South Park Township, Pennsylvania

South Park
Township
South Park Township
The James Miller House (aka "Stone Manse")
Nickname:  Park
Location in Allegheny County and state of Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°17′54″N80°0′8″W / 40.29833°N 80.00222°W / 40.29833; -80.00222
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Allegheny
Area [1]
• Total	9.27 sq mi (24.01 km2)
• Land	9.27 sq mi (24.01 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population  (2010)
• Total	13,416
• Estimate  (2018) [2]	13,275
• Density	1,443.26/sq mi (557.23/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	15129
FIPS code	42-003-72400

South Park Township is a township in the southern part of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, near Pittsburgh. The population was 13,416 at the 2010 census. ^[3]

A large portion of the township consists of a county park of the same name.

History

Composed of portions of St. Clair and Jefferson townships in 1845, South Park was originally called Snowden Township, named after John M. Snowden, a prominent businessman, politician and former Pittsburgh mayor, who had died earlier that year. In the 1930s, Allegheny County acquired several large parcels of farm land mostly within Snowden Township and created a regional recreational area named South Park. The huge success of South Park, and the fact the facility occupies roughly one-third of the community's total area, eventually prompted a 1966 referendum in which the township was renamed.

The area in and around South Park Township was settled in the mid-18th century. It is the location of the Oliver Miller Homestead where in 1794, the first shots of the Whiskey Rebellion were fired. A log house was originally built on the site in 1772; it was replaced by a stone structure around 1830, which is open for public tours.

Geography

South Park is located at 40°17′54″N80°0′7″W / 40.29833°N 80.00194°W / 40.29833; -80.00194 (40.298382, -80.002097). ^[4] South Park's zip code is 15129. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), all land. A negligible area is covered by streams and creeks, most notably Peters Creek. South Park, a 1,999-acre (809 ha) recreational area operated by Allegheny County, is located mostly within the boundaries of South Park Township, although a portion is located in adjacent Bethel Park.

The township is on the Allegheny Plateau, near where the Allegheny River from the northeast and Monongahela River from the southeast join to form the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. South Park township's topography is quite hilly. The hilltops are somewhat "carved" out by the streams in the area.

Surrounding neighborhoods

South Park Township has five borders, including Baldwin to the north, Pleasant Hills and Jefferson Hills to the east, Union Township (in Washington County) to the south, and Bethel Park to the west.

Climate

South Park falls in the humid continental zone (Köppen Dfa/Dfb). ^[5] It features four distinct seasons, with precipitation somewhat evenly spread throughout the year. Summers are hot and humid (with occasional heat waves), while winters are cold and snowy. Fall and spring are mild to warm.

The warmest month of the year in South Park, as in most of the northern hemisphere, is July. The average high temperature is 81 °F (27.2 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 57 °F (13.9 °C). July is often humid, resulting in a considerable heat index. The coldest month of the year is January, when the average high temperature is 30 °F (−1.1 °C). Overnight low temperatures average 18 °F (−7.8 °C). The highest temperature ever recorded in South Park was 101 °F (38.3 °C), on July 16, 1988, and the coldest temperature ever recorded was −23 °F (−30.6 °C), on January 19, 1994.

Due to its position on the windward side of the Allegheny Mountains, South Park Township receives heavier precipitation than cities located farther to the west, and many days are subject to overcast skies, with 153 days of the year with some precipitation and only 2024 sunshine hours per year. Precipitation is greatest in May, due to frequent thunderstorms and more organized low pressure systems which track up the eastern coast of the United States. On average, 4.04 inches (103 mm) of precipitation falls during this month. The driest month of the year is October, when 2.35 inches (60 mm). Annual precipitation is around 37.9 inches (963 mm), while annual snowfall is 40.3 inches (102 cm).

South Park has been hit with extreme weather. The Blizzard of 1993 dumped 23 inches (58 cm) of snow in under 24 hours. A blizzard in February 2010 dumped nearly two feet of snow in less than 24 hours, and nearly 4 feet in the following week. In September 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan brought gusty winds and dropped nearly 6 inches (150 mm) of rain in 12 hours.

