OUR HISTORY

While it might seem like the Mohawk Area School District has always been a fixture of the community, it officially came into existence in 1958.

Early Roots and Consolidation

• Pre-1920s: Education was localized, with twenty neighborhood-oriented one-room schoolhouses serving students in grades one through eight. Students pursuing high school traveled to Bessemer, Enon Valley, Mount Jackson, or Wampum.

• 1920s: A statewide initiative united the one-room schools into Township Consolidated Schools (such as Mahoning and Mount Jackson), paving the way for the construction of older school buildings. During this era, high school students were distributed across various regional facilities, including Bessemer, Mount Jackson, Union, and Wampum.

• 1956: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issued a major re-organizational plan. Following a year-long study by University of Pittsburgh professor Maurice Thomas, a framework for unified local school districts was established.

• 1958: Mohawk Area School District was officially formed, uniting students from Little Beaver Township, North Beaver Township, Mahoning Township, and Bessemer Borough. Mount Jackson High School had served as the junior high, while Bessemer High School had served as the senior high. 

• 1959: The school purchased 109 acres from Willis Gleghorn in 1959 and began building in 1962. 

• 1963: Mohawk High School was complete and opened its doors. The class of 1964 was the first to graduate from the brand new Mohawk High School building  Tom Andrews received the district's first diploma with the graduating class of 1959.

• 1961: Following a local borough vote regarding school placement, students from New Beaver Borough (formerly part of Big Beaver Township) officially joined Mohawk in the summer of 1961.

School Construction and Growth

• Site Selection & Building (1959–1964): After considerable debate over a central location between the John Wallace and Willis Gleghorn farms, the district purchased 109 acres from Mr. Gleghorn in 1959. Construction began in 1962, and the regional junior-senior high school opened just east of Bessemer in 1963.

• Elementary Mergers (Late 1970s–1984): Aging elementary facilities in Bessemer, Hillsville, and Mount Jackson were consolidated into a single campus. A new elementary school built adjacent to the junior-senior high school opened for Hillsville students in late 1983, with the remaining students arriving in January 1984.

• 1991: The Mohawk Junior-Senior High School underwent its first major expansion and renovation since opening in 1963.

• 2008–2010 High School Project: The district completed a $19.9 million renovation of the Junior-Senior High School. This added 34,485 square feet of space, a new front office suite, an auxiliary gym, expanded science and tech labs, and modernized classrooms.

• Elementary School Improvements (2024–2026): Funded in part by a $650,000 Public School Facilities Improvement Grant, the district secured key infrastructural upgrades for the elementary school.

• Athletic Facility Overhaul (2023–2026): A multi-year athletic enhancement project delivered brand-new baseball and softball facilities (including modern restrooms, concession stands, and accessible walkways) alongside the conversion of the stadium's grass football and soccer field to ForeverLawn artificial turf in mid-2026.

The Origin of the Name "Mohawk"

Contrary to popular belief, the school district was not named after the Native American tribe. The name originates from the Bell Telephone Company, which used the prefix "66" to designate the local area. Translated to letters, "66" spells "MO," leading to the selection of Mohawk since the district boundaries fell entirely within the "MO" telephone exchange. Today, the district proudly retains the name, and local phone numbers continue to start with the 667- prefix.