West Brownsville, Pennsylvania

West Brownsville
West Brownsville Junction Bridge, spanning the Monongahela River
Location of West Brownsville in Washington County, Pennsylvania.
West Brownsville
Location of West Brownsville in Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°1′47″N 79°53′11″W / 40.02972°N 79.88639°W / 40.02972; -79.88639
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyWashington
Established1831
Government
 • MayorW Dean Lacey
 • Borough Council
Members
  • Jim Pflugh
  • Von Braddock
  • Richard Black
  • Randy
  • Andrea Stimmell
  • Debby King
  • I. Patrick Toth
Area
 • Total
1.42 sq mi (3.68 km2)
 • Land1.30 sq mi (3.36 km2)
 • Water0.12 sq mi (0.32 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
977
 • Density752.2/sq mi (290.42/km2)
Time zoneUTC-4 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (EDT)
ZIP code
15417
Greater Pittsburgh724
FIPS code42-82616
Websitehttps://westbrownsvillepa.com/

West Brownsville is a former important transportation nexus and a present-day borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 972 at the 2020 census. Culturally, by postal route, and socially, the community is connected to cross-river sister-city Brownsville. The two towns were long joined by the Amerindian trail known as Nemacolin's Path that became a wagon road after the American Revolution. In present times, however, West Brownsville is a separate municipality. Brownsville was the first point where the descent from the Appalachians could safely reach the river down the generally steep banks of the Monongahela River. Between Brownsville and West Brownsville was a shallow stretch, usable as a river ford astride a major Emigrant Trail to the various attractive regions in the Northwest Territory, the first National Road, the Cumberland Pike (Now U.S. Route 40).