Climate data for South Park, Pennsylvania
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	74 (23)	76 (24)	84 (29)	90 (32)	92 (33)	96 (36)	101 (38)	97 (36)	92 (33)	88 (31)	79 (26)	74 (23)	101 (38)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	30 (−1)	35 (2)	48 (9)	59 (15)	69 (21)	76 (24)	81 (27)	80 (27)	71 (22)	57 (14)	43 (6)	35 (2)	57 (14)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	18 (−8)	20 (−7)	29 (−2)	38 (3)	46 (8)	54 (12)	61 (16)	60 (16)	51 (11)	38 (3)	30 (−1)	23 (−5)	39 (4)
Record low °F (°C)	−23 (−31)	−13 (−25)	−2 (−19)	14 (−10)	26 (−3)	34 (1)	37 (3)	35 (2)	29 (−2)	13 (−11)	−6 (−21)	−12 (−24)	−23 (−31)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.6 (66)	2.7 (69)	3.8 (97)	3.9 (99)	4.2 (110)	3.9 (99)	3.8 (97)	3.3 (84)	3.2 (81)	2.3 (58)	3.0 (76)	2.9 (74)	39.6 (1,010)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	16.5 (42)	11.2 (28)	8.2 (21)	2.6 (6.6)	0.6 (1.5)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.9 (2.3)	5.8 (15)	10.0 (25)	56.8 (144)
Mean monthly sunshine hours	93	110.2	155	183	217	243	254.2	229.4	198	167.4	99	74.4	2,023.6
[ citation needed ]

Neighborhoods

South Park can be broken down into the six different neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are grouped primarily by the small towns throughout the township and the time era which the plans of homes were built.

Broughton

Broughton borders Curry and extends further down Brownsville Road. Most of Broughton is residential with a few businesses, gas stations, and eateries along Brownsville Road.

Bruceton

Located on the Eastern Edge of South Park Township, the Bruceton neighborhood runs along Lick Run Creek. Notable institutions include the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the US Bureau of Mines

Curry

On the northern side, the area is known as Curry. Curry is a mix of residential homes and a small commercial area, and Curry extends from the northeastern corner to the northwestern corner and down Brownsville Road. The former Broughton Elementary School was located here.

Library

Library, formally known as Loafer's Hollow, is a large neighborhood of South Park. It has a mix of residential, commerce, and industrial areas. Library is South Park Township's "Downtown". It has many businesses along Route 88. Along Piney Fork Road, there are also many shops and a few industrial complexes. There are many large plans of houses throughout Library also. South Park Middle School is also located here. Library is served by the Library station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network's Silver Line.

Piney Fork

Piney Fork is in the south-central part of South Park. It is a large residential area with a few small stores and restaurants.

Snowden

Snowden is a neighborhood in the southeastern corner of the township. It is a rural area with some homes and farms. Snowden was once a small mining community, but was absorbed into South Park.

Government and politics

Presidential Elections Results ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	53%4,518	45%3,845	1%110
2016	55%3,941	44%3,156	1%58
2012	53%3,685	46%3,171	1%59

Education

The South Park School District is coterminous with the township. The school district has a single elementary school for grades K-4, a single middle school for grades 5–8, and a single high school for grades 9–12. ^[9] The school district's mascot is the Eagles.

South Park has a rich history in athletics. It has one of the most successful soccer programs anywhere. The South Park Eagles Boys' soccer team has won state championships both in 2005 and 2006. The Lady Eagles have won the state championship in 2007. The High School has also produced two state championships in football in the years 1997 and 2005. Along with these state championships, the high school has had many WPIAL championships as well.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1970	8,187		—
1980	13,535		65.3%
1990	14,292		5.6%
2000	14,277		−0.1%
2010	13,416		−6.0%
2018 (est.)	13,275	[2]	−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]

The census of 2010 concluded there were 13,416 people, 5,346 households, and 4,331 families living in the township. The population density was 1,563.6 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 86.5% White, 10.2% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 1.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census ^[11] of 2000, there were 14,340 people, 5,422 households, and 4,028 families living in the township. The population density was 1,563.6 inhabitants per square mile (603.7/km²). There were 5,616 housing units at an average density of 612.4 per square mile (236.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.15% White, 6.21% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,422 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $51,001, and the median income for a family was $57,290. Males had a median income of $41,002 versus $27,138 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,538. About 4.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Aug 13, 2017.
2. Bureau, U. S. Census. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . US Census Bureau. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
3. "Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), South Park township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved September 30, 2011.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
5. Climate Summary for South Park Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
6. EL. "2012 Allegheny County election". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
7. EL. "2016 Pennsylvania general election..." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
8. "Election Night Reporting".
9. South Park School District Profile, South Park School District. Accessed July 23, 2008.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

• Township website
• South Park Historical Society
• South Park School District
• Broughton V.F.D - South Park Fire
• Data for the South Park Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• South Park Township Public Library (More information about South Park)