township
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. The township takes its name from the stony creek, which flows through it and represents its western boundary. The stream takes its name from the rocky bed over which it flows for a great part of its course. Its Indian name was Sinne-Hanne or Achsin-Hanne. Hanne means a stream and especially a swift mountain stream. The population was 2,089 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Johnstown,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
,
metropolitan statistical area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
.
Stonycreek Township garnered global attention during the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
when
United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight that was hijacked by four al-Qaeda attackers aboard the plane on the morning of September 11, 2001, as part of the September 11 attacks. The plane eventually crashed in S ...
, intended to strike the
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, crashed into a field near downtown after civilian passengers on the flight from
What is now Stonycreek Township was settled in 1762. Most old records call it Stony Creek. The Township was incorporated in 1792 from portions of Quemahoning Township as the last of the six original townships of Somerset County.
Glessner Bridge was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1980.
September 11 attacks
Stonycreek Township gained global attention on
September 11, 2001
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
, when
United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight that was hijacked by four al-Qaeda attackers aboard the plane on the morning of September 11, 2001, as part of the September 11 attacks. The plane eventually crashed in S ...
crashed there. Flight 93 was one of four airliners hijacked that day as part of the
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...
terrorist attack on the United States. It is widely held that the Flight 93 hijackers intended to use the craft to target the United States Capitol. The crash resulted after the passengers of the plane attacked the hijackers in an effort to gain control of the aircraft, resulting in the terrorists deliberately crashing it to prevent them from gaining the upper hand. They learned of the plane's intended fate through cell phone calls to and from family members. All 44 people aboard the plane, including four hijackers, were killed. The site is now the location of a national memorial honoring the passengers."Sources and detailed information" National Park Service website
Flight 93 National Memorial
The original temporary memorial to the passengers and crew of Flight 93 was located on a hill, about 500 yards from the crash site. On July 8, 2010, a new temporary entrance and memorial were opened at an area called "The Western Overlook". It is where the FBI set up their command center and where family members first saw the aftermath of the crash, bringing their own memorials, where visitors can leave them today. The initial phase of permanent construction of the Flight 93 National Memorial, including the visitor's center, was to be completed by the 10th anniversary in 2011. The first phase of the permanent memorial was completed, opened, and dedicated on September 10, 2011. The current design for the memorial is a modified version of the entry ''Crescent of Embrace'' by Paul and Milena Murdoch. The memorial was built around the crash site, following the plane's flight path, and protects the area of impact, known as the "Sacred Ground", which will remain protected and accessible only to family members of the passengers and crew.
Geography
Stonycreek Township is located approximately at 40.01°N by 78.88°W, about west-southwest of
Indian Lake, Pennsylvania
Indian Lake (Private Lake only to land owners within the borough) is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 391 at the 2020 census, down from 394 in 2 ...
. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the township has a total area of 61.4 square miles (159.1 km2), of which 61.2 square miles (158.4 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km2) (0.44%) is water. It is bordered to the northeast by Shade Township, to the northwest by Quemahoning Township, to the west by Somerset Township, to the southwest by Brothersvalley Township, and to the east by Allegheny Township.
Pennsylvania Route 31
Pennsylvania Route 31 (PA 31) is a state highway located in Western Pennsylvania, paralleling U.S. Route 30 (US 30) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike for most of its length. The designation begins at PA 136 near West Newton and ends at US 30 near ...
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...
/ the
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated October 31, 1913 ...
runs along the township's northeastern border with Shade Township.
Pennsylvania Route 160
Pennsylvania Route 160 (PA 160) is a north–south state highway in Somerset and Cambria counties in western Pennsylvania, United States. Its southern terminus is at the Mason-Dixon line south of Wellersburg, where the road contin ...
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...
/
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated October 31, 1913 ...
intersect in Reels Corner.
Demographics
As of the 2020 census, of 2000, there were 2,221 people, 820 households, and 634 families residing in the township. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 36.3 people per square mile (14.0/km2). There were 1,033 housing units at an average density of 16.9/sq mi (6.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 98.96%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.09%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.05% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.45% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.23% of the population.
There were 820 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the township, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $33,828, and the median income for a family was $38,418. Males had a median income of $30,236 versus $21,714 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the township was $14,463. About 9.6% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Shanksville-Stonycreek School District
The Shanksville-Stonycreek School District is a public school district located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The school district serves the borough of Shanksville, Stonycreek Township, and the borough of Indian Lake. The district encompasse ...