# Butler County, Pennsylvania

Butler County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 193,763. Its county seat is Butler. Butler County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named in honor of General Richard Butler, a hero of the American Revolution. The county is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region of the state.

## History

Some famous inventions and discoveries were made in Butler County. Saxonburg was founded as a Prussian colony by John A. Roebling, a civil engineer, and his brother Carl. After farming for a time, Roebling returned to engineering, and invented his revolutionary "wire rope.", which he first produced at Saxonburg. He moved the operation to Trenton, New Jersey. He is best known for designing his most famous work, the Brooklyn Bridge, but designed and built numerous bridges in Pittsburgh and other cities as well.
At what is now known as Oil Creek, Butler County resident William Smith and Edwin Drake first proved oil could be tapped from underground for consistent supply.
The Jeep was developed in Butler County by American Bantam in 1941.
Famous politicians have lived in and traveled through Butler County. U.S. Senator Walter Lowrie, the only senator from Butler, built a home in 1828 that still stands behind the Butler County Courthouse. The house has been adapted for use by the Butler County Historical Society. Butler's highest-ranked federal official is William J. Perry, Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 1997. He graduated from Butler High School in 1945.
George Washington passed through this area during the French and Indian War. In 1923, the funeral train of President Warren G. Harding passed through Butler County on its way to Washington D.C. John F. Kennedy spoke in front of the Butler County Courthouse during the 1960 United States presidential election. Hubert Humphrey also campaigned in Butler. In 2004, Vice President Dick Cheney spoke in Saxonburg to campaign for President George W. Bush in the 2004 United States presidential election. Donald Trump, while president, campaigned at the Butler County Airport in 2020.
On July 13, 2024, Butler County was the site of an assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump as he spoke at a campaign rally. Trump was shot in the ear and one spectator was killed. The shooter was also killed. The next day, authorities named Thomas Matthew Crooks as the perpetrator.
Bret Michaels, lead singer of the rock band Poison, was born here in 1963.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 795 square miles (2,060 km$^2$), of which 789 square miles (2,040 km$^2$) is land and 6.1 square miles (16 km$^2$) (0.8%) is water. Butler County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission, and it is identified as part of the "Midlands" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.
It is the location of Moraine State Park, with the 3,000-acre (12 km$^2$) glacial lake, Lake Arthur. Lake Arthur is used for fishing and sailing, and the surrounding park is used for hiking and hunting.
The county has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Butler borough range from 27.7 °F in January to 72.1 °F in July.

### Waterways

* Allegheny River (The river touches Butler County at its northeast and southeast corners. It is both a recreational and industrial waterway.)
* Connoquenessing Creek (recreational canoeing and kayaking)
* Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park (recreational boating, canoeing and kayaking)
* Slippery Rock Creek (recreational canoeing and kayaking)
* Little Connoquenessing Creek
* Bull Creek
* Muddy Creek
* Sullivan Run
* Semiconon Run
* Mulligan Run
* Bear Creek (Allegheny River tributary)

### Adjacent counties

* Venango County (north)
* Clarion County (northeast)
* Armstrong County (east)
* Westmoreland County (southeast)
* Allegheny County (south)
* Beaver County (southwest)
* Lawrence County (west)
* Mercer County (northwest)

## Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 inhabitants per square mile (85/km$^2$). There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 units per square mile (34/km$^2$). The racial/ethnic makeup of the county is 96.5% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, 0.7% from two or more races; and 0.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.0% German, 20.8% Irish, 13.1% Italian, 8.6% English, and 7.8% Polish. There were 65,862 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

### 2020 census

Butler County racial composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 178,081 | 92% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 2,174 | 1.12% |
| Native American (NH) | 154 | 0.08% |
| Asian (NH) | 2,792 | 1.44% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 36 | 0.02% |
| Other/mixed (NH) | 6,861 | 3.54% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,665 | 1.9% |

