TIMELINE

• 2015 (Oct 21st) Coraopolis Train Station Reconstruction begins: The Coraopolis Community Development Foundation is refurbishing the station, constructed in 1894 at Mill Street and Neville Way by the Pennsylvania and Lake Erie Railroad

• 2004 The Coraopolis Moon Record begins publication - last issue published June 26, 2008

• 2003-2011 Iraq War

• 2001-2014 War in Afghanistan

• 2001 (Sept 11) Terrorist Attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon

• 2000 The Coraopolis Record-Star begins publication

• 1995 New Bridge between Coraopolis and Neville Island Opens: Girder bridge over the back channel of the Ohio River connecting Grand Avenue on Neville Island to Ferree Street in Coraopolis

• 1990-1991 Gulf War

• 1986 Coraopolis celebrates its Centennial

• 1986 Historic Bridge between Coraopolis and Neville Island retired: former bridge is closed, demolished, and ultimately replaced

• 1981 (Oct 21st) New Sewickley Bridge Opens: "A steel continuous truss bridge spanning the Ohio River between Sewickley and Moon Township... built by the American Bridge Company"

• 1979 (March 28th) Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident

• 1972 (June 24th) Coraopolis floods as a result of Hurricane Agnes

• 1965-1973 Vietnam War

• 1962 The Record begins publication in Coraopolis

• 1953 (March 26th) Dr. Jonas Salk, working at the University of Pittsburgh, announces development of polio vaccine on national radio

• 1950-1953 Korean War

• 1941-1945 World War II

• 1940 (Oct 1st) Pennsylvania Turnpike first in use

• 1936 (March 17-18) The Great St. Patrick's Day Flood

• 1933 (November 7th) Pennsylvania Blue Laws Overturned

• 1927 Bridge between Coraopolis and Neville Island replaced: "This was the old Sixth Street Bridge from downtown Pittsburgh. It joined St. Clair St (Sixth St, downtown) and Federal St (North Side) from 1892-1927. It was partially dismantled and re-erected in this location." Maintained at this location from 1927 – 1986.

• 1920 (August 20th) First Radio Broadcast in the U.S. from Pittsburgh’s KDKA

• 1918 (January) through 1920 (December) The Great Influenza Pandemic infects 500 million people worldwide, killing at least 675,000 persons in the United States.

• 1917-1918 – World War 1

• 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 (March 15th) Coraopolis's first "Great Flood"

• 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

• 1903 (December 1st) The Coraopolis Merchant published by Manning McPherson at the corner of 5th Ave and Ferree St

• 1898 Spanish-American War

• 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

• 1895 Coraopolis Railroad Station built by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad and designed by architects Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge in Richardsonian Romanesque style

• 1894 Neville Island-Coraopolis Bridge "First Bridge built to allow a streetcar connection between Coraopolis (Middletown) and Pittsburgh via Neville Island (Montour Island)" 1894-1927

• 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

• 1889 (May 31st) Johnstown Flood

• 1887 (July) Monthly newspaper, The Coraopolis Review, founded/edited by Reverend Josiah Dillon

• 1886 (June 7th) Coraopolis Incorporated

• 1886 (March) Name changed to Coraopolis

• 1861-1865 U.S. Civil War

• 1861 (August) - Middletown Established with Post Office of Vancefort

• 1859 (August 27) Oil discovered in Titusville, PA

• 1846-1848 Mexican-American War

• 1845 (April 10th) Fire in Pittsburgh damaged over 1,000 buildings

• 1812-1815 War of 1812

• 1812 (October) Harrisburg becomes state capital

• 1797 Adam Patterson purchases the 335-acre “Corsica” tract he had previously leased (along the Ohio stretching from present day Main St to Watt St), and began laying out Middletown in the form of 51 quarter-acre lots and 8 three-acre ‘out lots’. Eventually, Montour’s Bottom, which also included parts of “Oughsaragoh” and “Brittania” also folded in to Middletown.

• 1791-1794 Whiskey Rebellion

• 1790-1800 Philadelphia is capital of U. S.

• 1789 (April 3) George Washington took oath of office as first president of the United States under the Constitution.

• 1788 (Sept 24) Became part of Allegheny County, PA as part of “Moon Township”

• 1787 (Dec 12) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is admitted into the Union. Pennsylvania second state to ratify U. S. Constitution

• 1785 (May 20) Continental Congress adopted Land Ordinance which set up a standardized system for settlers to purchase title to undeveloped farmland

• 1784-86 Permanent Survey is finalized, defining the line north from Pennsylvania's southwestern corner to the Ohio River

• 1784 Pennsylvania Legislature passed “an Act confirming the agreement between this state and the state of Virginia” which gave Virginia settlers in Southwest Pennsylvania the legal authority to perfect the title to the lands they had cleared and settled.

