Butler, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
City | |
 View of Butler from the Southside neighborhood | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Butler in Butler County, Pennsylvania. | |
  Butler Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania | |
| Coordinates: 40°51′40″N 79°53′43″W / 40.86111°N 79.89528°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Butler |
| Settled | 1793[1] |
| Incorporated (borough) | 1816[1] |
| Incorporated (city); | 1918[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor | Bob Dandoy |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2) |
| • Land | 2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 13,502 |
| • Density | 4,965.80/sq mi (1,917.47/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 16001–16003 |
| Area code(s) | 724, 878 |
| FIPS code | 42-10464 |
| Website | cityofbutler |
 | |
Butler is a city and the county seat of Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States.[4] It is 35 miles (56 km) north of Pittsburgh and part of the Greater Pittsburgh region. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,502.
Butler is named after Major General Richard Butler, who died in the Battle of the Wabash in 1791. It was first settled in 1803 by John and Samuel Cunningham and incorporated as a borough in 1817 before becoming a city in 1918. Initially settled by Irish and Scottish immigrants, Butler saw a significant influx of German settlers in the early 19th century. Detmar Basse founded Zelienople in 1803, and George Rapp established Harmony in 1805, leading to further growth and development.
In the early 20th century, Butler became an industrial hub, contributing significantly to the Steel Belt manufacturing region. The city was home to the Standard Steel Car Company, which opened in 1902 and manufactured some of the first all-steel railcars. This facility later became part of Pullman-Standard. Butler also housed the American Bantam Car Company, known for developing the original WWII Jeep. Despite these industrial advancements, the Pullman-Standard plant closed in 1982, and the American Bantam Car Company struggled, eventually losing military contracts to larger companies.
The Butler Area Public Library, built in 1921, was the last Carnegie library established in Pennsylvania. Butler is home to the Butler Little Theatre, which has been producing plays since 1941. Notable historical sites include the Butler County Courthouse and the Butler Armory. Butler hosts annual events, such as the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival and the Butler Italian Festival. Butler has faced economic changes, with manufacturing jobs becoming scarce by the end of the 1970s. However, the city has made efforts to revitalize its economy and community. Noteworthy employers include AK Steel, Butler Area School District, and VA Butler Healthcare.
Butler gained international attention in July 2024 after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in nearby Connoquenessing Township.
- ^ a b c "Butler County, 5th class" (PDF). Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnlywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.