Pittsburgh Suburbs: History of Richland Township

History of Richland Township

History of Richland Township

John Crawford decided to erect a log cabin in Richland Township in 1800. Back then, it was still a part of Pine Township. Crawford had very simple dwellings, with notched logs and a small bed built on forked sticks. Bakerstown, within Richland Township, became quite sophisticated in 1850—it started getting street names. Around that time, prominent townsman John Waddle owned a tavern and operated a distillery as well. Speaking of prominent community members, James Jones and his brother (Dr. Israel Jones) were important men in what is now Richland Township. Dr. Israel Jones built the Methodist Church in the community. Throughout the 1800s into the early 1900s, the neighborhood was served by traveling teachers who drifted in and out until the turn of the century when public schools came about.

Facts about Richland Township

Richland Township boasts 9,231 people with mostly Caucasian residents, followed by Asian and African Americans. Richland Township is a relatively young neighborhood, with 38 percent of households with children under 18. Sixty-five percent included married couples living together and the average household size was about 3. A second class township, which means it governs with a Home Rule Charter, Richland Township is known as such. Therefore, a board of supervisors is the governing body in the township. Five supervisors are elected by the voters of the township and the supervisor’s terms last four years.

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