• 1783 Eleven of the seventeen initial settlers returned to their homesteads: John Meek, Robert Loudon, John Vail, Joshua Meek, Benjamin McCormick, Robert Vance, John Stephenson, Aaron Cherry, Joseph Scott, David Smith, and William Warden.

• 1782 The last miles of the Mason-Dixon line were surveyed by Alexander McClean of Pennsylvania and Joseph Neville of Virginia

• 1781 By winter, all remaining settlers had abandoned their homesteads.

• 1781 (October) British forces surrender at Yorktown and The American Revolution draws to a close, with the Treaty of Paris signed in 1783. The American colonies are free and independent states.

• 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

• 1779 The Baltimore Agreement extended the Mason-Dixon Line and was ratified by the Pennsylvania Legislature.

• 1777 (June 3) General Hand (commander at Fort Pitt) Memorandum indicates that “a small guard of men consisting of nine at a stockade built by the adjacent inhabitants” is located at Montours Bottom.

• 1776 Virginia creates within the West Augusta District, the counties of Yohogania, Monongahelia, and Ohio. The lands which will eventually become “Old Moon Township” are now a legal part of Yohogania County, Virginia.

• 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”.

• 1775/1776 It is believed that Land Speculators acquired John Montour’s 335 acre tract known as “Oughsarago”

• 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.

• 1773-1781 A part of "Old Moon Township" comprising the 66 original land grants of modern-day Moon Township and 4 original land grants that make up modern-day Coraopolis

• 1773 (Spring) Settlement of “Old Moon Township” began. Six land grants were seated that year, but the grants could not be surveyed because both colonial land offices were closed. Settler’s therefore deadened trees marking the outlying boundary of their claim, called “tomahawk claiming”

  • “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

• 1769 "Pennsylvania claimed jurisdiction of the Ohio Valley as part of the Cumberland County with its seat of justice at Carlisle. Virginia claimed jurisdiction of the same area as part of Augusta County with its seat at Staunton. This ongoing dispute caused many settlers, for whom the ownership of land was the primary objective, concern that the title to the lands they had cleared and settled might never be perfected"

• 1768 (Nov 5th) Treaty of Fort Stanwix: Recognizes nominal ownership by the Iroquois Confederacy of SW Pennsylvania, while transferring a large area called the "New Purchase" from the Iroquois Confederacy to the Proprietary Government of Pennsylvania. The Ohio River is made the dividing line between the "New Purchase" on the south or English side and the Indian frontier on the north. Previously, the Iroquois had invited the Delaware and Shawnee tribes to live in this area. However, neither tribe was invited to attend, resulting in their villages and hunting grounds being given away without their consent. As a result, renegade bands from the Delaware and Shawnee began to attack nearby settlements, rendering the south shore of the upper Ohio extremely dangerous. Because of this, pioneer settlers were reluctant to settle so close to the Indian frontier

• 1767 (Oct 9th) Mason-Dixon line established, without final determination as to the Southwest corner of Pennsylvania, due to hostilities with the Native Americans

• 1763-1764 Pontiac Uprising

• 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

• 1754-1763 French and Indian War

• 1752 Treaty of Logstown struck in which the Iroquois recognize English rights southeast of the Ohio River (as opposed to Virginia, as Virginia assumed during the 1744 Treaty of Lancaster) 

• 1751 (approx.) Squatter movement began to appear: first English-speaking settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains established in the Monongahela Valley. "Settlers moving into the Monongahela country were therefore seated without legal sanction and thus were squatting"

• 1750 (January 27th) Became part of Cumberland County, PA

• 1748 The Ohio Company is organized by Thomas Lee and brothers Lawrence and Augustine Washington, in order to represent the prospecting and trading interests of Virginian investors. This prospecting company was directly involved in the early exploration and settlement of southwestern Pennsylvania, which included the southern shore of the Ohio River. These early Virginia settlers in PA were known as “Cavaliers”.

• 1744 (July 4) Treaty of Lancaster struck, in which the Iroquois relinquished to the crown any claim they had on all the lands within the 1609 Chartered boundaries of Virginia. They considered these boundaries to extend up to the Ohio River.

• 1735/1740 English traders begin arriving in the Ohio Valley, as Native Americans are forced West

• 1728 (October 14th) Became part of Lancaster County, PA

• 1712 Pennsylvania Assembly banned importing of slaves

• 1696 Charter of Privileges Established (approved in 1701): Established religious freedom, tolerance. Remained as constitution until American Revolution

• 1682 Pennsylvania's first constitution, the Frame of Government was drafted in April, 1682, providing for an upper house and lower house of the legislature. The assembly approved the second Frame of Government in 1683

• 1682 (March 10th) Became part of Chester County, PA when it was first created from Colonial Lands

• 1681 (March 4th) The Province of Pennsylvania (aka the Pennsylvania Colony) was founded in English North America by William Penn, as dictated in a Royal Charter granted by King Charles, II