Center Township is a township in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Center Township is a growing community located approximately 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. Comprising a land area of 15.4 square miles and a population of 11,492.

Center Township is home to three colleges, along with being one of the largest retail centers in the area. Ambitious municipal and recreation programs include a system of parks and playgrounds with picnic areas, recreation programs and a Community Youth Center.

A Brief History

Although Center Township is new among the family of communities making up Beaver County, her traditions go back to the earliest period of Ohio Valley History. Prior to colonial explorers, native Indians traveled the "Glade Path", an important trail crossing the future township North to South.

One family of settlers in Beaver Valley, the Bakers, made their home in 1774 in the hills above Raccoon Creek near what is now Pleasant Drive in Center Township. At that time, all lands South of the Ohio had been claimed by Virginia, with the seat of Government at Pittsburgh.

During the course of the Revolutionary War, Fort McIntosh was constructed at Beaver to aid settlers in defense against the Indians and the British at Detroit. Supplies were brought from Pittsburgh along the old Indian path. The trace was renamed Brodhead's Road, after the Commander of Fort McIntosh.

When Beaver County was formed in 1800, three Townships were created on the Southside: Hanover, First Moon and Second Moon. Later (in 1812) the area was reorganized into four Townships. One of these was Moon, the parent of Center. Over the years, other communities were formed from Moon: Raccoon Township in 1837, Phillipsburg Borough in 1840 (now Monaca), and Potter Township in 1912.

In 1914, a serious dispute among Moon Township residents split the Township, separating the heavily populated suburban section in the North from the much larger sparsely populated region in the South and West. On November 24, 1914, after a second election, the court decreed that the larger Southern section be known as Center Township. Eighteen years later, the remaining portion of Moon in the north was annexed by Monaca, becoming that Borough's Fourth and Fifth Wards (Monaca Heights and Colona Heights). Today, Center can take her place among the larger and most progressive communities in Beaver County as new housing plans develop around the township.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.7 square miles (40.6 km²), of which, 15.4 square miles (39.9 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²) of it (1.72%) is water.

Transportation

The township is bisected by the Beaver Valley Expressway (PA Route 60), which connects the Parkway West in the vicinity of the Pittsburgh International Airport. The township is served by two interchanges on the expressway, along with being home to the newly constructed Beaver County Transit Authority Terminal.

A limited-access highway provides close access to shopping centers, educational institutions, theaters, social centers and other retail business services. Both Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and the Pennsylvania Turnpike are only 15 minutes away.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,492 people, 4,270 households, and 3,317 families residing in the township. The population density was 746.5 people per square mile (288.1/km²). There were 4,438 housing units at an average density of 288.3/sq mi (111.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.87% White, 2.97% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.40% Asian, and 0.12% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 4,270 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the township the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $50,071, and the median income for a family was $58,796. Males had a median income of $40,495 versus $26,443 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,143. About 3.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

Fire Department

The Center Township Volunteer Fire Department consist of 3 fully volunteer stations, located strategically throughout the township:

• Station 36 is located in the residential sector of the township. It consists of 30 active volunteers and protects the community with 4 apparatus -- A pumper, a heavy rescue, a brush unit, and a medic unit.
• Station 37 is located in the business district and consists of 30 members with 3 apparatus -- one pumper, one arial device and one medic unit.
• Station 38 is located in the rural sector of the township and serves the community with 20 volunteers and 4 apparatus -- one pumper, one air/lights unit, one brush unit, and a squad.

Police Department

The Center Township Police Department is led by Chief Barry D. Kramer. The Department consists of around 30 officers and more than 12 vehicles. The department also offers a D.A.R.E. program to the community as well as upholding a S.R.O. program. Headquarters are located with township offices.

Education

Center Area School District

• Center Area School District Web Site

Mountain State University

• Mountain State University - Center Township Web Site

Penn State Beaver

• Penn State Beaver- Center Township Website

Community College of Beaver County

• CCBC- Center Township Website

Notable Residents

• Joe Letteri, four-time Oscar award winner for special effects in movies such as Lord of the Rings.
• Ed DeChellis, head men's basketball coach for Penn State University.
• Cynthia Sirko, head of merchandising at Armani Designs
• Colleen Shipman, US Air Force servicewoman, and the victim of the unusual "NASA Love Triangle Attack", wherein Astronaut Lisa Nowak travelled cross-country wearing a diaper and confronted Shipman, out of competition for the affections of Navy Commander (and NASA astronaut) William Oefelein.
• Dix Solong, the popular male pornographic film star of the early 1990s.
• Charles Eugene Cross, the career criminal found gulty on three charges of First Degree Murder in the heinous 1981 murder of a woman and her two children. Cross now sits on death row awaiting his sentence.
• Dan Radakovich, the Athletics Director at Georgia Tech.
• Mark Vlassic, former Center High School and NFL Quarterback. He graduated from the University of Iowa and played four seasons in the NFL with the Chargers, Chiefs and Buccaneers.

References

External links

• Center Township Website
• Center Township Volunteer Fire Department Website
• Station 38 Website
• Center Township Police Department Website
• Center Township Water Authority