## Law and government

United States presidential election results for Butler County, Pennsylvania :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 79,773 | 65.45% | 40,661 | 33.36% | 1,444 | 1.18% |
| 2020 | 74,359 | 65.42% | 37,508 | 33.00% | 1,796 | 1.58% |
| 2016 | 64,428 | 65.71% | 28,584 | 29.15% | 5,032 | 5.13% |
| 2012 | 59,761 | 66.62% | 28,550 | 31.83% | 1,388 | 1.55% |
| 2008 | 57,074 | 62.88% | 32,260 | 35.54% | 1,427 | 1.57% |
| 2004 | 54,959 | 64.34% | 30,090 | 35.22% | 376 | 0.44% |
| 2000 | 44,009 | 62.12% | 25,037 | 35.34% | 1,803 | 2.54% |
| 1996 | 32,038 | 52.88% | 21,990 | 36.29% | 6,563 | 10.83% |
| 1992 | 23,656 | 38.70% | 22,303 | 36.48% | 15,171 | 24.82% |
| 1988 | 27,777 | 54.82% | 22,341 | 44.09% | 549 | 1.08% |
| 1984 | 31,676 | 55.94% | 24,735 | 43.68% | 215 | 0.38% |
| 1980 | 28,821 | 54.70% | 19,711 | 37.41% | 4,157 | 7.89% |
| 1976 | 26,366 | 52.52% | 22,611 | 45.04% | 1,221 | 2.43% |
| 1972 | 29,665 | 65.09% | 14,695 | 32.24% | 1,214 | 2.66% |
| 1968 | 21,618 | 47.73% | 19,415 | 42.87% | 4,258 | 9.40% |
| 1964 | 17,360 | 38.82% | 27,267 | 60.97% | 95 | 0.21% |
| 1960 | 28,348 | 61.22% | 17,805 | 38.45% | 152 | 0.33% |
| 1956 | 26,238 | 65.61% | 13,672 | 34.19% | 79 | 0.20% |
| 1952 | 25,243 | 61.99% | 15,295 | 37.56% | 185 | 0.45% |
| 1948 | 17,449 | 62.94% | 9,818 | 35.41% | 457 | 1.65% |
| 1944 | 19,341 | 60.55% | 12,377 | 38.75% | 226 | 0.71% |
| 1940 | 19,450 | 58.17% | 13,875 | 41.49% | 114 | 0.34% |
| 1936 | 16,772 | 50.35% | 16,008 | 48.06% | 529 | 1.59% |
| 1932 | 11,543 | 54.77% | 8,717 | 41.36% | 815 | 3.87% |
| 1928 | 19,880 | 75.51% | 6,283 | 23.87% | 164 | 0.62% |
| 1924 | 13,113 | 69.45% | 3,462 | 18.34% | 2,305 | 12.21% |
| 1920 | 10,467 | 66.87% | 3,829 | 24.46% | 1,357 | 8.67% |
| 1916 | 5,458 | 47.18% | 4,544 | 39.28% | 1,566 | 13.54% |
| 1912 | 1,273 | 11.35% | 4,022 | 35.86% | 5,920 | 52.79% |
| 1908 | 6,584 | 54.15% | 4,698 | 38.64% | 877 | 7.21% |
| 1904 | 6,596 | 63.43% | 3,187 | 30.65% | 616 | 5.92% |
| 1900 | 6,303 | 55.85% | 4,465 | 39.57% | 517 | 4.58% |
| 1896 | 6,821 | 55.42% | 5,127 | 41.66% | 360 | 2.92% |
| 1892 | 5,019 | 50.17% | 4,161 | 41.59% | 824 | 8.24% |
| 1888 | 5,358 | 53.84% | 3,986 | 40.06% | 607 | 6.10% |
| 1884 | 5,217 | 52.43% | 4,236 | 42.57% | 497 | 4.99% |
| 1880 | 5,269 | 50.96% | 4,678 | 45.24% | 393 | 3.80% |

