Historic Latrobe Pennsylvania

Historic Latrobe Pennsylvania. . , OLIVER BARNES , Oliver W. Barnes was a civil engineer with the Pennsylvania Railroad. On February 18, 1851 Barnes purchased the 140 acre Thomas Kirk farm and would lay out streets and lots for a new town, which he named after a long-time friend and associate, Benjamin Latrobe., RAILROAD , The Pennsylvania Railroad, which in the 1840s began planning to extend their tracks through Westmoreland County to connect the eastern part of the state with Pittsburgh. The first train chugged through Latrobe on November 29, 1852., INDUSTRY , In the early nineteenth century, agriculture and its accompanying grist mills were the main industries in the area. The railroad and the natural resources would soon draw more industries to Latrobe. The Pennsylvania Car Works was Latrobe's first industry followed by distilleries and breweries soon to follow. However it was the steel industry that would drive Latrobe's growth and development., CHURCHES , As Irish, German, Italian, Polish, and Slovak immigrants arrived, congregations were formed by those who shared not only a religion but also a language. The United Presbyterian congregation was formed in 1853 followed by Holy Family Catholic Church and a Methodist church in 1856. The first Presbyterian Church was built in 1857, Trinity Lutheran organized in 1863 and Congregation Beth Israel formed in 1900., RECREATION , The first modern two-wheel bicycle was introduced to Latrobe in 1891 and it wasn't long until cycling clubs were formed. In the 1930s Legion-Keener Park was built on 27 acres of floodplain. In the 1950s Memorial Stadium was built, the Jaycees would build the Little League Field, and the Rogers-McFeely family provided the funds for a community swimming pool.