Tarentum, Pennsylvania

In the 1750s a Shawnee trader named Peter Chartier had briefly operated a trading post in this area. The area that would become Tarentum was first settled in 1796 and formally laid out in 1829 by Henry Marie Brackenridge, son of Pittsburgh pioneer Hugh Henry Brackenridge. The borough was incorporated on March 7, 1842. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Tarentum developed as an industrial hub along the Allegheny River. Local manufacturers produced plate glass, bottles, bricks, steel, lumber, and paper, and the surrounding hills were mined for coal and iron ore. The borough’s location on the Pennsylvania Railroad and later streetcar lines supported its growth as a working-class river community. By the early twentieth century, Tarentum was home to several thousand residents and a mix of immigrant communities who came to work in the mills and factories. Industrial decline in the latter half of the century led to population loss and economic transition, but the borough has continued to serve as a residential and commercial center for the Alle-Kiski Valley. Recent Developments In the early twenty-first century, Tarentum undertook several community revitalization and infrastructure initiatives. Since 2019, the borough has removed more than 65 blighted structures as part of a long-term strategy to address abandoned properties and improve neighborhood conditions. Tarentum has also implemented a business façade improvement program and regularly partners with county and regional agencies on economic development projects. The borough has been recognized for intergovernmental cooperation and local leadership, receiving the Allegheny League of Municipalities Banner Community designation and the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Intergovernmental Cooperation. Tarentum also continues to invest in infrastructure, including water and sewer upgrades, electric system improvements, and park redevelopment projects. ==Geography==

Tarentum is located at (40.603042, −79.755447). According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and , or 12.06%, is water. Streams • The Allegheny River forms the borough's eastern border with Westmoreland County. • Bull Creek joins the Allegheny River at Tarentum. • Little Bull Creek joins Bull Creek via a culvert underneath Bull Creek Road (Pennsylvania Route 366) at Tarentum. ==Neighboring municipalities==

Tarentum is bordered by East Deer Township to the west, Frazer Township to the northwest, Fawn Township to the north, Harrison Township to the northeast, and Brackenridge to the east. To the southeast, across the Allegheny River in Westmoreland County, are New Kensington (via Tarentum Bridge) and Lower Burrell. ==Demographics==

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Tarentum had a population of 4,352. The median age was 39.4 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.0 males age 18 and over. 98.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.5% lived in rural areas. There were 1,996 households in Tarentum, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 27.8% were married-couple households, 26.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. there were 4,993 people, 2,170 households, and 1,306 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,556 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 93.79% White, 3.65% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population. There were 2,170 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.92. In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $26,895, and the median income for a family was $32,042. Males had a median income of $28,578 versus $21,891 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $14,671. About 12.1% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over. ==Museums and other points of interest==

• The Community Library of Allegheny Valley, Tarentum Branch, serves the borough and regional municipalities. • Allegheny-Kiski Valley Heritage Museum is at 224 East Seventh Avenue.http://www.akvhs.org/ • Pittsburgh Mills in nearby Frazer Township uses a Tarentum postal code; it is the 22nd-largest shopping mall in the United States. ==Education==

Tarentum is within the Highlands School District, which operates Highlands Elementary School (grades 1–4) in the borough; also Highlands Early Childhood Center (Pre-k and K), Highlands Middle School (grades 5–8), and Highlands High School (grades 9–12) in nearby communities. The Golden Rams are the Highlands School District's mascot. ==Government and politics==

Tarentum Borough operates under a council–manager form of government. In this system, policy decisions are made by an elected Borough Council, while administrative and day-to-day operations are handled by a professional Borough Manager. The current Mayor is Robert Lang, who began his first full term in January 2022. Council is led by President Scott Dadowski and includes representatives from each ward and at-large members. Dwight Boddorf serves as Borough Manager, appointed in September 2022 to oversee municipal operations and implement council directives. This structure is designed to balance democratic leadership with professional administration, promoting efficiency and accountability in local governance. ==Usage in popular culture==

• Knightriders – (1981) • Out of the Black – (2001) • My Bloody Valentine 3D – (2009) ==Notable people==

• Martin Chartier, a French-Canadian fur trader who established a trading post in 1694 with his son, Peter Chartier, in what is now Tarentum. • John Filo, photographer, took award-winning Kent State photo while employed in Tarentum. • John Baptiste Ford (1811–1903), industrialist and founder of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, now known as PPG Industries. • John Grant (1891–1955), burlesque producer and performer, later headwriter for Abbott and Costello. • Estelle Harris (1928–2022), actress who played George Costanza's mother on Seinfeld, lived in Tarentum and graduated from the former Tarentum High School. • Samuel Kier (1813–1874), pioneer oil refiner, operated salt wells in Tarentum • John L. Miller (1925–1989), politician and judge who represented District 3C in the New Jersey Senate from 1968 to 1974 • Evelyn Nesbit, artists' model and chorus girl, pursued by architect Stanford White and murderer Harry Thaw; she married the latter. ==References==