Independence Township

Independence Township was formed in 1848. Independence Village was the site of the Seventy-Six Post Office. This post office was Hopewell Township’s first polling place. Independence Township was formed from part of Hopewell Township.

Fun facts about Independence Township:

Forner’s Mill was powered by water from an underground mill race. The blacksmith shop was a Masonic Lodge.

-There was a covered bridge in the township until it collapsed in 1948.

-A village was known as Bock’s Mill and then Bocktown. The post office was called Duluth.

-The Backbone School was named for a high, narrow ridge in a loop of Raccoon Creek in the southwest corner of the township.

New Bethlehem Presbyterian Church was founded in 1865.

-In 1955, a large dam creating a big reservoir, was built on Service Creek to provide water for the Ambridge Water Authority.

-The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy developed a wild flower preserve along Raccoon Creek in the 1960’s. Trails were laid so visitors could see flowers and trees in their natural habitat. The preserve is part of Raccoon Creek State Park.