Editing Leechburg, Pennsylvania (section)

== History ==

=== Founding and Early Settlement ===
Leechburg's origins trace back to the late 18th century, with early names such as "Friendship" and "White Plains." Nearby [[Hamlet (place)|hamlets]] like "Old Town" and "Jacksonville" were among the earliest developed areas.<ref name="Beers1914"/> Originally part of [[Allegheny Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania|Allegheny Township]], Armstrong County, civil engineer David Leech arrived in 1827 to construct a dam and lock for the [[Pennsylvania Main Line Canal]] along the [[Kiskiminetas River]].<ref name="CanalHistory"/> Leech purchased land and developed a village, constructing mills, homes, and a boatyard that produced freight and passenger boats. The first canal boats passed through Leechburg in 1829. A ferry operated before the first bridge was constructed in 1846.<ref name="LAMHS"/> Leech personally funded the town’s first school in 1829 and paid the teacher. Leechburg was incorporated on March 22, 1850, with Leech as its first burgess ([[Mayor]]). Leechburg quickly became a vital canal ports west of the [[Allegheny Mountains]], facilitating commerce between [[Philadelphia]] and [[Pittsburgh]].<ref name="Centennial1950"/>

=== Industrial Development ===
In 1872, the Leechburg Rolling Mill opened, producing [[Tinplate|tin plate]]—the first in the United States to do so.<ref name="Beers1914"/> In 1874, it became the first steel plant in the world to use [[natural gas]] as a fuel source.<ref name="LAMHS"/> The borough also hosted the Leechburg Foundry and Machine Company, which employed hundreds and produced machinery for regional use. George Mesta, one of its founders, went on to establish Mesta Machine Company in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Shovel Works, opened in 1898, employed about 100 workers and became known for shovels used during the construction of the [[Panama Canal]]. The town also featured a roller-process flour mill, a planing mill, and a branch of the C.L. Flaccus Glass Company. Hicks Coal Company and others mined local [[coal]] to fuel these enterprises. In the 20th century, Allegheny Ludlum and later [[Allegheny Technologies|ATI]] operated plants in nearby [[West Leechburg, Pennsylvania|West Leechburg]] and Bagdad, sustaining the industrial economy until closures in the early 21st century.<ref name="Trib2025"/>

=== Infrastructure and Transportation ===
Leechburg's early growth centered around the canal, but railroads soon surpassed water transport. The [[Allegheny Valley Railroad]] arrived in the 1850s, connecting Leechburg with Pittsburgh and [[Kittanning, Pennsylvania|Kittanning]].<ref name="Beers1914"/> A succession of bridges over the [[Kiskiminetas River]] were built and destroyed by floods, including the great floods of 1861, 1875, and 1889. A robust steel truss bridge was completed in 1889 and replaced in 1935 by the current high-level bridge that remains today. The borough had significant passenger and freight rail activity into the 1900s, though passenger service ended by 1908. The region’s rail corridors are now partially repurposed for the Armstrong Trail. Leechburg’s road system includes Pennsylvania Routes [[Pennsylvania Route 66|66]] and [[Pennsylvania Route 56|56]], with Market Street serving as the borough’s main thoroughfare. The river today supports recreational use as part of the Kiski-Conemaugh Water Trail.<ref name="CanalHistory"/>

=== Education ===
David Leech built the first schoolhouse in 1829 and personally funded the teacher’s wages. A public brick school was constructed in 1874. As population increased, Leechburg established a high school. In the 1960s, the [[Leechburg Area School District]] was formed through a merger with Gilpin Township and West Leechburg. The district today includes Leechburg Area Junior-Senior High School and David Leech Elementary. The Opera House once hosted lectures and educational programs. 

=== Public Services ===
Leechburg established a water system in 1891, using water from [[Beaver Run Reservoir|Beaver Run]] with gravity-fed pressure. After a major fire in 1889, residents formed the Leechburg Volunteer Fire Department, which continues to serve the borough. A municipal fire hall was built in 1893. The borough also formed a police department and provided refuse collection, paved streets, and electricity early in the 20th century. Today, the borough maintains several parks including Veterans Memorial Field and Riverfront Park. Other services include snow removal, street lighting, and recreational programs supported by the borough and local volunteers.

=== Cultural and Religious Life ===
Leechburg is home to a variety of churches, some dating back to the 1840s. These include Hebron Lutheran Church (1845), First Presbyterian Church (1851), First United Methodist Church (1846), and St. Catherine’s and St. Martha’s Catholic Churches, which later merged into Christ the King Parish. Services were historically offered in multiple languages including Slovak, Hungarian, Polish, and Italian. Fraternal and ethnic organizations thrived in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the Marconi Lodge No. 1 (Italian), Magyar Society, Minetora Society, and the [[Odd Fellows]], [[Freemasonry|Masons]], [[Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks|Elks]], [[Fraternal Order of Eagles|Eagles]], and Moose. The 1908 Opera House served as a venue for lectures, theater, and early cinema. The Leechburg Area Museum and Historical Society, founded in 1976, preserves artifacts and archives in the historic David Leech home. Local newspapers such as the Leechburg Enterprise and later the Leechburg Advance documented borough life.