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Beginnings
Following
the Revolutionary War, an inn was built along a wagon trail (today's
East Pittsburgh Street) that stretched from Philadelphia west over the
Appalachian Mountains to Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh. A tiny settlement
known as Newtown grew around the inn, today the intersection of
Pittsburgh and Main Streets.
Indians burned Hannastown, the original Westmoreland County Seat
north of Greensburg in 1782. Newtown became the new county seat in 1785.
In 1786 the county built a log courthouse on land purchased from two
residents, Christopher Truby and William Jack. Every Westmoreland County
Courthouse since has stood on this site. The area surrounding the
courthouse became the original borough of Greensburg, named for
Revolutionary War General Nathaniel Greene and formally incorporated as
a Borough in 1799.
A Little Later...
In the early 1800's, Greensburg had very little growth. After
1850, Greensburg became a growing county seat with inns, small
businesses and hardworking residents. It was a railroad stop and the
discovery of large areas of soft coal nearby made it the center of a
vigorous mining industry in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
Bunker Hill borough (now Fifth Ward) was merged into Greensburg
in 1894. In 1905 Greensburg absorbed three adjacent boroughs, Ludwick
(today's Sixth Ward); East Greensburg (now Seventh Ward); and Southeast
Greensburg, unofficially known as Paradise (Eighth Ward) merged with
Greensburg. New housing was constructed in various sections of town.
Seton Hill College, formerly St. Joseph's Academy, became a four-year
women's institution in 1918. Greensburg became a Third-Class City on
January 2, 1928. After World War II, more residential areas were
developed. Greensburg's cultural status grew as the Westmoreland County
Museum of Art opened in 1959 and the University of Pittsburgh founded
their Greensburg campus in 1963 (now located in Hempfield Township).
In the 1970's, as shopping malls and new shopping centers
appeared outside the City, Greensburg's downtown was adversely affected
as large downtown stores closed. However, the City became a center for
service industries, professional offices and banking. Today, small
downtown shops and a growing number of restaurants are reviving downtown
as a mercantile center. Larger shopping centers can be found at the
edges of the City.
Today
Light to moderate industry and service industries thrive in
Greensburg. The City's lack of heavy industry as advantages. Economic
downturns affect the community less than they do communities depending
on one major industry. Housing growth continues on the northern end of
the City, with the Saybrook Village and Evergreen Hill plans.
Public education in Greensburg is handled by the Greensburg-Salem
School District. The Diocese of Greensburg also maintains an elementary
and secondary educational system and a number of private trade schools
also exist in the City.
Special
thanks to Greensburg
Site.
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