pennsylvania at Pennsylvania Route 18 to Huntington, Indiana at U.S. Route 24. It passes through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana...
— both terminate in the city. Pennsylvania Route 108
Pennsylvania Route 108
Pennsylvania Route 108 is a highway in Western Pennsylvania that runs for from the Ohio state line near SNPJ to Pennsylvania Route 8 in Adams Corner. PA 108 intersects US Route 422 in New Castle and US Route 19 near Harlansburg...
and Pennsylvania Route 168
Pennsylvania Route 168
Pennsylvania Route 168 is a highway in Western Pennsylvania that runs for from Pennsylvania Route 18 in Frankfort Springs to Pennsylvania Route 208 in Volant...
also run through the city. U.S. 422 Business, a former alignment of U.S. 422, runs through the city, ending on each side of the city when the main 422 leaves the New Castle Bypass. I-376 and U.S. 422 are briefly concurrent
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with each other on the New Castle Bypass, though south of New Castle until Chippewa Township
Chippewa Township, Pennsylvania
Chippewa Township is a township in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,021 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
near Beaver Falls
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,987 at the 2010 census. It is located 31 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, and on the Beaver River, six miles from its confluence with the Ohio River...
, I-376 is tolled
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The commission consists of five members. Four members are appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania. The fifth member is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation.In...
. The area is located a short drive from Interstate 79
Interstate 79
Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania...
, Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania
The transcontinental Interstate 80 is designated across northern Pennsylvania as the Keystone Shortway, officially the Z.H. Confair Memorial Highway. This route was built mainly along a completely new alignment, not paralleling any earlier U.S. Routes, as a shortcut to the tolled Pennsylvania...
, and Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
/Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
.
The closest airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
is the New Castle Municipal Airport which is a purely municipal airport with no commercial service. Most residents of New Castle use Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
which is about 42 miles (67.6 km) from downtown. Also, Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport
Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport
Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport is a public and military use airport in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. It is 10 nautical miles north of the central business district of Youngstown and east of Warren...
, Akron-Canton Airport, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is a public airport located nine miles southwest of the central business district of Cleveland, a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The airport lies just within the city limits of Cleveland...
are all within driving distance of the city center.
Media
The local community is served by the New Castle NewsNew Castle News
The New Castle News is a six-day daily newspaper published in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and covering Lawrence County. It is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc....
, a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in the afternoon
Afternoon
Afternoon is the time of day from noon to about 18:00.The term should not be confused with "after noon" , which is a translation of the Latin "post meridiem" as used in the 12-hour clock, meaning a time of day from noon to midnight.In Australia and New Zealand, the word "arvo" is a slang term for...
Monday-Friday. On the weekends, the paper publishes the New Castle News Weekend, which is published on Saturday mornings and serves the entire weekend, giving the coupons normally seen in Sunday newspapers a day early since the paper doesn't publish on Sundays. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, and The Vindicator
The Vindicator
The Vindicator, also known at times as The Youngstown Vindicator, is a daily newspaper serving Youngstown, Ohio and the Mahoning County Region as well as southern Trumbull County and northern Columbiana County. Founded in 1869, the newspaper currently has a circulation of 62,100 daily and 87,000...
also have large distributions in the area.
The area is served by both the Pittsburgh and Youngstown television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
stations, with regular news coverage in the area from both. Despite being considerably closer to Youngstown, New Castle is part of the Pittsburgh DMA by Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
. It is, however, part of the Youngstown radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
market according to Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings, even though most Pittsburgh-area radio stations can easily be heard within the area.
New Castle was home to the first ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television affiliate 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...
when WKST-TV signed on in 1953, as WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
in Pittsburgh didn't sign on until 1958 and WJET-TV
WJET-TV
WJET-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Pennsylvania's Northwest Region. Licensed to Erie, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 24 from a transmitter at its studios on US 19/Peach Street in Summit Township. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable...
didn't sign on in Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
until 1966. The station moved its license to Youngstown in 1964, moved to channel 33, and changed its call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
to WYTV
WYTV
WYTV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Mahoning Valley of Northeastern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania that is licensed to Youngstown. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 36 from a transmitter on Shady Run Road in Boardman Township...
