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Irwin
A Great Town in
Westmoreland County, PA
by
Karen Fetter
Check out The Irwin
Project new website:
www.irwinpa.org!
Find local businesses, catch up on local news
and events, and find savings all on one website.
If you are interested in
being close to a major city, yet still having
the comforts of a small town, then consider
visiting Irwin, PA. Situated in a prime location
for traveling into Pittsburgh, Irwin Borough is
one area in Westmoreland County that people are
flocking to live in.
Irwin History ;
Irwin Resources ;
Norwin Chamber of
Commerce
Irwin Borough
While Irwin Borough is mainly residential,
it still has an active business district.
Located near the Pennsylvania Turnpike and
Route 30, many businesses line the roads
both on the outskirts and in downtown Irwin.
People can enjoy commerce while also having
the feeling of suburbia. From collectible
and redecorating shops to restaurants and
delis – Irwin has it all. It is because of
these characteristics that people are
finding how attractive it is to live in
Irwin Borough.
With a population of just over 4,000 the
community is rising in popularity. The one
square mile community has an active
community spirit. There is an outgoing
Chamber of Commerce and Professional
Business Association not to mention plans
for a complete renovation of the downtown.
With this much care for its town, residents
are making sure that Irwin stays healthy and
vital in years to come.
The area that Irwin lies in is also known as
Norwin, which encompasses the political
communities of Irwin, North Irwin, and North
Huntingdon. The name Norwin is a combination
of letters from the names of all three
communities. |
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Irwin History
Irwin Borough was founded by Col. John Irwin in
1773. He began buying land in 1769 and built a
log fur-trading post which was later burned by
Indians. He purchased another piece of land
named Brush Hill and built a frame house. This
house also burned. Then he built a third house
on the same site, which still stands today.
After his death and the death of his brother
James, James' son inherited the land that is
from Jacktown to Wardentown. This is what became
the town of Irwin.
By 1864, the population of the town of Irwin
reached 500 and there was public demand for
incorporation as a Borough. A petition for a
charter was sent to court that summer and it was
approved August 23, 1864.
With the development of the coal industry, the
borough grew rapidly. There were at least six
stores in Irwin in addition to James Carson's
blacksmith shop and Cyrus Wilson's wagon shop.
The town had three hotels: the Guffey House,
Twigger's, and Joseph McQuiston's. Many other
businesses were located near the Pennsylvania
Railroad station, which was located beyond Main
Street.
Irwin was a focal point of commerce and
continued so into the 1900s. In 1940 the
Pennsylvania Turnpike opened. Irwin was one of
the first locations to have an exchange. This
new way of traveling impacted the communities
that surrounded it. Businesses that that were
located along Route 30 were no longer thriving.
However, because Irwin had a turnpike exchange,
the area still survived. In fact, there is a
successful business district along Route 30 and
in downtown Irwin.
Much of Irwin’s history is told in a mural that
is located at 75 Pennsylvania Avenue along the
side of the Remote Control Systems, Inc.
building. The mural was painted by Wayne Fettro
through a project by the Lincoln Highway
Heritage Corridor. The main image of the mural
is a trolley traveling down the road while five
coal miners stand across the bottom with their
hat lanterns and lunch boxes. The Old Shay Ale
Brewery and the former Penn Gas and Coal Co.,
Shaft No. 2 are pictured. Also there is an image
of the first traffic light installed in Irwin.
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Irwin Clock Tower |
Main Street |
The Irwin Project
www.irwinproject.org
The Irwin Project is a plan to
revitalize the Main Street of Irwin to
encourage more growth and economic
development in the area. The project
also includes a beautification plan to
enhance the look and style of the
borough. |
The Irwin Project was approved by a unanimous
vote of borough council in the summer of 2004.
Then within a year the project had received or
been pledged a total of $110,000 including a
$50,000 grant from the state Department of
Community and Economic Development through the
Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance
Program, $11,000 raised through private funds,
and $50,00 in other private pledges. Guiding the
project is chairman Bob Michaud, vice president
of marketing for Irwin Bank and Trust.
