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A−History
History · Harrison Township

Harrison Township dates to 1863, and 30% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 83% of U.S. towns · #283 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. What drives it

2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 152 buildings. Below: maps from 1907 on and the census since 1970.

1863founded
2on the National Register
30%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Harrison Township began

When was Harrison Township founded?

1863

Harrison Township dates its founding to 1863 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1970.

First census: 14,448 in 19702020 census: 10,157163 years

How historic is Harrison Township?

A−

More historic than 83% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1861.
History grade

What drives Harrison Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Harrison Township is more historic than 83% of U.S. towns, #283 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Harrison Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1863, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194029.5% of homes (±5.5) · typical PA town 17.7% · U.S. 8.4%A−National Register2 listings, 153 historic buildings, 154 per 10,000 residents · typical PA town 2.1 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 83%
NewerOlder
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,035)Ahead of 73%

Pennsylvania towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Pennsylvania town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Harrison Township’s 154 sits above most of its state (90% of Pennsylvania towns have fewer) while its 153 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1863.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.5 points).

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Harrison Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Pennsalt Historic District takes in 152 historic buildings.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Harrison Township, and 7 old place names are still on the map.A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Harrison Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19075 editions of the USGS map, 1907 to 1993. Watch Harrison Township change.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

2 listings protect 153 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
153
each building in a district counts
first listed
1972
Burtner Stone House
Burtner Stone House, built 1821Pennsalt Historic District
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Vernacular1
Greek Revival1
Gothic Revival1
Burtner Stone HouseBuilt 1821
Pennsalt Historic DistrictVernacular

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Natrona
1861–1958
Birdville
1899–1927
Riverview
1902–1903
Natrona Height's
1927–today
18601940today
Hamlets and corners on the map
BirdvilleComptonKarnsNatronaNatrona HeightsPleasantvilleSligo
Gone or out of use
Heineman Airportairport
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Harrison Township
BurtnerMount Airy

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Start Harrison Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Harrison Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story so far

Harrison Township, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Harrison Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Harrison Township is a township in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 10,169 at the 2020 census. Pennsylvania Route 28 passes through Harrison Township, connecting Kittanning to the northeast and Pittsburgh to the southwest. Allegheny Technologies has extensive steel mill facilities in Harrison Township, including its Allegheny Ludlum Brackenridge Works. Harrison Township is located at the far northeast corner of Allegheny County. Its northern border is the Butler County line and the Allegheny River forms the township's eastern boundary with Westmoreland County. Its northeast corner also touches Armstrong County.

Harrison Township was established in 1863. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 10,461 to 10,157 (-3%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Harrison Township, 1821 to 1958

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1821BuiltBurtner Stone House is built
  3. 1861Post officeThe Natrona post office opens
  4. 1863
    FoundingHarrison Township is established
  5. 1899Post officeThe Birdville post office opens
  6. 20th century
  7. 1902Post officeThe Riverview post office opens
  8. 1903Post officeThe Riverview post office closes
  9. 1907On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  10. 1927Post officeThe Birdville post office closes
  11. 1958Post officeThe Natrona post office closes
By decade

Harrison Township, decade by decade

Today13 recent
Harrison Township, Allegheny, PA 20241223 (2)2024Harrison Township, Allegheny, PA 20241223 (2)Harrison Township, Allegheny, PA 20241223 (1)2024Harrison Township, Allegheny, PA 20241223 (1)Pennsylvania State Route 282012Pennsylvania State Route 28Pennsylvania State Route 282012Pennsylvania State Route 28J (Natrona Heights, PA)2010J (Natrona Heights, PA)B (Natrona Heights, PA)2010B (Natrona Heights, PA)B (Natrona Heights, PA) (5291024268) (adapted)2010B (Natrona Heights, PA) (5291024268) (adapted)Ampersand (Natrona Heights, PA)2010Ampersand (Natrona Heights, PA)PennsaltHistoricDistrict2009PennsaltHistoricDistrictBurtnerStoneHouse2009BurtnerStoneHouseFence, Powerlines, Roofs, Steel Mill (Natrona, PA)2008Fence, Powerlines, Roofs, Steel Mill (Natrona, PA)Near Natron Heights in Harrison Township2007Near Natron Heights in Harrison TownshipMap of Allegheny County PA Highlighting2007Map of Allegheny County PA HighlightingMap
On the map

Harrison Township on the map, 1907 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Harrison Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Harrison Township on the 1907 USGS mapHarrison Township on the 1953 USGS mapHarrison Township on the 1969 USGS mapHarrison Township on the 1979 USGS mapHarrison Township on the 1993 USGS map1907Freeport sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Harrison Township.

People over time

Harrison Township, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,000198020002020Peak: 14,448

Between 10,169 and 14,448 people in every census since 1970.

6 censuses, 1970–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Harrison Township’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Harrison Township

Nobody well known was born in Harrison Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Stephanie L. KwolekAmerican chemist, inventor of Kevlar · b. 1923
William PerryAmerican mathematician and businessman, former … · b. 1927
Eddie AdamsAmerican photographer · b. 1933
Adam MaidaCatholic cardinal · b. 1930
Don TaylorAmerican actor and film director · b. 1920
Evelyn NesbitAmerican model and actress · b. 1884
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Allegheny TownshipIts storyC−BrackenridgeIts storyC+Natrona1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townTarentumIts storyA−Natrona HeightsIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLower Burrell1 historic placeC+Fawn TownshipIts storyC+Buffalo TownshipIts storyB−

Questions about Harrison Township’s history

What year was Harrison Township founded?

In 1863, according to Wikidata. Harrison Township’s post office opened in 1861, and the census of 1970 counted 14,448 people here.

How does Harrison Township rank for history?

Harrison Township is more historic than 83% of U.S. towns, #283 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Harrison Township?

Two places: the Burtner Stone House (listed 1972) and the Pennsalt Historic District (1985).

How old are the homes in Harrison Township?

30% of Harrison Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.5 points), against a typical 18% for a Pennsylvania town; the median home was built in 1954.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (13), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (2), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.