Ross Township
Ross Township
Evergreen Road looking towards intersection with Babcock Blvd and Three Degree Road, taken April 29, 1926
History of Ross Township
Originally Ross Township was part of Pitt Township, Westmoreland County, until the creation of Allegheny County in 1788. In November 1809, Ross Township was named in honor of James Ross, an eminent attorney and judge in Pittsburgh.
Except for the formation of West View Borough in 1905, Ross Township’s boundaries have remained much the same since 1847. The Venango Path, an Indian trail became the main highway used to travel north through the township. In 1849 a charter was granted to the Allegheny and Perrysville Turnpike Road Company to construct a turnpike or plank road for the Allegheny City line. What started as Perry Plank Road (now Perry Highway) extended to Wexford by 1863. In 1911 the road was covered with brick and eventually in 1929 it was paved with concrete.
On January 1, 1922 Ross Township became a First Class Township. Following World War II, the population more than doubled from 12,000 in 1938 to 24,871 in 1949. McKnight road was completed as a 4 lane highway all the way from the North Side of Pittsburgh to Pine Creek in 1951. This resulted in the greatest commercial development in this part of the country. This expansion added 5 large shopping centers including Northway Mall and North Hills Village to serve an ever increasing demand for food, merchandise and services.
History of Ross Township Police Department
Ross Township Police Department Memorial Page
Links to Historical Documents about Ross Township
Early Ross Township Documents
- Arthur Brooks’ Victory Bond 6 April 1919
- Indenture between Hugh and Elizabeth Davis and Joseph Crider 8 August 1820 detail
- Indenture between Hugh and Elizabeth Davis and Joseph Crider 8 August 1820 more detail
- Indenture between Hugh and Elizabeth Davis and Joseph Crider 8 August 1820
- Indenture between Hugh Davis and Elisha Brooks 25 February 1823 detail
- Indenture between Hugh Davis and Elisha Brooks 25 February 1823 more detail
- Indenture between Hugh Davis and Elisha Brooks 25 February 1823
- Indenture between Joseph Crider and Hugh Davis 8 August 1820
- Indenture between Joseph Crider and Hugh Davis 8 August 1820 detail
- Joseph Crider and Hugh Davis Bond 8 August 1820
- Joseph Crider and Hugh Davis Bond 8 August 1820 detail
- Mary Hubley Land Patent 1786
- April 15, 1869 – The Courts: Division of Ross Township
- July 16, 1890 – Casper Reel’s History. He was the First White Child Born in Ross Township
- June 23, 1901 – Mysterious death of old riverman’s wife: Mrs. McDonald died of carbolic acid burns – husband in jail while coroner investigates the case
- July 10, 1903 – Wealthy People Own Estates at Perrysville
- July 16, 1903 – Buy Lots at Perrysville and Get that Money Look
- November 12, 1907 – Elopers wed in Youngstown: Ross Township man marries an Allegheny girl in Ohio’s Gretna Green
- July 23, 1915 – Old Home Celebration Held in Ross Township
- March 15, 1928 – Ross Township residents air merger views
- July 19, 1930 – Open-Air Services at Pines Attract
- September 9, 1930 – Rally Called to Get School: Laurel Gardens Folk in Ross Township Complain
- September 23, 1930 – Firemen at Laurel Gardens Solve Fire-House Problem
- October 1, 1930 – Striking Pupils Back in School
- May 3, 1932 – Officer Slain by Motorist in Ross Twp.
- May 3, 1932 – Officer Slain in Gun Battle
- January 24, 1933 – “Mob” Killers Admit Murder of Constable : Continuation of article click here.
- April 27, 1933 – Maug Killers Escape From Prison
- December 24, 1934 – Nurse Kills Five in One Family
- April 5 1935 – Foreclosure Suit Reveals Veteran’s Rare Collection (Edwin Flaig)
- August 24, 1936 – 2 Saved from Caved in Sewer/Tons of Dirt Fail to Kill Ditch Diggers
- June 6, 1937 – Pines Popular as Cupid Aide
- March 27, 1938 – Swan Acres a Planned Community
- December 21, 1938 – Laurel Gardens Acts to Push Fight on Telephone Transfer
- December 19, 1939 – 3 Flaig Brothers are Gunmakers
- July 12, 1950 – Laurel Gardens Grows into a Fine Community
- May 3, 1951 – Laurel Gardens Play Area to Open
- October 30, 1951 – New Donahoe Super Market on Perry Highway Features Added Benefits for Shoppers
- October 30, 1951 – Advertisement for Grand Opening of New Donahoe Super Market on Perry Highway
- November 13, 1956 – North Hills Village Shopping Center Ready to Open
- March 27, 1959 – Big Business in Pittsburgh
- July 29, 1962 – Northway Mall Opens in Ross Wednesday
- July 31, 1962 – Northway Mall Opening Tomorrow
- November 3, 1976 – North Hills Village Mall
- January 19,1978 – Getting Down to Earth at Evergreen Hotel
- July 12, 1979 – Northway Mall Stocks Supply of Arts Shows
- August 28, 1980 – Tall Water Slide a Rapid Success with Youths
- May 26, 1981 – Night Work Ends at Ross Mall
- July 15, 1981 – Ross Rec Department Lists Talent Winners
- May 29, 1982 – Out of the Past: Lawyer’s Rage Took its Toll on These Roads
- December 2, 1984 – Retailers Hope Ross Mall Will Spark Overall Business
- January 3, 1985 – North Hills Village: A Discount Mall?