### Elected county officials

* Commissioner Leslie Osche (chairman), Republican
* Commissioner Kim Geyer, Republican
* Commissioner Kevin Boozel, Democratic
* District Attorney: Richard Goldinger, Republican
* Controller: Ben Holland, Republican
* Treasurer: Diane Marburger, Republican
* Prothonotary: Kelly Ferrari, Republican
* Clerk of Courts: Lisa Lotz, Republican
* Sheriff: Michael Slupe, Republican
* Recorder of Deeds: Michele Mustello, Republican
* Register of Wills: Sara Edwards, Republican

### County judges

* Dr. S. Michael Yeager (President Judge)
* Timothy McCune
* Kelly Streib
* Joseph Kubit
* Maura Palumbi
* William Shaffer (Senior Judge)
* William Robinson, Jr.

### District judges

* Kevin P. O'Donnell
* Joseph Nash
* Lewis Stoughton
* Sue Elaine Haggerty
* Kevin Flaherty
* B.T. Fullerton
* Amy Marcinkiewicz

### State senate

* Scott Hutchinson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 21st Senatorial District
* Elder Vogel, Republican, Pennsylvania's 47th Senatorial District

### State House of Representatives

* Tim Bonner, Republican, Pennsylvania's 8th Representative District
* Aaron Bernstine, Republican, Pennsylvania's 10th Representative District at PA House
* Marci Mustello, Republican, Pennsylvania's 11th Representative District
* Stephenie Scialabba, Republican, Pennsylvania's 12th Representative District

### United States House of Representatives

* Mike Kelly, Republican, Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district

### United States Senate

* John Fetterman, Democrat
* Bob Casey, Democrat

### Politics

Butler County has long been one of the most consistently Republican counties in Pennsylvania and the nation. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win it was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, when he won a national landslide and carried all but four counties in the state; indeed, Johnson is the only Democratic presidential candidate to carry this county in over a century. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush received 62% of the vote, while Democrat Al Gore received 35%. In 2004, the county was carried by Bush's 64% to Democrat John Kerry's 35%. In 2008, the county was carried by Republican John McCain's 63% to Democrat Barack Obama's 35%. Since 2008, Butler County has continually given Republican nominees support in the mid-60s, with both Mitt Romney and Donald Trump receiving around 66% of the vote in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.
In 2024, by political party, almost 80,000 residents registered as Republican, almost 40,000 registered as Democratic, and about 20,000 are not Democratic nor Republican. The New York Times described the county as being politically conservative.

### Voter registration

Chart of Voter Registration
As of September 30, 2024, there are 142,305 registered voters in Butler County.
* Republican: 81,434 (57.22%)
* Democratic: 40,113 (28.19%)
* Independent: 15,061 (10.58%)
* Third Party: 5,697 (4.00%)

## Education
### Colleges and universities

* Butler County Community College's Homepage
* Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania's Homepage

### Technical schools

* Butler County Vo-Tech at bcvt.tec.pa.us

### Public school districts

K-12 school districts include:
* Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District (part)
* Butler Area School District
* Freeport Area School District (part)
* Karns City Area School District (part)
* Knoch School District (formerly the South Butler County School District)
* Mars Area School District
* Moniteau School District
* Seneca Valley School District
* Slippery Rock Area School District
As of 2024, several area school districts, as a tradition, gave school holidays when the deer hunting season began.

