West View, Pennsylvania

West View, Pennsylvania
Borough
Houses on Ridgewood Avenue
Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Coordinates: 40°31′6″N80°2′1″W / 40.51833°N 80.03361°W / 40.51833; -80.03361
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Allegheny
Area [1]
• Total	1.01 sq mi (2.62 km2)
• Land	1.01 sq mi (2.62 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,685
• Density	6,451.49/sq mi (2,491.67/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	15229
Area code	412
School district	North Hills
Website	www.westviewborough.org

West View is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, just north of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 6,685 at the 2020 census. ^[2] It is a suburb of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

Geography

West View is located at 40°31′6″N80°2′1″W / 40.51833°N 80.03361°W / 40.51833; -80.03361 (40.518368, −80.033645). ^[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²), all land.

Climate

Climate data for West View, Pennsylvania
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	36 (2)	39 (4)	50 (10)	61 (16)	71 (22)	79 (26)	83 (28)	81 (27)	75 (24)	63 (17)	51 (11)	40 (4)	61.1 (16.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	17 (−8)	19 (−7)	27 (−3)	36 (2)	46 (8)	55 (13)	59 (15)	58 (14)	51 (11)	40 (4)	32 (0)	28 (−2)	38.9 (3.8)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.49 (63)	2.48 (63)	2.95 (75)	3.12 (79)	3.74 (95)	3.46 (88)	4.00 (102)	3.17 (81)	3.42 (87)	2.21 (56)	2.90 (74)	2.74 (70)	36.68 (932)
Source: http://www.idcide.com/weather/pa/west-view.htm [4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	1,626		—
1920	2,797		72.0%
1930	6,028		115.5%
1940	7,215		19.7%
1950	7,581		5.1%
1960	8,079		6.6%
1970	8,312		2.9%
1980	7,648		−8.0%
1990	7,734		1.1%
2000	7,277		−5.9%
2010	6,771		−7.0%
2020	6,685		−1.3%
Sources: [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

As of the 2000 census ^[8] there were 7,277 people, 3,149 households, and 1,908 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,210.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,784.1/km²). There were 3,304 housing units at an average density of 3,273.9 per square mile (1,264.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.62% White, 0.93% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.

There were 3,149 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $38,264, and the median income for a family was $48,255,000. Males had a median income of $32,700 versus $27,031 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $21,025. About 4.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Council members

[2017-2019] Democrats-6 (Schellhaus, Kircher, Borio, Aguglia, Steele, Mikec), Unknown party-1 (Miller), Republicans-0 ^[10]

Presidential election results ^{[11] [12] [13]}

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2020	44%1,750	54%2,146	1%61
2016	49%1,655	50%1,709	1%42
2012	48%1,567	51%1,674	1%45

Education

West View, along with neighboring (and surrounding) Ross Township, is served by the North Hills School District.

West View Park

From 1906 to 1977, West View was home to one of the most remembered Pittsburgh amusement parks, West View Park. Located in the neighborhood's valley on Perry Highway/U.S. 19, this one-midway trolley park featured two beloved roller coasters: The Dips, with its unique banked turn-around curve, and the Racing Whippet, which featured two coasters on a strategically placed single track so that the train that started on the left of the loading platform came back on the right side and vice versa. Another popular park attraction was "Danceland", an entertainment hall that featured many performers from big band to rock and roll over the years, most notably The Rolling Stones in 1964. Danceland burned to the ground in 1973 and was not rebuilt.

West View Park closed for good at the end of the 1977 season. Its competing amusement park, Kennywood, was continuously expanding with bigger attractions, which West View was unable to do because of its location. Today, West View Park Shopping Center (originally signed with a roller coaster resembling the Dips, replaced in 2010 by a new sign with a carousel horse on top) occupies the amusement park site. The shopping center opened in 1981. There are no traces of the park left, but several nearby businesses feature old memorabilia (such as signs, photos, and tickets). The since-closed Wendy's fast-food restaurant in the West View Plaza was remodeled in 2008, and featured several new pictures that were on their walls that show the old Park.

The coming-of-age novel Stick Man, about a boy growing up in a bohemian household, with an accompanying musical soundtrack, is set in West View. Several key scenes are set in West View Park. The novel was written by West View native Richard Rossi. ^{[14] [15] [16]}

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
2. "Explore Census Data".
3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
4. "West View, PA Normal Temperatures and Precipitation" . Retrieved January 15, 2011.
5. "Number and Distribution of Inhabitants:Pennsylvania-Tennessee" (PDF). Fifteenth Census. U.S. Census Bureau.
6. "Number of Inhabitants: Pennsylvania" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
7. "Pennsylvania: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
10. EL. "Allegheny Election Night". Allegheny County. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
11. EL. "2012 Allegheny County election". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
12. EL. "2016 Pennsylvania general election..." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
13. "Election Night Reporting".
14. Vancheri, Barbara (August 8, 2013). "Film Notes: Strand to screen movie about Roberto Clemente". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
15. Jones, Diana Nelson (January 11, 2015). "Saint Roberto Clemente?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
16. Miller, Virginia (September 5, 1986). "West View minister uses 'friendly' approach". Scaife Media Group, Gannett Publishing. North Hills News Record. Retrieved November 29, 2020.

External links

• Borough website
• West View Historical Society

Preceded by Reserve Township	Bordering communities of Pittsburgh	Succeeded by Bellevue