The town of Sharon, Pennsylvania has a population of 13,000 people spread over 3.9 square miles. It’s located about 75 miles (121 km) northwest of Pittsburgh.
Initially a center of coal mining, Sharon’s economy transitioned to iron and steelmaking and other heavy industry after the arrival of the Erie Extension Canal in the 1840s.
Following extensive national deindustrialization of the 1970s and ’80s, the city’s economy diversified and is now based primarily on light industry, education, health care, and social services.
It sits on the Pennsylvania/Ohio border, close to Youngstown. Like Youngstown, it has some long-standing challenges and has been trying for some time to revitalize its downtown area.
This video explores those efforts, which are showing some progress, despite a still-declining population.
Photo courtesy of the City of Sharon.