. WYTV remains an ABC affiliate today, while the channel 45 allocation is now used by PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
member station WNEO
WNEO
WNEO and WEAO are Public Broadcasting Service member public television stations in northeastern Ohio, simulcasting together as Western Reserve PBS...
in Alliance, Ohio
Alliance, Ohio
Alliance is a city in Stark and Mahoning counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 22,322 at the 2010 census. Alliance's nickname is "The Carnation City", and the city is home to the University of Mount Union....
. Currently, the only TV station in New Castle is WPCP-LP 56, a low-powered
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
satellite station of Pittsburgh low-powered independent station WBGN-LP
WBGN-LP
WBGN-CD is a Class A television station located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by Bruno-Goodworth Network, Inc. WBGN-CD began broadcasting in 1995 on channel 59 with the call sign W59BT. WBGN simulcasts on nine Class A television stations that are strategically...
, although it is currently off-air due to the channel 56 allocation needing to be freed up and is expected to be back on the air in digital
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
on channel 27. WPXI
WPXI
WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the...
did recently apply to the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
for a repeater station on channel 33 in the city.
As far as radio goes, New Castle is home to two AM stations: talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
station WKST
WKST (AM)
WKST is an AM radio station in New Castle, Pennsylvania, USA broadcasting at 1200 kHz with a news/talk format. It is currently owned by Forever Broadcasting, LLC of Altoona, Pennsylvania which also owns 12 other radio stations in Pennsylvania including WJST in New Castle and WWGY in Grove City. ...
1200 and sports talk station WJST
WJST
WJST is a radio station broadcasting a sports radio format as a Fox Sports Radio affiliate. Licensed to New Castle, Pennsylvania, USA, it serves the Pittsburgh area...
AM 1280, the latter being a Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
affiliate. On the FM side of the dial, WKPL
WPKL
WPKL is a Classic Hits-formatted radio station licensed to Uniontown, Pennsylvania at 99.3 FM. WPKL's programming is simulcast on WKPL in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania at 92.1 FM...
FM 92.1, an oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
station, was licensed in New Castle before its license was moved to Ellwood City
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough in Beaver and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Ellwood City is 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and some 8 miles south by southeast of New Castle...
in 2004, though it still includes New Castle as one of its local communities as part of its FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
-mandated station identification
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
. The AM stations are owned by Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
-based Forever Broadcasting, LLC while WKPL is owned by Froggy
Froggy (brand)
Froggy is a brand name radio format used for a variety of radio stations in numerous broadcast markets in the United States, most of which are country music formatted stations, with a few playing adult contemporary. Froggy is a brand name radio format used for a variety of radio stations in...
parent Keymarket Communications of Pittsburgh.
Culture
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
studios, given that the first Warner Bros. theater, the Cascade, opened there in 1907. (The Warners, most of whom were Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
Jewish immigrants, resided in Youngstown.) The theater was restored and reopened in 2006. The building was nearly condemned
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
ten years earlier after a wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
fell on the sidewalk
Sidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
near East Washington Street (one of the city's main thoroughfares) before its historical significance was discovered, saving the building. Municipal officials have planned recent revitalization efforts
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
around the former theater, which is now known as Cascade Center
Cascade Center
The Cascade Center at the Riverplex is an indoor and outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex located in downtown New Castle, Pennsylvania, which opened in 2006. Much of the complex sits on the former site of the Cascade, the first movie theater of the Warner Bros., hence the name. The...
. The facility currently features two restaurants and a local stage theater, and plans are in progress to turn the complex into New Castle's version of Station Square
Station Square
Station Square is a indoor and outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex located in the South Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Pittsburgh. This revitalization plan, however, will focus on motion pictures
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
rather than train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s.
