Allegheny Township is a

township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

in Westmoreland County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, United States. The population was 8,316 at the 2020 census, an increase from 8,002 at the 2000 census. It is the northernmost municipality of Westmoreland County. The municipality borders the townships of Buffalo, Harrison, Upper Burrell, and

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

; and the boroughs of

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

, Vandergrift, Leechburg, West Leechburg, Lower Burrell, Freeport and Hyde Park. It is served by the Kiski Area School District.

History

Although there are many who believe Allegheny Township was formed in 1796, it appears, according to available records, that the Township was actually formed from Washington Township in 1820. At its formation, Allegheny Township included what is now Lower Burrell, Hyde Park, Vandergrift, West Leechburg, Arnold and New Kensington. There had been an earlier Allegheny Township formed by the Westmoreland County Court of Quarter Sessions in December 1795, north of the Kiskiminetas River in what is now known as Armstrong County. The area was a hunting ground for Seneca, and later, Delaware Indians. The Allegheny Township Community Building, which is the municipality's government center, was constructed in 1976 and completed the following year at the intersection of the PA Route 356 by-pass and Junior High School Road, after state and federal funds became available from legislators to finance the project. The project happened in conjunction with the completion of the 356 bypass that same year. The building consisted of a large double door auditorium with a separation curtain to divide the room in half if needed, a zoning office, supervisor's office, tax office, municipal authority office, conference room, storage room, a kitchen and a police station. Prior to the building's completion, the township conducted business from a rented basement office at Kiski Park Plaza shopping center on Route 56 at the intersection of the 356 by-pass. A new police station was built on the Community Building grounds in 2006. Louise Majocha became the township's first woman supervisor in 1983. She was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Milton L. Rimmel, 46, who died July 2 of that year due to a heart attack. Majocha was appointed by the two surviving board members, Fred Hoculock and Ron Sheetz prior to the end of July. However, she chose not to run for election in November, and left office in January 1984, being succeeded by Dennis Francart. In 1983, the Township increased its full-time police force from two to three officers, in addition to putting a third patrol car on the road. Ralphaela J. Stoner became the township's first woman elected as supervisor in the late 80s.

Governing Body and Executive Protocol

Allegheny Township is governed by an elected body under the second class Township Code of the state of Pennsylvania. The Board is called the Board of Supervisors and consists of three elected officials each serving a six-year term. The Board of Supervisors is responsible, as a governmental unit, to strive to improve the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Allegheny Township. In order to accomplish that task the Board adopts laws, known as ordinances, that governs various activities within the Township. The Board appoints a Township Manager who is charged by the Board to implement the ordinances it passes, and to manage the annual budget of the Township which is adopted by the Board in December for the following calendar year. The Board of Supervisors meets on a monthly basis (Wednesday after the first Monday and the second Monday) at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Building, to conduct business on behalf of the Township. All meetings of the Board are open to the public with an opportunity at each meeting for public comment. If a resident has a concern he or she feels needs to be addressed by the Township, the individual is encouraged to contact the Township Manager's Office which may be able to address the manner promptly and/or schedule an appropriate time for that individual to present concerns to the Board of Supervisors. Residents are encouraged to present their views on Township matters at this time.

Villages

Allegheny Township is the governing municipality of the following villages: Bagdad, BellVue, Braeburn Heights, Lucesco, Markle, Riverforest, Shearersburg and White Cloud.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (2.31%) is water.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 8,002 people, 3,053 households, and 2,399 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 3,196 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 98.36%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.65%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.16% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.17% of the population. There were 3,053 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.97. In the township the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. The median income for a household in the township was $43,168, and the median income for a family was $49,347. Males had a median income of $40,745 versus $25,208 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the township was $20,910. About 5.8% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

Allegheny Township
{{Authority control Townships in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania