Donora, Pennsylvania

Donora is a borough located in Washington County, Pennsylvania, 35 miles (56 km) south of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela river. Donora was incorporated in 1900. Agriculture, coal-mining, steel-making, wire-making, and other industries were conducted in Donora early in its history. In 1910, 8,174 people lived there; in 1920, 14,131; and in 1940, 13,180 people lived in Donora. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 5,653. Donora is a Rust Belt place which has lost most of its industrial capacity. It is in the "Mon valley" five miles (8 km) downriver from Charleroi and 25 miles (40 km) upstream of Braddock which is also in the "Mon valley."

History

In 1794, one mile (1.6 km) east of Donora, the Whiskey Insurrectionists held several meetings at Fells Church.

Related Topics:
1794 - Whiskey Insurrection

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Between October 26 and October 31, 1948 an air inversion trapped fluoride effluent from the Zinc Works. "In three days, 18 people died... After the inversion lifted, another 50 died. Hundreds more finished the rest of their lives with damaged lungs and hearts. But another 40 years would pass before the whole truth about Donora's bad air made public-health history." (The Globe and Mail, December 7, 2002, book review by Andrew Nikiforuk When Smoke Ran Like Water by Devra Davis) See also: air pollution.

Related Topics:
October 26 - October 31 - 1948 - Fluoride - Zinc - Air pollution

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Donora is the birthplace of baseball stars Stan Musial, Ken Griffey, Sr., and Ken Griffey, Jr.. Musial and Griffey Jr. shared the same birthday, November 21, 1920 and 1969 respectively, while Griffey Sr. was born in 1950.

Related Topics:
Baseball - Stan Musial - Ken Griffey, Sr. - Ken Griffey, Jr. - 1920 - 1969 - 1950

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