Latrobe, Benjamin Henry (Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe), 1764-1820, American architect, b. Yorkshire, England. He is considered the first professional architect in the United States. Latrobe received his training both in architecture and in engineering in England and Germany and then practiced successfully in London. He came to the United States in 1796. He practiced there and in Richmond until 1799, when he went to Philadelphia. In 1803, President Jefferson appointed him surveyor of public buildings. Besides building residences in Washington, Philadelphia, and other cities, Latrobe did much monumental work and introduced Greek forms, an important element of the classic revival. His design (1799) for the Bank of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia was modeled after a Greek Ionic temple. This building and his Roman Catholic cathedral in Baltimore (1805-18)—the first cathedral built in the United States—make a group expressive of the best monumental architecture of the time. Other works are St. John's Church in Washington, D.C. (1816) and the penitentiary in Richmond, Va. (1797-1800). His design for "Sedgeley" (1800), a residence near Philadelphia, is supposed to be the first executed example of the Gothic revival in the country. After the burning of the Capitol he was engaged, from 1815 to 1817, in rebuilding it. Latrobe's son Henry had been sent to New Orleans to construct the city's waterworks after his father's design, but he died of yellow fever in 1817. In 1818, Latrobe sailed to New Orleans to complete the project, bringing his family overland in 1820. He too died of yellow fever. Latrobe's other sons were John H. B. Latrobe and Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1806-78, an engineer, b. Philadelphia. He served (1847-75) as chief engineer of the Baltimore & Ohio RR, laying out the line between Washington and Baltimore.

Latrobe, John Hazlehurst Boneval, 1803-91, American philanthropist, b. Philadelphia; son of Benjamin H. Latrobe. He studied law, and from 1828 until his death he was regularly retained as counsel for the Baltimore & Ohio RR, but he appeared in many independent cases. He was a founder of the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of Mechanic Arts and of the Maryland Historical Society. He was a prominent supporter of the African colonization of Liberia and in 1853 succeeded Henry Clay as president of the American Colonization Society.

Latrobe, industrial borough (1990 pop. 9,265), Westmoreland co., SW Pa., in the foothills of the Alleghenies; inc. 1854. Among its varied manufactures are foam rubber, asphalt, building materials, steel, and plastics, and Rolling Rock beer was brewed there from 1939 to 2006. Agricultural products include corn, hay, and cattle. St. Vincent College is there.

(born May 1, 1764, Fulneck, Yorkshire, Eng.—died Sept. 3, 1820, New Orleans, La., U.S.) British-U.S. architect and civil engineer. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1795. His first important building was the State Penitentiary in Richmond, Va. In 1798, in Philadelphia, he designed the Bank of Pennsylvania, considered the first U.S. monument of the Greek Revival style. Pres. Thomas Jefferson appointed him surveyor of public buildings. Latrobe inherited the task of completing the U.S. Capitol, and later rebuilt it after its destruction by the British. In Baltimore he designed the country's first cathedral (1818). He was active as an engineer, especially in the design of waterworks. He is widely regarded as having established architecture as a profession in the U.S.

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(born May 1, 1764, Fulneck, Yorkshire, Eng.—died Sept. 3, 1820, New Orleans, La., U.S.) British-U.S. architect and civil engineer. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1795. His first important building was the State Penitentiary in Richmond, Va. In 1798, in Philadelphia, he designed the Bank of Pennsylvania, considered the first U.S. monument of the Greek Revival style. Pres. Thomas Jefferson appointed him surveyor of public buildings. Latrobe inherited the task of completing the U.S. Capitol, and later rebuilt it after its destruction by the British. In Baltimore he designed the country's first cathedral (1818). He was active as an engineer, especially in the design of waterworks. He is widely regarded as having established architecture as a profession in the U.S.

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Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States approximately 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

In 1852, Oliver Barnes (a civil engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad) laid out the plans for the community that was incorporated in 1854 as the Borough of Latrobe. Barnes named the town for his best friend and college classmate, Benjamin Latrobe, who was a civil engineer for the B&O Railroad (his father, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, was the architect who rebuilt the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. after the War of 1812). Its location along the route of the Pennsylvania Railroad helped Latrobe develop into a significant industrial hub.

The city population was 7,968 as of the 2000 census (9,265 in 1990). It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999.

Among its claims to fame, Latrobe is the home of the Latrobe Brewery (the original brewer of Rolling Rock beer), Saint Vincent College, and golfer Arnold Palmer. It was the childhood home of Fred Rogers, children's television personality. He was also buried there at Unity Cemetery after his death in 2003. While it was believed for years that the first professional football game was played in Latrobe, the city refused induction into the Hall of Fame records. Latrobe is also home of the first banana split, invented in Latrobe by David Strickler in 1904. Latrobe is home to the training camp of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football team. Also, comedian Jackie Mason spent three years as a rabbi in Latrobe after his ordination.

In May 2006, Anheuser-Busch purchased the Rolling Rock brands, but not the brewery. In June 2006, City Brewing Company from LaCrosse, Wisconsin entered into negotiations to buy the brewery. In September 2006, City Brewing Company agreed to purchase the brewery, and they licensed it to the Boston Beer Company in April 2007 as a satellite brewery to produce Samuel Adams beers. The brewery employs approximately two hundred workers locally.

Geography

Latrobe is located at (40.314940, -79.381171). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,994 people, 3,966 households, and 2,458 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,913.6 people per square mile (1,509.8/km²). There were 4,258 housing units at an average density of 1,852.8 per square mile (714.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.78% White, 0.32% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.37% of the population.

There were 3,966 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,268, and the median income for a family was $42,168. Males had a median income of $31,802 versus $22,227 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,208. About 6.5% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

• Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
• Latrobe (Amtrak station)

Notable past residents

• Arnold Palmer, golf player
• Fred Rogers, host of the PBS series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
• Greg Forbes, meteorologist and Severe Weather Expert for The Weather Channel
• Joshua Fiedler, Musician, Songwriter, The Juliana Theory
• Joshua Kosker, Musician, Songwriter, The Juliana Theory

Media references

• Latrobe is featured in "Scan," an episode of the television show Prison Break. Fugitive Fernando Sucre is stopped by a Pennsylvania State Trooper, but runs through a field and presumably jumps aboard a cargo train headed towards New York.
• In George Romero's Night of the Living Dead the town is featured as a sanctuary from the uprising of the dead.

References

See also

• Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
• Fred Rogers
• Kennametal
• Latrobe Country Club
• Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area
• Saint Vincent Archabbey
• Saint Vincent Seminary
• WCNS-AM

External links

• City of Latrobe Website
• The Latrobe Area Historical Society