Franklin Park

Franklin Park, north of the city of Pittsburgh, was once part of Western Pennsylvania Depreciation Lands.  When Allegheny County was formed in 1788, the area was actually part of a large township known as Pitt Township.  This township included almost all of the land north of the Ohio River.

1800 saw the creation of Pine Township, splitting Pitt Township in half at Pine Creek.  Franknlin Township, created in 1823 from Pine Township, It would remain part of this township through the creation of Bradford Woods and Marshall Township in 1915 as a second class township.  Finally in 1961 Franknlin Township became the Borough of Franklin Park.

Mosty rural, Franklin Park did not have a business district, although churches, blacksmiths, country stores and schools dotted the rolling hills.  The area also boasted a thriving oil and natural gas industry.

After World War II the area saw growth with the first constructed subdivisions, which brought higher demand for public schools and municipal service.  In 1948, North Allegheny School District was created, comprising Franklin Park, Marshall Township, Bradford Woods and McCandless (Pine Township joined, but left a year later).

The construction of I-79 and I-279 in the latter half of the 20th Century made commuting from Franklin Park to the City of Pittsburgh much more convenient, spawning more growth, residential and commercial.