A Brief History of Mt. Oliver
Mt. Oliver is a borough located in the Pittsburgh metro area. It’s mostly a residential area surrounded by the actual city of Pittsburgh. Since Mt. Oliver has resisted annexations by the city, it deals with its own finances. The name Mt. Oliver comes from John Ormsby, the son of the man (Oliver Ormsby) who held the original land grant for the neighborhood from King George III. The neighborhood was first settled in the mid 1700’s, and then partitioned and sold in the mid 1800’s. It became a stand alone borough in 1892.
Facts About Mt. Oliver
The Mount Oliver Economic Development Team formed in more recent years to talk about the needs of the neighborhood’s businesses. A local artist named Maria DiSimone Praczak donated her time and talent to making the empty storefronts colorful and vibrant with murals as businesses began to move in. Those who live in Mount Oliver Borough have to file two different tax forms for two different municipalities on two different due dates. Wondering why? Mount Oliver residents pay a two percent tax on earned income to the Pittsburgh Public Schools district and one percent on earned income to the Borough of Mount Oliver.
The history of Mt. Oliver is certainly unique in that it has remained independent.
