Avalon

History

On December 9, 1874, a group of 29 property owners met and decided they wanted to separate from Kilbuck Township, which itself split from Pine Township in 1869. They petitioned the Court of Quarter Sessions of Pennsylvania for incorporation papers. The petition was drawn up by Noah Shafer, who eventually became West Bellevue's first solicitor. The group was notified that it first had to hold an election so officials of the petitioning body could make the request for incorporation. The first election was held December 26, 1874. James Semple was elected the first burgess, a position he held three different times. When the petition was submitted the second time, the court was in recess. The court met again in April, and on April 7, 1875, approved the petition and West Bellevue's right to incorporation. It was named after the legendary island of Avalon ("land of apples") on account of there being several orchards in the area. The streetcar reached Avalon around 1900, and in later years the borough was served by Pittsburgh Railways route 14 Avalon and then route 6/14 Brighton Avalon. The service ended on April 30, 1966, when many of the West End lines were abandoned by the Port Authority of Allegheny County, in preparation for bridge replacements over the Allegheny River.

Geography

Avalon is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Its average elevation is above sea level. Avalon has four land borders, including Ben Avon Heights to the north, Kilbuck Township to the north, northeast and northwestern corner, Bellevue to the east, and Ben Avon to the west. Across the Ohio River to the south, Avalon runs adjacent with the eastern end of Neville Island (Neville Township) as well as the Davis Island Lock and Dam Site in which its location is designated as in Avalon.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  52,662
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  50,510
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  45,082
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  42,964
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  35,724
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  34,805
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  32,713
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  31,029

Largest nearby schools

• North Allegheny HS
  High · Wexford · 2,666 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Mt Lebanon SHS
  High · Pittsburgh · 1,840 students · 14.6:1 ratio
• North Hills SHS
  High · Pittsburgh · 1,383 students · 13.6:1 ratio
• Pittsburgh Allderdice HS
  High · Pittsburgh · 1,362 students · 13.1:1 ratio
• Pennsylvania Distance Learning CS
  Other · Sewickley · 1,226 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• Shaler Area HS
  High · Pittsburgh · 1,225 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• Moon SHS
  High · Moon Township · 1,218 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Montour El Sch
  Elementary · McKees Rocks · 1,191 students · 15.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2024-09-11
  4 km WNW of Claysville, Pennsylvania
• M 3 — 2024-03-30
  2 km SSW of Maple Ridge, Ohio
• M 2.9 — 2020-10-06
  5 km WSW of Bolivar, Pennsylvania
• M 4 — 2011-12-31
  3 km NW of Youngstown, Ohio