Volant, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Volant is a borough in Lawrence County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 113 at the 2000 census.
The first store was built in 1877 by John and William Graham. By the turn of the 20th century the village was a bustling commercial community. Thanks to the New Castle-Franklin railroad Volant became a popular shopping district. The mill remained the nucleus of the town. Because of Volant's rural location there was a livery stable, two harness shops, a blacksmith and a veterinarian as well as some shops. In addition, there was a college which attracted students from the surrounding communities. As the town progressed toward establishing larger business venture, a stone quarry was begun around 1900, as well as a lumber mill and brick company. The growing need for petroleum spurred an oil boom north of Volant. The drilling continued until the beginning of World War I
.
With the Great Depression
came a gradual decline of the economy. As the economy worsened the business district diminished to almost nothing. The mill, which was primarily responsible for Volant's success, closed its doors in the early 1960s and the trains stopped running through Volant in 1975. Volant soon became forgotten and returned to its rural roots.
In 1984, a renaissance began with the old mill as its centerpiece. Opening its doors for the first time in over 20 years as a country gift and antique store, it paved the way for a business revival that still continues. Encouraged by its success, other shops were opened on Main Street. After several years of rapid growth, there are now over 50 shops and restaurants turning Volant from a sleepy little village into one of western Pennsylvania's most popular tourist attractions.
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.
Volant is a unique village of quaint shops and restaurants located on Pennsylvania Route 208
only 10 minutes from I-79 and I-80
. It has an old-fashioned main street nestled in the rolling hills of scenic western Pennsylvania Amish country.
of 2000, there were 113 people, 55 households, and 37 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 991.3 people per square mile (396.6/km²). There were 64 housing units at an average density of 561.5 per square mile (224.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White.
There were 55 households out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.49.
In the borough the population was spread out with 15.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,625, and the median income for a family was $37,917. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $17,642. There were 6.1% of families and 7.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under 18 and 7.1% of those over 64.
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...
. The population was 113 at the 2000 census.
History
The land on which the borough of Volant currently sits on was bought from the Native Americans in 1784. The first grist mill was built on the Neshannock Creek in 1806 and was located upstream from the current site. It was abandoned after a few years and a new mill was built in 1812 at its current location. In 1868, J.P. Locke purchased the mill and 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land and began laying out a settlement of 30 lots which he called Lockeville. With the help of the railroad his attempts to create a settlement were successful. Lockeville began to grow and prosper, and in June 1893 the settlement changed its name to Volant and was incorporated as a self governing unit.The first store was built in 1877 by John and William Graham. By the turn of the 20th century the village was a bustling commercial community. Thanks to the New Castle-Franklin railroad Volant became a popular shopping district. The mill remained the nucleus of the town. Because of Volant's rural location there was a livery stable, two harness shops, a blacksmith and a veterinarian as well as some shops. In addition, there was a college which attracted students from the surrounding communities. As the town progressed toward establishing larger business venture, a stone quarry was begun around 1900, as well as a lumber mill and brick company. The growing need for petroleum spurred an oil boom north of Volant. The drilling continued until the beginning of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
With the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
came a gradual decline of the economy. As the economy worsened the business district diminished to almost nothing. The mill, which was primarily responsible for Volant's success, closed its doors in the early 1960s and the trains stopped running through Volant in 1975. Volant soon became forgotten and returned to its rural roots.
In 1984, a renaissance began with the old mill as its centerpiece. Opening its doors for the first time in over 20 years as a country gift and antique store, it paved the way for a business revival that still continues. Encouraged by its success, other shops were opened on Main Street. After several years of rapid growth, there are now over 50 shops and restaurants turning Volant from a sleepy little village into one of western Pennsylvania's most popular tourist attractions.
Geography
Volant is located at 41°6′52"N 80°15′34"W (41.114489, -80.259463).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.
Volant is a unique village of quaint shops and restaurants located on Pennsylvania Route 208
Pennsylvania Route 208
Pennsylvania Route 208 is located in Western Pennsylvania; its western terminus just west of the village of New Bedford in Lawrence County at US 422 and the Ohio state line...
only 10 minutes from I-79 and I-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...
. It has an old-fashioned main street nestled in the rolling hills of scenic western Pennsylvania Amish country.
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 113 people, 55 households, and 37 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 991.3 people per square mile (396.6/km²). There were 64 housing units at an average density of 561.5 per square mile (224.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 100.00% White.
There were 55 households out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% 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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.49.
In the borough the population was spread out with 15.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,625, and the median income for a family was $37,917. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $17,642. There were 6.1% of families and 7.9% of the population living below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under 18 and 7.1% of those over 64.