### Public libraries

The Butler County Federated Library System (additionally known as the Library System of Butler County) includes the ten listed libraries. Each library is managed by its own Board of Directors. The majority of the funding for these libraries comes from state grants, user fines and donations with additional financial contributions from Butler County. The first Butler library originated in 1894 with the Literary Society of Butler in what is now known as the Little Red Schoolhouse. The Butler Area Public Library, built in 1921, was the last Carnegie library built in Pennsylvania. In the intervening 27 years the library was independently operated. From 1921 to 1941 the library quadrupled the number of patrons served. In 1987 the County Commissioners, through a resolution, founded the Butler County Federated Library System.
* Butler Area Public Library
* Chicora Community Library
* Cranberry Public Library
* Evans City Public Library
* Mars Area Public Library
* North Trails Public Library
* Prospect Community Library
* Slippery Rock Community Library
* South Butler Community Library
* Zelienople Area Public Library

## Media

* Butler Eagle daily newspaper
* WBUT-AM
* WISR-AM
* WLER-FM

## Recreation
### Parks

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Butler County.
* Jennings Environmental Education Center is the home of the only protected relict prairie in Pennsylvania.
* Moraine State Park The gently rolling hills, lush forests and sparkling waters disguise a land that has endured the effects of continental glaciers and massive mineral extraction. Each year over one million people visit the 16,725-acre (67.68 km$^2$) park, yet never realize that many people helped restore the park from prior coal mining and oil and gas drilling practices. Today, the park is an outstanding example of environmental engineering achievement. During the third great ice advance about 140,000 years ago, a continental glacier dammed area creeks making three glacial lakes. To the north, Slippery Rock Creek filled giant Lake Edmund. To the southeast, extinct McConnells Run filled tiny Lake Prouty. In the middle, Muddy Creek filled the medium-sized Lake Watts.
Before the glacier dam, Slippery Rock and Muddy creeks flowed north while extinct McConnells Run flowed south. The glacier dammed Lake Prouty on the edge of the drainage divide. Eventually Lake Pouty spilled over and rushed to the south, carving Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. Lakes Watts and Edmund drained into the gorge, digging it deeper and making Slippery Rock and Muddy creeks flow south. Areas of the 400-foot (120 m) deep Slippery Rock Gorge may be seen at nearby McConnells Mill State Park.
The glacier created a landscape of rolling hills topped with hardwood trees and swamps in the valley bottoms. Moraines containing gravel, sand and clay were draped upon the landscape and silt was left on the extinct lake bottoms. Reference to: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/moraine/moraine_history.aspx

### Trails

* Butler-Freeport Trail- The trail is a rail trail that connects the city of Butler with the borough of Freeport.
* North Country Trail- The trail passes through Jennings Environmental Education Center and Moraine State Park, as well as several State Game Lands.
* Washington's Trail- A regional scenic byway road trail that roughly follows the route George Washington and Christopher Gist took on the Venango Path from the Forks of the Ohio to Fort Le Boeuf in 1753.
* There is also a trail in Slippery Rock Township that connects with McConnells Mill State Park in Lawrence County.

## Transportation
### Airports

* Butler County Airport
* Butler Farm Show Airport
* Lakehill Airport

### Major roads and highways

* I-76 / Penna Turnpike
* I-79
* I-80
* US 19
* US 422
* PA 8
* PA 28
* PA 38
* PA 58
* PA 68
* PA 108
* PA 138
* PA 173
* PA 228
* PA 258
* PA 268
* PA 288
* PA 308
* PA 356
* PA 488
* PA 528
* PA 588

### Transit

* Butler Transit Authority

## Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Butler County:

### City

* Butler (county seat)

### Boroughs

* Bruin
* Callery
* Cherry Valley
* Chicora
* Connoquenessing
* East Butler
* Eau Claire
* Evans City
* Fairview
* Harmony
* Harrisville
* Karns City
* Mars
* Petrolia
* Portersville
* Prospect
* Saxonburg
* Seven Fields
* Slippery Rock
* Valencia
* West Liberty
* West Sunbury
* Zelienople

### Townships

* Adams
* Allegheny
* Brady
* Buffalo
* Butler
* Center
* Cherry
* Clay
* Clearfield
* Clinton
* Concord
* Connoquenessing
* Cranberry
* Donegal
* Fairview
* Forward
* Franklin
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Lancaster
* Marion
* Mercer
* Middlesex
* Muddy Creek
* Oakland
* Parker
* Penn
* Slippery Rock
* Summit
* Venango
* Washington
* Winfield
* Worth