The Cascade Center itself is named after Cascade Park, located on the outskirts of the city's East Side in Shenango Township
Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Shenango Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,633 at the 2000 census. Shenango Township is situated between the cities of New Castle, Pennsylvania , and Ellwood City, Pennsylvania .-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the...
along Pennsylvania Route 65
Pennsylvania Route 65
Pennsylvania Route 65 is a major state highway located in western Pennsylvania, United States. The route, traveling north–south from the Interstate 279/U.S...
. A former trolley park
Trolley park
In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. These trolley parks were created by the streetcar companies to give people a...
, it was restored and converted into a regular outdoor park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in the 1980s with a few historical buildings as well as the park's entrance sign restored, avoiding the fate of nearby Idora Park
Idora Park, Youngstown
Idora Park was a northeastern Ohio amusement park popularly known as "Youngstown's Million Dollar Playground."Built by the Youngstown Park and Falls Street Railway Company, the park's expansion coincided with the growth of the South Side of Youngstown, Ohio, in the Fosterville neighborhood...
in Youngstown. The park hosts the annual Back to the 50s Weekend classic car
Classic car
A classic car is an older car; the exact meaning is variable. The Classic Car Club of America maintains that a car must be between 20 and 40 years old to be a classic, while cars over 45 years fall into the Antique Class.- Classic Car Club of America :...
show, and previously hosted the similarly themed Thunder in the Cascades motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
show until concerns about nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
and alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
use at the event as opposed to the more family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
-friendly Back to the 50's Weekend had the event moved to the Lawrence County Fairgrounds in nearby Hickory Township
Hickory Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Hickory Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,356 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
in the early 21st century.
The New Castle Playhouse, a community theatre
Community theatre
Community theatre refers to theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community...
, is located along Long Avenue and puts on several shows a year, and is one of the only such theatres between Youngstown and theatre-rich Pittsburgh.
The Old Princeton School
The Old Princeton School
The Old Princeton School is a former school building located in the Village of Princeton outside of New Castle, Pennsylvania. It was constructed in 1876, 35 years after the Village of Princeton was founded. The school has been operated as both a high school and an elementary school during its years...
, located nearby, has been the venue for rock concerts.
New Castle is also a short drive from McConnells Mill State Park
McConnells Mill State Park
McConnells Mill State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Perry and Slippery Rock Townships, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park features a deep scenic gorge with the restored watermill and a covered bridge at the bottom, accessible by a roadway that winds between large,...
in Slippery Rock Township
Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,179 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and neighboring Moraine State Park
Moraine State Park
Moraine State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Brady, Clay, Franklin, Muddy Creek, and Worth townships in Butler County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The main feature of the park is its man-made lake, Lake Arthur, formed by impounding Muddy Creek, which is and is used for...
in Muddy Creek Township
Muddy Creek Township, Pennsylvania
Muddy Creek Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,267 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.8 square miles , of which, 21.8 square miles of it is land and...
in Butler County
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...
.
In the 2011 movie, Super 8, New Castle, Pennsylvania is referenced as the "fireworks capital of the world."
Notable people
- Charlie BennettCharlie BennettCharles Wesley Bennett was a catcher in Major League Baseball.-Career overview:Born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Bennett played 15 seasons in the major leagues. He played in 1062 games, had a .340 on base percentage and collected 978 hits, 203 doubles, 67 triples, 55 home runs, and 533 RBIs...
, A Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher for four teams - Bruce ClarkBruce Clark (American football)Bruce Clark is a former American football defensive end who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs. He was drafted in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, but chose to play in the Canadian Football League. Clark played two...
, professional football player with the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
and Penn StatePennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
All-American - Jack ColeJack Cole (artist)Jack Ralph Cole was an American comic book artist and Playboy magazine cartoonist best known for creating the comedic superhero Plastic Man....
, cartoonist and creator of the superhero Plastic ManPlastic ManPlastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 .... - Matt DeSalvoMatt DeSalvoMatthew Thomas DeSalvo is a Major League Baseball pitcher who is with the independent York Revolution...
, (born September 11, 1980) A Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
starting pitcher with the Florida MarlinsFlorida MarlinsThe Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and formerly the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997.... - Darrell DessDarrell DessDarrell Charles Dess is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and the Washington Redskins...
