McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
McKees Rocks is a borough of 5,786 people in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, founded in 1892.
Why visit McKees Rocks
Townapedia lists 43 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 31 places to eat and 13 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, McKees Rocks Bridge, Allegheny High School and Allegheny Observatory.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in McKees Rocks
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About McKees Rocks
McKees Rocks, also known as "The Rocks", is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies along the south bank of the Ohio River and is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 5,920 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do13
Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Library building and theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
McKees Rocks Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Bridge in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
West End Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Bridge over the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fleming Park Bridge
Bridge · 1.8 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Fort Duquesne Bridge
Bridge · 3.3 mi
Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ohio Connecting Railroad Bridge
Bridge · 1.2 mi
Bridge in Pittsburgh, United States of America
Point Bridge II
Bridge · 3.2 mi
Former bridge built in 1927 over the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Stage AE
Cinema and theater · 3.1 mi
Multi-purpose entertainment complex located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Swindell Bridge
Bridge · 3.1 mi
Bridge over I-279 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
West End Overlook
Monument and historic site · 2.2 mi
Scenic overlook in Pittsburgh
1 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks43
Allegheny High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic school building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Allegheny Observatory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic observatory of the University of Pittsburgh
Allegheny Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic post office building for the former city of Allegheny; annexed by Pittsburgh, in 1907
Byers-Lyons House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Conroy Education Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Public, special education school in the United States
Duquesne Incline
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Funicular in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Heathside Cottage
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Building Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Henderson-Metz House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Hoene-Werle House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
House at 200 West North Avenue
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Houses at 2501–2531 Charles Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic houses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Houses at 838–862 Brightridge Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic houses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
31 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
Pittsburgh Curling Club
Sports field and stadium · 1.0 mi
The Pittsburgh Curling Club is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to developing and promoting the sport of curling in Pittsburgh and the...
491 McCoy Road, McKees Rocks
Miniature Railroad & Village
Park · 2.9 mi
Diorama of western Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh
National Aviary
Park · 3.0 mi
The only independent indoor nonprofit aviary in the United States
North Shore Riverfront Park
Park · 3.1 mi
Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Riverview Park
Park · 2.4 mi
Park in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, United States of America
Three Rivers Park
Park · 3.3 mi
Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes31
The Snack Shop
Restaurant · Regional, Burger, American
906 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks
19 more on the map.
History
For thousands of years, Native Americans inhabited the region. The Adena culture built a large earthwork mound here, which was a burial site. It was augmented in later years by members of the Hopewell culture. This was the largest such mound in the state. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History excavated half the mound in 1896. Its archaeologists traced the construction history and unearthed the remains of 33 people. The mound crowned a high bluff that overlooks Chartiers Creek and the Ohio River. The bluff under the mound was quarried for municipal paving some time after the archaeological dig, eliminating what remained of the Indian burial site. This site was considered by George Washington as a possible location for Fort Pitt, which he eventually ordered built on the site of the destroyed French Fort Duquesne in what is now Pittsburgh's Point State Park.
Around 1749, the French-Canadian explorer Pierre Joseph Celoron de Blainville visited the area and discovered a "written rock" inscribed with markings he believed were made by Native Americans. Celeron named the place after the rock, and it eventually became known as McKees Rocks. Writing in 1918, historian John Boucher stated that the inscriptions had "long since faded away, if indeed they were anything other than marks made by English fur traders."
From the History section of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship30
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Bridge City Church–Brighton Heights
Church · Nondenominational · 1.5 mi
1615 Termon Avenue, Pittsburgh
Saint Andrew the Apostle Romanian Orthodox Church
Church · Romanian Orthodox · 1.6 mi
56 Glenn Way, McKees Rocks
Holy Trinity Polish National Church
Church · Catholic · 1.5 mi
200 Grace Street, McKees Rocks
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries56
Healthcare3
Life Pittsburgh
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
130 Mckees Rocks Plaza, McKees Rocks
Sto-Rox Neighborhood Family Health Center
Clinic and pharmacy
710 Thompson Avenue, McKees Rocks
Map of McKees Rocks
205 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 20°F | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 22°F | 2.8 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 29°F | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 39°F | 3.2 in |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 3.5 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 3.5 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 3.6 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 3.2 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 33°F | 2.8 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 26°F | 3.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Emsworth L/D Ohio Rvr (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Allegheny County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-10-01: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2010-04-16: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-10: Hurricane Katrina (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Bellevue 2 mi north, about 3 min by car
- Ingram 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Avalon 2 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Crafton 3 mi south, about 4 min by car
- Ben Avon 3 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Emsworth 3 mi northwest, about 5 min by car
- Green Tree 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Carnegie 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Pittsburgh 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Dormont 5 mi south, about 9 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- St. Mary’s Church, McKees Rocks, 2015-08-27, 06, Cbaile19, CC0
- Norwood Incline shelter, McKees Rocks, 2024-09-17-3, Cbaile19, CC0
- Pillar with initial, Norwood Incline Shelter, McKees Rocks, 2024-09-17, Cbaile19, CC0
- 908–914 Island Avenue, McKees Rocks, 2024-09-17, Cbaile19, CC0
- Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, rear and western side, Nyttend, Public domain
- McKeesRocksBridge, Joseph E. B. Elliott, Public domain
- Conroy Junior High School, Nyttend, Public domain
- Latimer School, Nyttend, Public domain
- Greensrt, Ainulindale, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Allegheny High School, Aij, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Allegheny Post Office front, Aij, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Duquesne Incline from top, Plastikspork, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Allegheny Observatory 2007b, Tom Murphy VII, Public domain
- Perry High School, Pittsburgh, Nyttend, Public domain
- Carnegie Library Allegheny, Nicolas Veron, CC BY-SA 3.0
- House at 200 West North Avenue comprehensive, Nyttend, Public domain
- Bridges over the Ohio River, Andrewwinn, CC BY 2.0
- Point State Park in Fall, John, CC BY-SA 2.0
- John A. Brashear House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Manchesterstreet, The original uploader was Ronjamin at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5
- Davis Island dam site from Fleming Park Bridge, Nyttend, Public domain
- National Aviary, Popscreenshot, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MRRV corner shot, Unknown author, Public domain
- Carnegie Science Center, Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
- 414 Broadway Avenue, West Park, 2024-08-19, Cbaile19, CC0
- 406–410 Broadway Avenue, West Park, 2024-08-19, Cbaile19, CC0
- 406–410 Broadway Avenue, West Park, 2024-08-19-2, Cbaile19, CC0
- Foxing (band) performance 3, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Foxing (band) performance 4, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Foxing (band) performance 1, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Foxing (band) performance 2, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Manchester Orchestra live performance 4, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Manchester Orchestra live performance 3, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Manchester Orchestra live performance 2, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Manchester Orchestra live performance 1, Matthewvetter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pentecostal tabernacle, West Park, 2024-08-19-1, Cbaile19, CC0
- Mancini’s bakery, West Park, 2024-08-19, Cbaile19, CC0
- Pentecostal tabernacle, West Park, 2024-08-19, Cbaile19, CC0
- Stowe Tunnel inside 6, Hhm8, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stowe Tunnel inside 7, Hhm8, CC BY-SA 4.0
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