Jump to content
Main menu
Main menu
move to sidebar
hide
Navigation
Main page
Recent changes
Random page
Help about MediaWiki
Special pages
Niidae Wiki
Search
Search
Appearance
Create account
Log in
Personal tools
Create account
Log in
Pages for logged out editors
learn more
Contributions
Talk
Editing
West Newton, Pennsylvania
(section)
Page
Discussion
English
Read
Edit
View history
Tools
Tools
move to sidebar
hide
Actions
Read
Edit
View history
General
What links here
Related changes
Page information
Appearance
move to sidebar
hide
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
== History == [[File:Main Street, West Newton, PA.jpg|thumb]] [[File:Old Robbstown (West Newton, PA) Covered Bridge Circa 1834.jpg|thumb]] The town traces its roots to 1788, when a group of [[List of early settlers of Marietta, Ohio|American pioneers to the Northwest Territory]] led by Gen. [[Rufus Putnam]] traveled overland from Massachusetts and stopped at this location to build boats. They then set out down the [[Youghiogheny River]] to the Monogahela and Ohio Rivers, ending their journey and founding the town of [[Marietta, Ohio]]. Former names of the town are Simeral's Ferry (also, Sumrill's Ferry), Oswegly (Sewickley) Old Town,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=6tMCgaPeVjgC Harpster, John W. ''Crossroads: Descriptions of Western Pennsylvania 1720β1829.'' Western Pennsylvania Historical Society. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2010.]</ref>{{rp|99}} and Robbstown. Eighteen miners lost their lives in West Newton in 1901 at the Port Royal Mine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/portroyal2.html|title=Port Royal No. 2 Mine Disaster June 10, 1901, Fitzhenry, Port Royal, Rostraver Twp., Westmoreland Co., PA|access-date=2016-01-01}}</ref> The [[Dick Building]] and [[Plumer House]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> Like many pioneer towns in [[Western Pennsylvania]], West Newton earned its early historical relevance by playing a key role in the westward expansion of the United States. The Simerals were the first family to operate in this area and operated a small ferry on the Youghiogheny River halfway between Connellsville and McKeesport. A New Jersey native and whiskey rebel named Isaac Robb, laid out the town of West Newton; however, it was originally called "Robbstown". The town grew slowly as the community served as a trading outpost where the Old Glades Indian trail met the Youghiogheny River. West Newton's fortunes changed during the mid 19th century. River commerce increased with the construction of slack water dams in the 1830s. The introduction of the Pittsburgh, Connellsvile, and Markles Paper Mill provided early economic developments. Despite facing devastating fires, floods and tragic train wrecks in the 20th century, the people of West Newton persevered, continuing to develop both the infrastructure and economy of their community. West Newton eventually transitioned into a bedroom community with a vast majority of residents working outside of the borough's limits. The community saw new economic life blood, serving as a trail town along the [[Great Allegheny Passage]] for visitors around the world.
Summary:
Please note that all contributions to Niidae Wiki may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see
Encyclopedia:Copyrights
for details).
Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Search
Search
Editing
West Newton, Pennsylvania
(section)
Add topic