Newry, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Newry is a borough
in Blair County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 245 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area and one of the communities comprising the Altoona Urban Area.
It was named after the town of Newry
in Northern Ireland
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 245 people, 107 households, and 61 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 2,550.2 people per square mile (946.0/km²). There were 116 housing units at an average density of 1,207.4 per square mile (447.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.14% White, 0.82% African American, 0.82% from other races
, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.
There were 107 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $24,688, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $38,500 versus $18,333 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,949. About 14.5% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 7.4% of those sixty five or over.
and an American soldier in the American Revolutionary War
, purchased three hundred acres of land in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. This is now known as Blair County
. C. 1793, where he constructed a small town on the land, which he named for his home.
A half-century later, Newry flourished as the Allegheny Portage Railroad
began to carry passengers from Hollidaysburg
across the Alleghenies
to Johnstown
. Newry's location made it a suitable stop for the railroad and this new influx of visitors stimulated the economy of the town. This prosperity lasted from the 1830s to the 1850s, when the railroad closed.
During the following century, the town decreased in population and quietly shifted from an urban to a rural center until the 1950s, when migration of Altoonans
from the north began to increase the size of Newry and gave it a more suburban character.
s store; within Newry, several crafts
shops and an electronics
repair store; and immediately to the south, the largest business in the town, Leighty's, which comprises a convenience store
, a computer
systems, parts, and repair store, a golf driving range, a hunting
outfitter, a flea market
, a flower store, and a bathroom
and kitchen
remodeling store.
Along South Street, the southmost east-west road in the town, are located a post office
, a small apartment
building, a furniture
store, a used home appliance
s and furniture store, and St. Patrick
's Parish, a Roman Catholic
parish comprising a small church, a graveyard
, a shrine
to Our Lady of Lourdes
, and an elementary school
.
Along Allegheny Street, the northmost east-west street, one can find a Lutheran
church, two bars, and the town hall.
's Parish, are the Lent
en fish fries, held in the cafeteria of the school, and the summer festival
, held near the end of August on the school playground and in the gymnasium. Both attract visitors from across the Altoona
metropolis
and greatly benefit the church and school.
and then to Altoona
and other points north.
To the west, the Puzzletown Road curves to the southwest through a few miles of housing developments and into Puzzletown
, where it becomes Knob Run Road, continues south-southwest up the Appalachian Plateau
, up the mountain of Blue Knob and reaches the town of the same name.
To the south, 220 leads through Leamersville and East Freedom, near McKee, and intersects with Interstate 99; it leads eventually to Bedford
.
To the east, the Catfish Road goes through a few miles of sparse farmland, interrupted by a few houses and a monastery, until it intersects Route 36, which leads north to Hollidaysburg
and south to Roaring Spring
.
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in Blair County
Blair County, Pennsylvania
-Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 245 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area and one of the communities comprising the Altoona Urban Area.
It was named after the town of Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Geography
Newry is located at 40°23′36"N 78°26′6"W (40.393223, -78.435085).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 245 people, 107 households, and 61 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,550.2 people per square mile (946.0/km²). There were 116 housing units at an average density of 1,207.4 per square mile (447.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.14% White, 0.82% African American, 0.82% 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 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.
There were 107 households out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $24,688, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $38,500 versus $18,333 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,949. About 14.5% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 7.4% of those sixty five or over.
History
During the late 18th century, Patrick Cassidy, a native of Newry, IrelandNewry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
and an American soldier in the American Revolutionary War
American 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...
, purchased three hundred acres of land in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. This is now known as Blair County
Blair County, Pennsylvania
-Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
. C. 1793, where he constructed a small town on the land, which he named for his home.
A half-century later, Newry flourished as the Allegheny Portage Railroad
Allegheny Portage Railroad
The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad constructed through the Allegheny Mountains in central Pennsylvania, United States. It was a series of 10 inclines, approximately long, and operated from 1834 to 1854...
began to carry passengers from Hollidaysburg
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
Hollidaysburg is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, on the Juniata River, south of Altoona. It is the county seat of Blair County. It is part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is one of the communities that comprises the Altoona Urban Area...
across the Alleghenies
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
to Johnstown
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. Newry's location made it a suitable stop for the railroad and this new influx of visitors stimulated the economy of the town. This prosperity lasted from the 1830s to the 1850s, when the railroad closed.
During the following century, the town decreased in population and quietly shifted from an urban to a rural center until the 1950s, when migration of Altoonans
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...
from the north began to increase the size of Newry and gave it a more suburban character.
Businesses and institutions
The majority of Newry's businesses are found along the main north-south road, Old Route 220: just north of the town, a storage company and a small motor vehicleMotor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
s store; within Newry, several crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
shops and an electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
repair store; and immediately to the south, the largest business in the town, Leighty's, which comprises a convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
, a computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
systems, parts, and repair store, a golf driving range, a hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
outfitter, a flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
, a flower store, and a bathroom
Bathroom
A bathroom is a room for bathing in containing a bathtub and/or a shower and optionally a toilet, a sink/hand basin/wash basin and possibly also a bidet....
and kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
remodeling store.
Along South Street, the southmost east-west road in the town, are located a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, a small apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
building, a furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
store, a used home appliance
Home appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
s and furniture store, and St. Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
's Parish, a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parish comprising a small church, a graveyard
Graveyard
A graveyard is any place set aside for long-term burial of the dead, with or without monuments such as headstones...
, a shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
to Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
, and an elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
.
Along Allegheny Street, the northmost east-west street, one can find a Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
church, two bars, and the town hall.
Events
The two yearly events celebrated by the community, both held by St. PatrickSaint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
's Parish, are the Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
en fish fries, held in the cafeteria of the school, and the summer festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
, held near the end of August on the school playground and in the gymnasium. Both attract visitors from across the 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...
metropolis
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
and greatly benefit the church and school.
Surrounding areas
To the north of Newry, Old Route 220 leads to DuncansvilleDuncansville, Pennsylvania
Duncansville is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Duncansville is one of the communities that comprises the Altoona Urban Area...
and then to 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...
and other points north.
To the west, the Puzzletown Road curves to the southwest through a few miles of housing developments and into Puzzletown
Puzzletown, Pennsylvania
Puzzletown, Pennsylvania is a small region, formerly known as Marionsville or Poplar Run, in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It is found at the bottom of a valley which leads up to Blue Knob, the second-highest mountain in the state and part of the Allegheny Front, the eastern edge of the Appalachian...
, where it becomes Knob Run Road, continues south-southwest up the Appalachian Plateau
Appalachian Plateau
The Appalachian Plateau is the western part of the Appalachian mountains, stretching from New York and Alabama. The plateau is a second level United States physiographic region....
, up the mountain of Blue Knob and reaches the town of the same name.
To the south, 220 leads through Leamersville and East Freedom, near McKee, and intersects with Interstate 99; it leads eventually to Bedford
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...
.
To the east, the Catfish Road goes through a few miles of sparse farmland, interrupted by a few houses and a monastery, until it intersects Route 36, which leads north to Hollidaysburg
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
Hollidaysburg is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, on the Juniata River, south of Altoona. It is the county seat of Blair County. It is part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is one of the communities that comprises the Altoona Urban Area...
and south to Roaring Spring
Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania
Roaring Spring in Morrisons Cove, is a borough Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,418 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area-History:...
.