The Borough of Koppel was incorporated in 1912. It was named for Arthur Koppel of the Orenstein-Koppel Co.
Fun facts about Koppel:
-The Orenstein-Koppel Co., a German manufacturing firm, purchased 558 acres of land above the Beaver River in Big Beaver Township. The plant was constructed and houses were built in 1907. Railroad cars were built for sugar cane and crushed rock uses.
-By 1913 a public school and municipal building were built on property donated by the company.
-The Orenstein-Koppel buildings, manufacturing plant and most of the town was confiscated by the U.S. government in 1917. It was sold to the Koppel Industrial and Equipment Co.
-The Pressed Steel Car Co. was founded in 1919 and closed in 1937 due to the Depression.
-The Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Street Railway was built in town during 1915.
-The Harmony Line closed in 1937 and its Beaver River Bridge was used as a toll bridge through 1957. The 10-cent toll was removed when the State bought the bridge.
–Babcock and Wilcox constructed a steel processing plant in the 1950’s.