### Census-designated places

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
* Homeacre-Lyndora
* Lake Arthur Estates
* Meadowood
* Meridian
* Nixon
* Oak Hills
* Shanor-Northvue
* Slippery Rock University
* Unionville

### Unincorporated communities

Several of these communities, most notably Renfrew, Lyndora, Herman, Sarver, Cabot, Boyers, and Forestville, have post offices and zip codes, but aren't officially incorporated under Pennsylvania law, and exist entirely within townships.
* Boyers
* Branchton
* Bredinville
* Cabot
* Eidenau
* Fernway
* Forestville
* Fox Run
* Glade Mills
* Greece City
* Herman
* Hilliards
* Hooker
* Lyndora
* Meridian
* Mt Chestnut
* Muddy Creek Flats
* Murrinsville
* Renfrew
* Sarver
* Unionville
* Wahlville
* Watters

### Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Butler County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 census) |
| 1 | † Butler | City | 13,757 |
| 2 | Fernway (former CDP) | CDP | 12,414 |
| 3 | Homeacre-Lyndora | CDP | 6,906 |
| 4 | Shanor-Northvue | CDP | 5,051 |
| 5 | Meridian | CDP | 3,881 |
| 6 | Zelienople | Borough | 3,812 |
| 7 | Slippery Rock | Borough | 3,625 |
| 8 | Fox Run (former CDP) | CDP | 3,282 |
| 9 | Seven Fields | Borough | 2,887 |
| 10 | Meadowood | CDP | 2,693 |
| 11 | Oak Hills | CDP | 2,333 |
| 12 | Slippery Rock University | CDP | 1,898 |
| 13 | Evans City | Borough | 1,833 |
| 14 | Mars | Borough | 1,699 |
| 15 | Saxonburg | Borough | 1,525 |
| 16 | Nixon | CDP | 1,373 |
| 17 | Prospect | Borough | 1,169 |
| 18 | Chicora | Borough | 1,043 |
| 19 | Unionville | CDP | 962 |
| 20 | Harrisville | Borough | 897 |
| 21 | Harmony | Borough | 890 |
| 22 | East Butler | Borough | 732 |
| 23 | Lake Arthur Estates | CDP | 594 |
| 24 | Valencia | Borough | 551 |
| 25 | Connoquenessing | Borough | 528 |
| 26 | Bruin | Borough | 524 |
| 27 | Callery | Borough | 394 |
| 28 | West Liberty | Borough | 343 |
| 29 | Eau Claire | Borough | 316 |
| 30 | Portersville | Borough | 235 |
| 31 | Petrolia | Borough | 212 |
| 32 | Karns City | Borough | 209 |
| 33 | Fairview | Borough | 198 |
| 34 | West Sunbury | Borough | 192 |
| 35 | Cherry Valley | Borough | 66 |

## In popular culture

Butler County has often been used as a setting for films shot in the North Pittsburgh area. Such films include:
* Night of the Living Dead (1968)
* The Crazies (1973)
* The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
* Iron Maze (1991)
* Kingpin (1996)
* The Haunting Hour Volume One: Don't Think About It (2007)
* Homecoming (2008)
* Staunton Hill (2008)
* The Road (2008)
* I Am Number Four (2011)
* Death from Above (2011)
* The Avengers (2012)
* A Separate Life (2012)
* Foxcatcher (2013)
Films set in Butler County, but not necessarily filmed there.
* Mrs. Soffel (1984)
* Night of the Living Dead (1990)
* Snow Angels (2008)
Novels set in Butler County.
Benjamin's Field, a trilogy by local author J. J. Knights
The Pennsic War, an annual medieval camping event by the Society for Creative Anachronism, is fought in Butler County. Its site becomes the fourth most populous place in the county for a few weeks each year.