- August 6, 1986 – Opening of Ross Park Mall to Feature Laser, Choir Shows
- August 12, 1987 – New Stores, I-279 Spur Upbeat 2nd-year Outlook (Ross Park Mall)
- October 8, 1987 – Northway Mall has New Role
- September 6, 1989 – Eclectic Mix of Small Specialty Shops Helps Anchor Ross Park Mall
- June 27, 1990 – Here’s a Big Scoop For Summer: Isaly’s Skyscrapers are Back
- December 15, 1993 – Northway Mall Renovation, New Stores Planned
- May 28, 2003 – Northway Mall Could Provide Temporary Home to Library
- December 8, 2004 – Restoration of Ross Log Cabin Complete
- May 25, 2006 – Evergreen’s Colorful Past
- April 17, 1901 – Evidence to Indict Them of Two Murders
- April 19, 1901 – First Ordeal for a Murderous Gang
- June 9, 1901 – County’s Greatest Criminal Trials Begin Tomorrow
- June 10, 1901 – Dorman Admits Complicity in Murder of Grocer Kahney
- June 13, 1901 – Who Shot Grocer Kahney?
- June 16, 1901 – Who Killed Kahney
- June 18, 1901 – Dorman Dons Black Mask and Tells of the Murder
- June 23, 1901 – Is Dorman’s Brain Awry From Drugs?
- July 18, 1901 – Biddle Attacks Dorman
- September 26, 1901 – Dorman Testified in Insurance case
- October 14, 1901 – Walter Dorman Seriously Ill
- January 21, 1902 – (Spokane Daily Chronicle) Clue to the Murderers
- January 30, 1902 – Condemned Murderers Free: Warden’s Wife Aided Them to Escape
- February 1, 1902 – Mrs. Soffel Confessed Her Crimes
- February 1, 1902 – Biddle Brothers are Captured
- February 2, 1902 – She Wrote to Ed. Biddle/Bodies to be Brought Here
- February 3, 1902 – Ed a Suicide, Jack was Not
- February 4, 1902 – Died of Their Wounds: Biddle Brothers Succumb to Injuries Received in Fight
- April 10, 1902 – Startling Tales From Prison Board on Biddle Escape
- April 12, 1902 – Anniversary of a Red Day in Police Annals
- May 10, 1902 – Prison for Mrs. Soffel, Dorman’s Sentence DEATH
- May 11, 1902 – Were Sentenced For Crimes
- May 17, 1902 – Two Years for Mrs. Soffel
- June 19, 1902 – Walter Dorman’s Life Saved
- July 15, 1902 – Monument to Biddle Brothers is no More
- December 10, 1903 – Mrs. Soffel is Restored to Liberty
- July 16, 1907 – Friends of Prisoner, Serving Life Sentence in Biddle Case Become Active
- July 15, 1908 – Dispute of Biddle Nag
- August 31, 1909 – Woman Who Helped Biddle Brothers to Escape a Victim of Typhoid
- April 2, 1915 – Pardon For Biddle Boys’ Accomplice Strongly Opposed
- February 21, 1916 – Biddle Brothers’ Escape Recalled by Recent Deaths
- November 1, 1923 – Walter Dorman Freed From Pen After 22 Years
- November 4, 1923 – Former Fellow Cellmate Tells Story of Dorman’s Alliance with Biddle Boys
- August 6, 1930 – No. 9 – Love in the Death House
- August 6, 1930 – No. 9 – Love in the Death House, continued
- May 1, 1949 – Murder Woos the Warden’s Wife
- May 8, 1949 – Death Takes a Sleigh Ride: The Biddles Go Down to Stay
- April 23, 1950 – Barn Raided by Biddle Boys to be Torn Down
- Jan. 30, 1965 – Big Story: Biddle Boys & Mrs. Soffel
- May 30, 1984 – Ed Biddle: a Prisoner and a Poet
- June 7 1984 – (Times Daily) Inmates ‘Act’ like Prisoners
- February 23, 1985 – True Story: Get the Goods on Mrs. Soffel
- June 13, 2001 – Criminal Interest
- November 29, 1949 – Pittsburgh After Dark
- October 22, 1952 – Ted Blake Remains at Pat McBride’s
- December 14, 1952 – Novelaires to Entertain at Newsboys’ Show
- October 31, 1958 – Johnny Glade Stays at Pat McBride’s
- August 7, 1959 – Pat McBride’s Stars Helene Baldwin
- February 5, 1960 – Pat McBride’s Gets Dancer Joan Evans
- October 28, 1970 – The Night Beat: Nightly Dancing Added
- May 25, 1973 – Flash Flooding Drowns Employee in Pat McBride’s (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- May 25, 1973 – Flash Flood Kills Cook in Restaurant (Pittsburgh Press)
- May 26, 1973 – Freak Accident (The Dispatch – Lexington, NC)
- February 10, 1979 – Obituaries: Patrick McBride, Former Owner of Supper Club in North Hills
- March 13, 1985 – Restaurant Proposed at Club Site
- April 10, 1985 – McBride’s Facing Ross Wrecking Ball
- July 10, 1985 – Ross Warns 26 Businesses of Signs
- April 16, 1986 – Sights no Longer Seen Continue to Lilt in the Memory