
Timeline of the History of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
Travel through the history of Western Pennsylvania Ohio River Valley via our Coraopolis Timeline. Discover a time when this area was claimed by... Virginia? Learn about the very first settlements and great events of this region.
History Research Archive for the Borough of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, near Moon Township, Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
TIMELINE
2004 The Coraopolis Moon Record begins publication - last issue published June 26, 2008
2001 (Sept 11) Terrorist Attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon
2000 The Coraopolis Record-Star begins publication
1986 Coraopolis celebrates its Centennial
1972 (June 24th) Coraopolis floods as a result of Hurricane Agnes
1962 The Record begins publication in Coraopolis
1920 (August 20th) First Radio Broadcast in the U.S. from Pittsburgh’s KDKA
1911 (Sept 19th) Sewickley Bridge Opens: "The bridge was a lattice-beam cantilever truss design, built by the Fort Pitt Bridge Works and officially named the Ohio River Bridge No. 1...The old Sewickley Bridge closed for the last time on May 14, 1980."
1907 (Oct 4th) Coraopolis Elks Lodge No. 1090 is instituted
1906 (March 1st) The Coraopolis Record, editor Charles W. Roll, at corner of State Ave and Watson St
1897 (March) Monthly newspaper, The Coraopolis News, begun by Gilbert A. Hays and William G. Mudie
1897 (February 3rd) Fire destroyed State Capitol in Harrisburg
1893 (Feb) The Only Issue produced by H.H. Dillon for a short time
1892 (Aug 15th) The Coraopolis Chronicle issued by Frank Burdett Dillon
1889 (Aug) The Coraopolis Suburban issued by J.D. Hamilton, druggist
1887 (July) Monthly newspaper, The Coraopolis Review, founded/edited by Reverend Josiah Dillon
1861 (August) - Middletown Established with Post Office of Vancefort
1845 (April 10th) Fire in Pittsburgh damaged over 1,000 buildings
1788 (Sept 24) Became part of Allegheny County, PA as part of “Moon Township”
1781 By winter, all remaining settlers had abandoned their homesteads.
1781 (March 28) Became part of Robinson Twp, Washington County, PA. By 1784, a judicial system is established. Voting occurs in Washington, PA the county seat until 1784, when smaller voting districts were established. Robinson Twp was assigned to the 5th district, and the house of Joshua Meek’s home was selected as the voting place. Joseph Scott was elected Justice of Robinson Twp.
1780 Pennsylvania becomes first state to abolish slavery. However, the law continued to permit the retention of slaves that were previous held.
1780 Virginia releases all claims to Southwestern corner of Pennsylvania
1776 Pennsylvania enters the American Revolution upon signing the Declaration of Independence.
1775/1776 Robert Vance claims he took up residence in this area. May have claimed Squatter's rights to Judge at later date as no title transfer found. Robert Vance was a Virginian who previously resided in Westmoreland County. Settled on “Oughsaragoh” tract. No record of title transfer; however, he gave a deposition on December 6, 1807 that “He hath for the past fifty years been well acquainted with the tract of land... having lived upwards of thirty-two years of the latter part of that time in the same neighborhood” This account indicates that any rights likely constituted pre-emptive or “squatters rights”.
1774 (October) Dunmore’s War ends with the Treaty of Camp Charlotte. After their defeat in Dunmore’s War, The Shawnee finally relinquish all claims to lands south of the Ohio. Lord Dunmore then created the District of West Augusta, moving the Augusta County Court to Pittsburgh, and thereby legally and politically making the lands which will later be “Old Moon Township” an entity of Virginia.
1774 (January) Fort Pitt taken by Lord Dunmore for Virginia and rechristened “Fort Dunmore”. John Connolly, a Virginia sympathizer was made Commandant, to the alarm of Pennsylvania, who issued an arrest warrant for Connolly. Virginia counter-arrested the Pennsylvania officials, prompting Penn to send a delegation to Williamsburg to settle the boundary dispute. This failed.
“Coal” John Meenk-Virginia (423 acres) ‘heights’ region between Thorn Run and Montour Run Valleys
“Briarfield” Robert Loudon-Virginia (401 acres) adjacent to Meenk grant
“Radner” John Vail-Pennsylvania (219 acres) ridge between Narrows Run and Thorn Run Valleys
“Bergen” John Wentzell-Virginia (303 acres) squatter: Michael Thorn
“Elk” Philip Records (190 acres) “heights” above McClaren Run
“Heidelberg” John Ward (191 acres) “heights” above Narrows Run
1773 (January 26) Became a part of Pitt Township, Westmoreland County, PA
1772 (January 20) Henry (Andrew) Montour dies near Fort Pitt. Son John Montour inherited 335 acre tract known as “Oughsarago” and assigned it to George Croghan, who sold it to three land speculators in late 1773.
1771 (March 9th) Became part of Pitt Township, Bedford County, PA
1770 (Oct 20th) George Washington’s Journal Entry: “from Fort Pitt we sent our horses and boys back to Captain Crawford’s, with orders to meet us there again on the 14th day of November. Colonel Croghan, Lt. Hamilton, and Mr. Magee set out with us. At two we dined at Mr. Magee’s and encamped ten miles below, and four above Logstown. We passed several large islands, which appeared to be very good, as the bottoms also did on each side of the river alternately; hills on one side being opposite to bottoms on the other, which seem generally to be about three or four hundred yards wide, and so vice versa.”
1769 (June 28th) Land Survey (adjoining tracts):
“Corsica” ThomasMcKee (335acres) to the northwest (down river)
“Oughsarago” Capt. Henry “Andrew” Montour (335 acres)
“Britania” Thomas Masden (331 acres) to the southeast (up river)
1769 (April 3rd) Pennsylvania Land Office opens. The site of the borough was originally secured in warranty title by Capt. Henry "Andrew" Montour. Montour was a Native American interpreter & British Scout, acquired land through a warrant from the Proprietors of Pennsylvania
1763 Royal Proclamation recognizes nominal ownership of southwest PA belongs to the Iroquois Confederacy
1758 Treaty of Easton recognizes nominal ownership of southwest PA belongs to the Iroquois Confederacy
1735/1740 English traders begin arriving in the Ohio Valley, as Native Americans are forced West
1682 (March 10th) Became part of Chester County, PA when it was first created from Colonial Lands