View source for Mount Union, Pennsylvania

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Mount Union, Pennsylvania
|nickname = Bricktown USA
|settlement_type = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
<!-- images and maps ----------->
|image_skyline = Shirley and Jefferson in Mount Union.jpg
|imagesize = 250px
|image_caption = Shirley and Jefferson Streets, downtown, in 1990
|pushpin_map = Pennsylvania#USA
|pushpin_label = Mount Union
|pushpin_label_position = 
|pushpin_map_caption = 
|pushpin_mapsize = 
|image_map = File:Huntingdon County Pennsylvania Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Mount Union Highlighted.svg
|map_caption = Location of Mount Union in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Pennsylvania]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon]]
|government_footnotes = 
|government_type = Borough Council
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Tim Allison{{cn|date=August 2024}}
|established_title = Settled
|established_date = 1849
|established_title1 = Incorporated
|established_date1 = 1867
|unit_pref  = [[Imperial units|Imperial]]
|area_footnotes = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2 = 3.20
|area_land_km2 = 3.00
|area_water_km2 = 0.20
|area_total_sq_mi = 1.24
|area_land_sq_mi = 1.16
|area_water_sq_mi = 0.08
|area_water_percent = 2.59
|population_as_of = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_note = 
|population_total = 2308
|population_density_km2 = 768.62
|population_density_sq_mi = 1991.37
|timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = EDT
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|coordinates  = {{coord|40|23|06|N|77|52|42|W|type:city_region:US-PA|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft = 610
|postal_code_type = [[Zip code]]
|postal_code = 17066
|area_code = [[Area code 814|814]]
|website = [http://www.mtunionpa.org www.mtunionpa.org]
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info = 42-51984
|blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS feature ID]]
|blank1_info = 1215274<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1215274}}</ref>
}}

'''Mount Union''' is a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in [[Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon County]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States, approximately {{convert|44|mi|km}} southeast of [[Altoona, Pennsylvania|Altoona]] and {{convert|12|mi|km}} southeast of [[Huntingdon, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon]], on the [[Juniata River]]. In the vicinity are found [[bituminous coal]], ganister rock, fire clay, and some timber. A major Easter grass factory is located in the northern quadrant of the borough limits; until May 2007, the facility was owned by Bleyer Industries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.staugustine.com/stories/011505/bus_2826595.shtml |title=Foreign competition hurts U.S. plastic egg industry |date=February 19, 2008 |access-date=May 6, 2008 |publisher=The St. Augustine Record }}</ref> The population was 2,447 at the 2010 census.

==History==
Mount Union was largely influenced by industry. It was at one time the world's largest producer of [[refractory]] material (silica brick), with three plants&nbsp;– General Refractories, United States Refractories, and Harbison Walker. The refractory business in Mount Union lasted from 1899 to about 1972, with limited production into the early 1990s. Other industries included two tanneries, a tanning extract plant, coal yards, an explosives and munitions plant (Aetna), and foundry and machine shops.

Mount Union was the northern terminus for the narrow gauge [[East Broad Top Railroad]], connecting to the Main Line of the Middle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad (now Norfolk Southern). The EBT maintained a large dual-gauge yard and coal cleaning plant in Mount Union and supplied coal to the Refractory plants. The EBT ceased operations in 1956 but the track is still in place and owned by the railroad. From 1998 to 2010, the Mount Union Connecting Railroad attempted to reactivate the EBT main track through Mount Union and rehabilitated it, but only a couple cars were serviced and none moved over the EBT trackage.

The [[Mount Union Historic District]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1994, with 300 significant historic structures, buildings, and homes.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> The population tally in 1900 was 1,086 which rose to 3,338 in 1910.

