Connellsville

Connellsville, Pennsylvania, (population 9,200) is located at the edge of the Youghiogheny River, which General Edward Braddock crossed in his historic march to Fort Duquesne in 1755. Connellsville is named for Zachariah Connell, a surveyor and land agent who secured a charter for the borough of Connellsville in 1793. The heavily forested area and the Youghiogheny River contained many fur bearing animals, which led to the development of the fur trade. The boat building industry developed because the borough became a natural stopping point for travelers heading west.

In the early 20th century, Connellsville became one of the wealthiest cities in the country because of the abundant bituminous coal in the region. The borough boasted the title "The Coal and Coke Capital of the World." At one time, more than five different rail lines passed through the area. The fortunes of Connellsville changed with the decline of the steel industry in the United States. Today, Connellsville serves as an entrance to industrial southwestern Pennsylvania.