Jerome is a town located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,068.
Geography
Jerome is located at 40°12'36" North, 78°59'8" West (40.210047, -78.985652)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.8 km² (2.6 mi²). 6.8 km² (2.6 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 1,068 people, 425 households, and 308 families residing in the town. The population density is 158.0/km² (408.9/mi²). There are 444 housing units at an average density of 65.7/km² (170.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 100.00% White, 0.00% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.19% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 425 households out of which 29.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% are married couples living together, 13.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% are non-families. 24.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 2.96.
In the town the population is spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females there are 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $26,667, and the median income for a family is $33,872. Males have a median income of $36,528 versus $16,553 for females. The per capita income for the town is $13,033. 6.1% of the population and 5.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 10.1% are under the age of 18 and 7.5% are 65 or older.
Jerome was built in 1901 as a company town for the Hillman Coal Company of Pittsburgh, and named for family scion, Jerome Hillman. The town was filled mostly with immigrants from Croatia, Russia and Italy, particularly Italians from the Alpine province of Trentino and the town of San Lorenzo en Sabato, in addition to local Scotch-Irish and German stock. The wood frame houses were primarily of two types -- side by side, two storey double houses, and smaller single family cottages. Most of these initial dwelling still stand today. Houses typically were surrounded by large vegetable gardens, fruit trees and grape arbors. Homemade wine was a local specialty. A popular bocci court was maintained at a local tavern. At its economic peak, Jerome boasted a movie theatre, a bank, several dry goods stores, an electrical appliance store and a bowling alley. Jerome was also connected by electric tram to the nearby city of Johnstown. After the coal mine closed in the 1950s, Jerome rapidly became a bedroom community, although the town retained much of its close-knit ethnic character well into the 1990s.
Jerome was the scene of very early unionization efforts by what later became the United Mine Workers Union. In its early history, Jerome suffered several violent clashes between workers and management. A number of buildings were destoyed by dynamite in acts of sabotage. At one point, a mass eviction of miner families was undertaken by Hillman interests, resulting in a 'tent city' being established for the homeless on the nearby lands of sympathetic farmers. Many of the details of this history has now been lost.
Jerome is part of the municipality of Conemaugh Township, Somerset County, as are nearby towns of Davidsville, Thomas Mills, Tire Hill and part of Holsopple.
