Natrona, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 ThePennsalt Historic District, settled c. 1850, in Natrona | |
  Natrona Location within the state of Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Natrona Natrona (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:40°36′52″N79°43′21″W / 40.61444°N 79.72250°W /40.61444; -79.72250 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny |
| Township | Harrison |
| Elevation | 758 ft (231 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 15065 |
| Area codes | 724,878 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1182182 |
| Website | http://harrisontwp.com/ |
Natrona is anunincorporated community inHarrison Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.[1] It is located inwestern Pennsylvania within thePittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, approximately 24 miles (39 km) northeast ofDowntownPittsburgh. Natrona is situated along theAllegheny River atLock and Dam Four, Pools Three and Four betweenBrackenridge,Natrona Heights,Karns,Allegheny Township, andLower Burrell.[2]
The originalvillage of Natrona – then known asEast Tarentum – was built as acompany town by thePennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company in the 1850s.[3][4][5][6][7] It received its name from "natron", a naturally occurring mineral composed primarily of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.
The company began with twosalt wells in 1850, and continued operations until 1959.[8] By 1876, the company, which owned thecryolite deposits of Greenland, brought the crude mineral to its works in Natrona, where the mineral was pulverized, sifted, heated, reacted withcalcium carbonate and leached to produce pure carbonate of soda (sodium carbonate) and aluminate of soda (sodium aluminate).[9][10]
The Pennsylvania Canal once passed through Natrona and nearby communities in the early- to mid-19th century.
ThePennsylvania Railroad had atrain station in Natrona at Vine and Federal streets; its rail line began running through the town in the mid-19th century.[11] Later, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with rivalNew York Central Railroad in 1968 to form thePenn Central Transportation Company. TheInterstate Commerce Commission required that the ailingNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad be added in 1969. TheConsolidated Rail Corporation replaced the Penn Central Transportation Company and operated freight service through Natrona from 1976 until 1999 when it was divided between two companies. TheNorfolk Southern Railway then operated trains through the town.Amtrak has detoured passenger service through Natrona on occasion; its nearest station isPenn Station inDowntown Pittsburgh.
TheWest Penn Railways provided electric street car service to Natrona from 1906 until 1937.
Local factories, beginning with the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company's Natrona Works, also operated trains through Natrona. As of 2011,Allegheny Technologies used a track to transport materials between departments at its Allegheny LudlumBrackenridge Works.[12][13]
The Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company operated its Natrona No. 1 and Natrona No. 2bituminous coalmines at Natrona.[14]
Natrona is situated on analluvialfloodplain along theAllegheny River.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
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TheUnited States Census Bureau defined Natrona as acensus designated place (CDP) in 2023.[15]
Thecommunity is located within theHighlands School District.Highlands High School and Highlands Middle School are located in Natrona Heights.Air pollution levels (particularlychromium) measured in Natrona area schools are among the worst in the United States.[16]
The filmKnightriders (1981) byGeorge A. Romero starringEd Harris used scenes shot on Garfield Street in Natrona (1980) for the movie. Most of the film was shot in nearbyFawn Township.
Also, the filmStriking Distance (1993) starringBruce Willis andSarah Jessica Parker uses a sequence where boats jump over the dam at Natrona;[17] the Tarentum Bridge can be seen just above the dam overJacks Island, although the structure was added there later through editing. The bridge is officially named theGeorge D. Stuart Bridge (part ofPennsylvania Route 366) and actually located about 2.5 miles (4.0 km)downstream spanning the river betweenTarentum andNew Kensington.
Pennsylvania Railroad natrona.
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