Norwin Historical Society
www.norwinhistoricalsociety.homestead.com
The Norwin Historical Society (NHS) was
founded in 1994. The NHS has established a
postcard collection and installed several
Historical Markers throughout the area. The
NHS also initiated the creation of Cat’s
Meow Collectibles including The Scull House,
The Larimer House, The Clock Tower, and
Isaly's. Also, a major fundraiser that the NHS has is the Norwin House Tour where
people can visit and tour seven homes in the
area. The event takes place the first
Saturday in December.
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Irwin Veterans Memorial |
Isaly’s Bakery Dairy & Deli
Isaly's is gone now, but
remains in our hearts and memories. Isaly's
was best known for
inventing the Klondike bar, chipped chopped ham,
and the legendary “Skyscraper” cones. Isaly’s
began in 1833 when Christian Isaly immigrated
from Switzerland to Monroe County in Ohio. His
trade was making cheese. Generations after him
expanded the business into dairy farming. Then
they were bottling milk for home delivery via
horse-drawn carts. Soon Isaly's Dairy Company
was formed and sold products in Ohio and Western
Pennsylvania.
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Isaly's came to
Pittsburgh from Ohio in 1931 and opened
its first store in Homewood. The
business expanded to 100 stores with one
location in Irwin. These stores were
very popular in the neighborhoods that
they were in because they stayed open
until midnight. |
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Norwin Public Library
Located at 100 Caruthers
Lane, the Norwin Public Library (www.norwinpubliclibrary.org)
has undergone a complete renovation. The library
has an extensive collection of books for adults
and children, DVDs, audio cds, and books on
tape. The library offers 28 public use computers
with Internet access and several databases for
research. In addition, there is a coffee shop
and lounge area. The Norwin Public Library now
offers the Learning Express Library. Practice
Tests for the SATs, ACTs, Civil Service, and
many others. Those interested in helping support
the library can become Friends of the Library, a
program designed to help the library grow and
prosper in the community.
Norwin Public Library also offers free computer
classes in Basic Windows, Word Processing,
Internet, and more. For more information and a
schedule of classes, call the library at
724-863-4700.
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Irwin Churches |
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Irwin Business and Professional
Association (IBPA)
The Irwin
Business and Professional
Association (IBPA) is an
organization that promotes the town
of Irwin so the community remains
vital and healthy. The organization
mainly involves merchants, but
membership is open to anyone who is
interested in the welfare of Irwin.
The IBPA tries to schedule monthly
events for people to attend. These
events are highly successful and
contribute to the community life in
Irwin. These events are as follows:
Pansy Day - April 1
Car Show - the last Saturday in
April
Mom and Me Day – May
Craft Show - June
Flea Market - July
Community Picnic – August
Flea Market - September
Halloween Parade - October
Light-up Night - one week before
Thanksgiving, Thursday night
For more information contact Lois
Woleslagle at 724-864-0560
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Norwin Chamber
of Commerce
www.norwinchamber.com
The Norwin Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit
organization dedicated to furthering the growth
and establishment of this community as a
superior location in which to live, work,
vacation, and conduct business.
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All sizes and types of organizations are
represented. Members include
manufacturing, agriculture, finance,
health, media, retailing, elected
officials, churches and service clubs,
and individuals. Together, the
members of the Chamber work to make the
businesses in our region thrive. Among
the many events held each year are the
following: |
Picturesque spot on PA Avenue |
Foothills Football Classic
This annual event
takes place June 10, 2006 and includes
all star athletes from Westmoreland
County and surrounding counties.
Students are divided into north and
south teams and are given the
opportunity to play each other. The
winner receives a scholarship for
college. 2006 is the first year the
Norwin Chamber is a co-sponsor for the
event.
http://www.foothillsfootballclassic.com
Community Picnic Day
The Norwin
community will celebrate its 74th Annual
Community Day Picnic at Idlewild Park on
August 2, 2006. Games, children’s
activites, softball, and prizes are a
part of the annual event. Contact the
Norwin Chamber of Commerce for more
information at 724-863-0888.
Annual Chamber Golf
Outing
This annual event
takes place June 5, 2006 at the
Youghigheny Country Club. Contact the
Norwin Chamber of Commerce for more
information. Taste of
Norwin
A new fundraiser
for the Norwin community will be the
Taste of Norwin. This event invites area
restaurants and food vendors to set up a
display so people can sample their food.
Money raised from the event is for the
education foundation towards
scholarships for graduating high school
seniors. The event is scheduled for
November 4, 2006. |
Irwin, Westmoreland County, PA
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