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History
History
Described on their official county website as “a relatively rural county in northeastern United States with plenty of treasures to offer!”, Butler County is located in the geographical region of Western PA. Located 25 miles north of Pittsburgh, 325 miles from Philadelphia, and 380 miles from New York City, Butler County was founded in 1800.
Among the more important Native American tribes to settle in present-day Butler County were the Delawares, Shawnees, and Iroquois. The Iroquois were made up of five confederated tribes who spoke a similar language: the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas. These tribes established hunting camps and villages across the land, connected by numerous trails. At the end of the American Revolution, many of the Indigenous peoples retreated westward into Ohio to continue their struggle against white encroachment. The legacy of these peoples in Butler County remains in local names such as Chicora, Connoquenessing, Allegheny Township, and Venango Township.
Butler County was named for General Richard Butler, a colonial officer in the American Revolution. Historic records indicate that George Washington, the 1st president of the United States, passed through the area around the same time as the French and Indian War.
Many of the towns in Butler County hold a rich German history. Harmony was founded in 1804 by the Harmony Society of German Lutheran Separatists, who sought religious freedom. The neighboring town of Saxonburg was co-founded by John Roebling, inventor of wire rope and designer of the Brookyln Bridge.
Butler County has experienced 2 major waves of immigration since the 1800s. The first wave consisted of early settlers seeking land, mostly from the British Isles, the Scotch-Irish and English, and Germans. The second, seeking jobs, came primarily from Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Hungary, and others in Eastern Europe. This second wave of immigration coincided with the Industrial Revolution.
In July of 1887, Standard Plate Glass of Butler began production on sheets of plate glass that put Butler in the global marketplace for glass. Butler’s location was chosen for its proximity to natural gas. Workers from Belgium, France, Germany, and England came to work in the new plant.
In 1903, Standard Steel Company was opened in Butler, becoming the first of its kind in the world to build steel railroad cars on a standardized assembly line.
Those who settled in Butler County sought better ways of life for their families. While most sent money home abroad, many brought their families to the United States and supported the companies in which they lived. Their money-built churches and supported grocery stores and bars.
In many ways, stories of the 20th century immigrants can be told in the domed churches of the town Lyndora. Lyndora was named after the daughter of one of the founders of Standard Car Steel. At one point, there were 12-15 churches in Lyndora, all Catholic, Byzantine, and Orthodox. Each congregation celebrated their religion in a different language. Today, only 4 of these churches remain in use.
Present Day
Present Day
Today, Butler County has museums like the Maridon Museum that displays ancient Asian art and German Meissen porcelain. Other forms of art popular throughout the county are music, theater, and the visual arts.
Small towns like Slippery Rock and Mars are noted for their own “quirky treasures and special events.” Some of the biggest and most popular events include the Big Butler Affair (which has been around for over 150 years) and the North Washington Rodeo (50 years).
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