Mars, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Mars | |
 Location of Mars in Butler County, Pennsylvania. | |
.svg) Location of Pennsylvania in the United States | |
| Coordinates:40°41′48″N80°0′44″W / 40.69667°N 80.01222°W /40.69667; -80.01222 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Butler |
| Settled | 1873; 152 years ago (1873) |
| Incorporated | 1882; 143 years ago (1882) |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.47 sq mi (1.22 km2) |
| • Land | 0.47 sq mi (1.22 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,458 |
| • Density | 3,102.13/sq mi (1,196.74/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 16046 |
| Area code | 724 |
| FIPS code | 42-47672 |
| School district | Mars Area School District |
Mars is aborough in southernButler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,458 at the2020 census.[2] It is part of thePittsburgh metropolitan area.
In 1873, Samuel Parks constructed a home and a water-poweredgristmill along Breakneck Creek. Parks decided to have apost office placed in his home, so he received help from his friend Samuel Marshall to help establish it. The name of the post office becameOverbrook.[3] In 1877, thePittsburgh, New Castle and Lake Erie Railroad was constructed through Overbrook, and had a station built there. In 1882, the name of the community was changed toMars since the railroad already had a stop with the name "Overbrook".[3] No one is sure how the name "Mars" came into being. Some say it was Parks's wife who enjoyedastronomy, while others believe it was shortened after Samuel Marshall's name.[4] On March 6, 1895, Mars was incorporated as a borough.
In 1904, thePittsburgh and Butler Street Railway gained permission from Mars to construct itsright-of-way through the borough. The line become part of thePittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway in 1917, being renamed Pittsburgh, Mars and Butler Railway. The line closed in 1931.
TheUSS Mars (AFS-1) was named after the borough. The ship became part of theUnited States Pacific Fleet in 1963, and was decommissioned in 1998. It was then sunk in 2006 as a target vessel. The bell of the USSMars was loaned to the borough and has become a part of a memorial in the downtown park.
Mars is located in southern Butler County at40°41′48″N80°0′44″W / 40.69667°N 80.01222°W /40.69667; -80.01222 (40.696594, −80.012205),[5] about halfway between the cities ofPittsburgh andButler. The small community is nestled in a small valley alongBreakneck Creek.Pennsylvania Route 228 bypasses the borough to the south, leading east 4 miles (6 km) toPennsylvania Route 8 and west 5 miles (8.0 km) to Interstates79 and76 inCranberry Township. TheMars–Evans City Road leads out of town to the north.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the borough of Mars has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.2 km2), all land.[6]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 777 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,215 | 56.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,226 | 0.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,302 | 6.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,318 | 1.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,385 | 5.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,522 | 9.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,488 | −2.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,803 | 21.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,713 | −5.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,746 | 1.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,699 | −2.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,458 | −14.2% | |
| Sources:[7][8][9][2][6] | |||
As of the2000 census,[8] there were 1,746 people, 687 households, and 395 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,906.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,508.3/km2). There were 715 housing units at an average density of 1,599.7 per square mile (617.6/km2). Theracial makeup of the borough was 98.68% White, 0.46% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.
There were 687 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 33.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 70.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 64.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,073, and the median income for a family was $46,136. Males had a median income of $34,083 versus $26,080 for females. Theper capita income for the borough was $17,701. About 7.8% of families and 9.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
Mars has severalChristian denominations located within and just outside the community. One of the largest churches wasSaint Kilian Parish. Founded in 1917, the parish was originally located in downtown Mars, but by the early 2000s (decade), membership had swelled so much that a new facility was constructed just outside the neighboringSeven Fields borough alongPA 228 in 2008. There is also a large presence ofPresbyterians in the borough. TheMars United Presbyterian was founded in 1969 with the merging of two older churches, one under theUnited Presbyterian Church of North America, the other under thePresbyterian Church (USA). There is also aLutheran andMethodist church located within the borough. TheWoodland Valley Church is one of the newer churches in Mars, and is one of severalcontemporary churches that have recently started in the Mars/Cranberry area. Others include theMars Alliance Church, and the Discovery Christian Church which will be built along PA 228 across from the former.[1] TheSerbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America previously had its headquarters inAdams Township, near Mars.[10][11]
Mars National Bank, founded in 1900, has its headquarters located in the borough, with seven branches located in Butler andAllegheny counties.
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Because of its unique name, and proximity to Pittsburgh, Mars has on occasion received national media attention. In 2011, a representative fromThe Walt Disney Company invited students from Mars Elementary School to attend the Pittsburgh premiere ofMars Needs Moms, after reading afeatured article on the town[dead link] bymsnbc.com. Mars was the only school nationwide invited to the film's premiere.[12]
The borough has also been a location for films and television commercials. The 1988comedy drama filmThe Prince of Pennsylvania and the 1996comedy filmKingpin were filmed throughout the borough. In 2000, aKraft salad dressing commercial was filmed in downtown.
Canadian musicianJohn Southworth named his first albumMars, Pennsylvania after the town, which he had passed through many years earlier on a school trip.
Mars was the inspiration for the fictional town of Athena, Pennsylvania, the setting for the 2015 fictional trilogy,Benjamin's Field, by local author J. J. Knights.[13]
Mars is home to the popularroadside attraction the Mars "Spaceship" or "Flying Saucer".[14] It is also home to theMars Station, one of the last railroad depots still standing from the now defunctPittsburgh and Western Railroad.[15]
TheMars Area School District serves the boroughs of Mars andValencia, as well asAdams Township andMiddlesex Township in Butler County. The Mars Fightin' Planets are one of the many teams located in the north Pittsburgh area.
Lakehill Airport is a small airport located about a mile and a half northwest of Mars. It is used for light, private aircraft. The next closest airports are theButler County Airport and theZelienople Municipal Airport.
TheBuffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad operates on theP&W Subdivision in Mars. It makes occasional rounds toAustin's Bleach inDownieville and to a small transfer with theAllegheny Valley Railroad inBakerstown. The AVR will also on occasion bring long loads of railcars through Mars to Harmony Junction inEidenau. This usually occurs when there are too many cars to handle at the transfer point in Bakerstown.
The largest and busiest road in Mars isPennsylvania Route 228. It is an important link for commuters because it connects withPennsylvania Route 8 andPennsylvania Route 356 to the east, and withInterstate 79 andU.S. Route 19 to the west. Commuters on PA 228 can easily reachInterstate 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) via I-79 or US 19 inCranberry Township. The second busiest road in Mars is the Mars-Evans City Road, which was originallyPennsylvania Route 855. It is an important connecting road for Mars and the borough ofEvans City. The Red Belt of theAllegheny County Belt System is located three miles south of Mars.
Mars, Pennsylvania travel guide from WikivoyageMunicipalities and communities ofButler County, Pennsylvania,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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