==Today==
The culturally significant Thousand Steps of the [[Standing Stone Trail]] are located in the [[Jacks Narrows]], approximately two miles west of the town along [[U.S. Route 22 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 22]]. The annual [[Creation Festival]] was hosted locally (in [[Shirleysburg, Pennsylvania|Shirleysburg]]) from 1984 to 2022, drawing thousands of visitors in late June.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2023/03/28.CreationFestivalComestoAnEnd.asp |title=Creation Festival Comes to An End |date=March 28, 2023 |website=Jesus Freak Hideout |access-date=July 28, 2023 }}</ref> Mount Union is the site of the Pennsylvania [[Lions Clubs International|Lions]] Beacon Lodge Camp, a summer camp for people with visual impairments and special needs, founded by Carl Shoemaker in 1948.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pa-lions-beacon-lodge-camp-celebrates-75th-anniversary/ar-AA1dWQS7 |title=Pa Lions Beacon Lodge Camp celebrates 75th anniversary |date=July 16, 2023 |work=[[WTAJ]] |first=Tristan |last=Klinefelter |access-date=July 28, 2023 |via=MSN }}</ref> Today, Mount Union has 3 subsidized housing developments, Hartman Village, Chestnut Terrace, and Taylor Apartments, the later of which is a 7-story building for senior-citizens.  The industries in Mount Unions include Bleyers Industries which produces plastic products,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.industrynet.com/listing/1142120/bleyer-gift-pack-llc |title=Bleyer Gift Pack, LLC - Mount Union, PA - Plastic Products }}</ref> Containment Solutions which makes large tanks for gas stations,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thebluebook.com/iProView/1499814/containment-solutions-inc/subcontractors/ |title=Containment Solutions, Inc. &#124; ProView }}</ref> and Bonney Forge which manufactures steel valves and fittings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bonneyforge.com/contact/locations/bonney-forge.php |title=Bonney Forge &#124; Bonney Forge }}</ref> Bleyers Industries is located in the borough near on Chestnut Street, meanwhile Bonney Forge and Containment Solutions are located outside the borough near or within the Riverview Business Center along 522

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough has a total area of {{convert|1.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|1.1|sqmi|km2}}  is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}}  (2.59%) is water.

==Education==
===Vocational/Technical education===
*[[Huntingdon County Career and Technology Center]]&nbsp;– shared with the three other school districts

===Public education===
* [[Mount Union Area School District]]
** [[Mount Union Area Senior High School]]
** Mount Union Area Junior High School
** Shirley Township Elementary School
** Kister Elementary School

==Public services==
===Emergency services===
The Mount Union Borough has its own police department providing law enforcement services to the borough with around a dozen officers. Mount Union Volunteer Fire Department provides fire, rescue and ambulance services to the borough and to Shirley Township. The Fire Department has 3 ambulances, a Fire Engine, Engine-Rescue, Ladder truck, brush truck and a boat.

===Health care===
Mount Union Area Medical Center which provides preventive health services to the community. The closest hospitals is Penn Highlands Huntingdon, formerly JC Blair Hospital in Huntingdon and Geisinger Lewistown Hospital in Lewistown.

===Postal services===
*Mount Union Post Office

===Public library===
*Mount Union Community Library

==Non-profit organizations==
*Kiwanis Club of the Mount Union Area
*Allenport [[Lions Clubs International|Lions Club]]
*Mount Union Area Food Pantry

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 535
|1880= 764
|1890= 810
|1900= 1086
|1910= 3338
|1920= 4744
|1930= 4892
|1940= 4763
|1950= 4690
|1960= 4091
|1970= 3662
|1980= 3101
|1990= 2878
|2000= 2504
|2010= 2447
|2020= 2308
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="USDecennialCensus">{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref><ref name=CensusPopEst>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,504 people, 1,166 households, and 684 families residing in the borough. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2,221.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 1,288 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,142.8|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the borough was 86.50% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 11.02% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.04% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.32% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.12% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 1,166 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $21,048, and the median income for a family was $30,582. Males had a median income of $28,464 versus $21,719 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $13,419. About 25.5% of families and 28.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 50.0% of those under age 18 and 17.9% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|Mount Union, Pennsylvania}}
*[https://www.facebook.com/Mount-Union-Chamber-of-Commerce-102347707906179/ Chamber of Commerce]
*[http://www.mtunionpolice.org Police department]
*[http://www.muasd.org Mount Union Area School District]
*[https://www.mountunionpa.net/ Mount Union Borough]
*[http://mucl.net Mount Union Community Library]

{{Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1849]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in Pennsylvania]]