About Adams Township A Butler County Bedroom Community

 

About Adams Township – A Butler County Bedroom Community

 Adams Township is a combination of two townships – Middlesex Township and the eastern section of Cranberry Township. Both of these were original townships established in Butler County in 1804. Adams Township was created in 1854 and was 15,000 acres of land, 5 miles by 5 miles on all four sides. A wooded area that bordered by Breakneck Creek along the north and south, the first clearing of the wooded land was for agriculture. There were also a few saw mills and tanneries.

Settlers actually began settling in Adams Township in 1796 long before it was an established township. The area was named for President John Quincy Adams and the early settlement was due to the Depreciation Lands Act of 1783, passed by Congress authorizing land grants to veterans of the Revolutionary War.

The year 1878 saw the Pittsburgh and Western railroad’s construction of track along Breakneck Creek. This spurred development and soon Valencia, Callery and Mars were three communities that were formed between the years of1875 and 1900. These communities took more than 600 acres to form three separate boroughs from the 15,000 acres that defined Adams Township. Currently two-thirds of residents within the boundaries of this area live in the township.

The railroad goes through all three of the townships and there are other industries that have established themselves along this corridor. Not until the 1950s was a connection established across Adams Township that allowed east-west connection to Routes 8 and 19. Other than two lane country roads and a disorganized route through Mars, there were no other roads. This was when Route 228 was built effectively connecting the east-west and north-south with four lane high ways.

Adams Township was once mostly an agricultural area however over the last 20 years it has started to become more of an area that people are seeking to live and commute to work outside of the township. The majority of people who are living in this area today have just purchased homes here since about 1980. Approximately 44% of the residents today are among those who have bought their homes since this time.

The new residents are bringing a change to Adams Township. The diversity of the area today includes a change in household size, occupation, education and the general outlook of the residents.

If you would like more information about Adams Township, please feel free to contact us at (724) 933-8505 or visit our Contact us page where you can send us a message.  We’ll get back to you right away!