Cheswick, Pennsylvania

Cheswick
Borough
Houses on Spruce Street
Location in Allegheny County and the state of Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°32′30″N 79°48′1″W / 40.54167°N 79.80028°W / 40.54167; -79.80028Coordinates: 40°32′30″N 79°48′1″W / 40.54167°N 79.80028°W / 40.54167; -79.80028
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Allegheny
Area
• Total	0.6 sq mi (2 km2)
• Land	0.5 sq mi (1 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Population (2010)
• Total	1,746
• Density	2,900/sq mi (1,100/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	15024
Website	http://www.cheswick.us/

Cheswick is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 1,746 at the 2010 census.

Cheswick, named for a town in England, is a small town of about 350 acres (1,400,000 m²). The history of the lands of Cheswick seems to have belonged to the Keen family at least in part, for Archie Pillow, or Pillar, as spelled in old records, inherited land from the Keen family. That land, in part, is where Cheswick is today. Archie's brother, George, once owned the second oldest house in the community. Thomas Pillow owned the land from Highland Avenue to the Harmar Township line.

The level land near the Allegheny River was used as farmland (Borland farm). Borland & Truck farms sold vegetables to Pittsburgh in the days of the canal. Barges and rafts of lumber were floated down the river to the steel mills. The men were fed by women who took baked goods out to the slow-moving barges in boats. In the days of the canal, wealthy families built great Victorian houses along the canal. Later, when the railroad bought out the right of way, the noise and dust became disturbing and many houses became run down and neglected.

Among the early names are Borland, Pillows, Macleans, Wilsons, Stewarts, Lemons, Albertsons, Buntings, Cummings, Shoops and Armstrongs. The Armstrong family lived in Acmetonia until after the Civil War. One built the fine stone house next to the Cheswick Theater (which has since been demolished), and he served as postmaster in the borough.

Before the days of the railroad, a tavern was located where the former station would later be built. People traveling to Pittsburgh by carriage probably stopped for refreshment. The road between Pittsburgh and Freeport was filled by farmers driving cattle to market in Pittsburgh, peddler wagons taking goods to country housewives, businessmen going to Pittsburgh, and officials going to court for the day. When the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed, the land was divided and sold in sections and lots. For a time, few were sold and growth was slow. The town name became Lincoln but had to be changed, for there were other communities by the same name. It was not until 1902 that the name Cheswick was adopted at the first council meeting. The streets were named for trees, such as Beech, Pine and Spruce. The President of the Council was H.J. Hutchinson. The second ordinance dealt with the public health of the community. Houses, sewage, garbage, slaughterhouses were considered and fines stated. Later ordinances provided for paved streets and sidewalks.