, (born July 11, 1935) former football player for the 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...
, New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... - Israel GaitherIsrael GaitherOn May 12, 2006, at the age of 61, Commissioner Israel L. Gaither was formally installed as the National Commander of the Salvation Army in the United States, the first black person to serve in that capacity. Gaither was selected for the position by General Shaw Clifton.Eva D...
National Commander of The Salvation ArmyThe Salvation ArmyThe Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
in the United States, the first black person to serve in that capacity - Edmond HamiltonEdmond HamiltonEdmond Moore Hamilton was an American author of science fiction stories and novels during the mid-twentieth century. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania...
(October 21, 1904 – February 1, 1971). A prolific Science FictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author writing chiefly in the genre described as space operaSpace operaSpace opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap... - Jack Hanley, born in New Castle (June 17, 1973). Folklorist, HistorianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and ProducerTelevision producerThe primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and star of the Paranormal television show "Colorado X: Case Files of the Paranormal"http://www.coloradoxcasefiles.com - John KiriakouJohn KiriakouJohn Kiriakou is a former CIA officer, commentator, and author notable as the first official within the U.S. government to openly admit to the use of waterboarding as an interrogation technique....
, (born August 9, 1964). Former CIA operative who in 2007 was the first to admit that the agency used waterboardingWaterboardingWaterboarding is a form of torture in which water is poured over the face of an immobilized captive, thus causing the individual to experience the sensation of drowning...
as a form of interrogation - Mark ManginoMark ManginoMark Thomas Mangino is an American football coach. He was most recently the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks college football team from 2002 to 2009. In 2007, Mangino received several National Coach of the Year honors after leading the Jayhawks to their first 12-win season in school history...
, (August 26, 1956). Former head coach of the University of KansasUniversity of KansasThe University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
football team - Scott McCurleyScott McCurleyScott McCurley is the Defensive Quality Control Coach of the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League.-Biography:Born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, McCurley graduated from Mohawk High school in Bessemer, Pennsylvania and attended the University of Pittsburgh. He is married to Colleen ...
, NFL assistant coach with the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Lance NimmoLance NimmoLance Nimmo is a former American football offensive tackle of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, NFL player with Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... - Ira D. SankeyIra D. SankeyIra D. Sankey , known as The Sweet Singer of Methodism, was an American gospel singer and composer, associated with evangelist Dwight L...
, (August 28, 1840 – August 13, 1908), gospelGospel musicGospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singer and composer - John W. SlaytonJohn W. SlaytonJohn W. Slayton was an American socialist lecturer and politician. He is best remembered as one of the Socialist Party of America's leading propagandists in the Eastern United States during the decade of the 1910s.-Early years:...
- prominent socialist and labor union leader - Chuck TannerChuck TannerCharles William "Chuck" Tanner was a left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was known for his unwavering confidence and infectious optimism. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series championship in 1979...
, (July 4, 1929 - February 11, 2011) was a former left fielderLeft fielderIn baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and managerManager (baseball)In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League... - Michele M. Teleis, Emmy award-winning makeup artist for TV's Grey's Anatomy, also of Hannah Montana.
- Jack ZduriencikJack ZduriencikJohn A. “Jack” Zduriencik is the General Manager of Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners.-Career:Jack Zduriencik began his career in professional baseball as a second baseman in the Chicago White Sox farm system...
, Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
general manager, former Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
scout - Samantha Hietsch, Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
Trivia Champion of the World - Ashley Harlan, wife of Ben RoethlisbergerBen RoethlisbergerBenjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
, quarterback of the 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... - Terry Grossetti, Current Arena Football Player for the Pittsburgh PowerPittsburgh PowerThe Pittsburgh Power is an Arena Football League team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began play in March of 2011. The team plays its home games at the new Consol Energy Center, which they share with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
- Dennis Joseph Slamon, (born August 8, 1948) is an American oncologist and chief of the division of Hematology-Oncology at UCLA. He is best known for his work identifying the HER2/neu oncogene that is amplified in 25-33% of breast cancer patients and the resulting treatment Herceptin.