The Community Development Corporation of Butler County surveyed business leaders in the county to pick the top 25 events that impacted the county's economy in the past 50 years.

Those responses include positive and negative changes, and local, state, national and international events that shaped how businesses function in the county.

For example, the race into space in the 1960s was a national event, but the innovations that resulted from that race changed how quickly people adapted to technology.

"We learned to adapt to changes at a speed that's just amazing," said Diane Sheets, CDC executive director. "You look at the automobile from it's inception to the 1960s and those were slow changes. Since technology became integrated into our lives after the space race, we seem to accept change at a faster rate."

The CDC did this survey as part of the 50th anniversary of its founding.

Here are the selected top 25 events in a basic chronological order:

The founding of the Butler County Chamber of CommerceThe Butler County Chamber of Commerce is the largest chamber in the county and has been an advocate for the business community. Founded in 1896, it has promoted business in Butler County for 113 years.

The PA Industrial Development Law, 1956This state law allowed for the creation of economic development organizations such as the CDC, resulting in major loan programs and land development projects for business.

The space race, 1960sThis national push into space introduced new technology into the American society, allowed the development of nanotechnology and changed how quickly business and individuals adapted to technology.

Founding of Butler County Community College, 1965This institution opened the doors of higher education to thousands of county residents. Today, BC3 employs more than 1,100 people, has about 3,400 students, and about 110,000 alumni.

The creation of Moraine State Park, 1970The development of Moraine State Park and the 3,200-acre Lake Arthur offers year-round outdoor activities. This tourist draw allows people to boat, hike, fish, bicycle, picnic, and rent cabins.

Decline of manufacturing, 1970s and 1980sAs a heavily industrialized county, Butler County changed dramatically with the reduction of industrial capacity. This change reflected the national decline of manufacturing.

The decline of retail business in Butler, 1970s and 1980sBusinesses on Main Street and in downtown began to close and change as shopping areas were built outside the city.

The growth of Cranberry Township, 1980sThe building of Interstate 79 created easy access between Cranberry Township and Pittsburgh and started the residential, retail and commercial boom in the township. Butler County's low taxes compared to Allegheny County also helped fuel this growth.

Pullman-Standard closure, 1982A major employer during its time, Pullman-Standard was founded in 1902. The closing of the plant in 1982 left 3,000 employees out of work.

Collapse of the Berlin Wall, 1989The end of the Berlin Wall was the symbolic end of communism. That allowed new economic markets to open as countries that had operated under the Soviet command model moved toward more of a free market system. Businesses in Butler County took advantage of these markets.

Development of Cranberry Woods, 1990sThe Cranberry Woods Business Park in Cranberry Township, with its easy access to Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh International Airport, attract technology firms such as Verizon, McKesson, and Westinghouse. The park is the site of thousands of jobs.

The creation of Microsoft, 1990sThis first user-friendly computer operating system opened the door for a computer to be in every home and in every office. Needless to say, this changed how businesses operated and individuals lived in Butler County.

World Wide Web, 1993The World Wide Web becomes a mainstream medium for individuals and businesses, and changes the world with fast, easy global communication.

Creation of the World Trade Organization, 1995This organization was created to promote free global trade and stimulate economic growth worldwide. That impacted businesses throughout the county.

AK Steel buys Armco Steel, 1999The Butler Works in Butler Township has been in operation since 1908 under several owners. In fall 1999, AK Steel, an electrical and specialty steel company, bought the plant, which now employs about 1,500 people. For decades this plant was the largest employer in the county, a mark it no longer holds.

The redevelopment of Main Street in Slippery Rock, 1999Volunteers and a nonprofit economic development group established a board to undertake the redevelopment of Main Street. With state funding, this group changed the face of the borough.

Former USX sintering plant redevelopment into Victory Road Business Park, 1999The USX sintering plant, which once provided wells to the Saxonburg Area Authority, was redeveloped by the CDC into Victory Road Business Park. That park in Clinton Township is home to a number of businesses.

The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United StatesThese attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa. This one-day event changed the American way of life by hiking security concerns, which became a new priority of state and federal governments. This priority created new opportunities for businesses in the county.

The Public Safety Training Facility opening at BC3, 2002This joint project of the Butler Fire Chiefs Association and Butler County Community College has brought $2.2 million in state and federal money into the facility. That money helped to create a state-of-the-art fire center to train firefighters and first responders.

Slippery Rock University expansion, 2002SRU, a partner with Slippery Rock Development, announced a plan to increase student enrollment, expand capital projects and entice businesses to invest in Slippery Rock's growth. SRU has 940 employees and nearly 8,400 students.

The creation of the state bed tax, 2002The Legislature approved a bed tax, which allows up to a 3 percent tax on rooms at hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts. This tax provides the primary funding for the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, which was founded in 2002 and now has an annual budget of $1.1 million to promote tourism in the county.

Iraq War, 2003The United States invaded Iraq. The war heightened security concerns while opening doors for county businesses to contract services to the government. It led to hundreds of Butler County residents fighting, and some dying, in Iraq.

Cranberry Connector, 2004The $44.3 million Cranberry Connector creating an easier link between Interstate 79 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Cranberry Township. It linked Route 228 to I-79 and built a seven-lane Route 228 bridge spanning I-79. The state also built the Warrendale toll plaza that eliminated several toll booths. This connector helped Cranberry continue to grow.

Interstate highways, 1951-2004Offering quicker, more direct access for travelers, the east-west Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1951 in southern Butler County. In 1970, Interstate 79 cut a road north and south in the western part of the county while Interstate 80 created an east/west connection in the north. In 1989, Interstate 279 offered a quicker route between Pittsburgh and Cranberry.

Global economic recession, 2008An economic recession hits the U.S. and spreads across the world, resulting in large-scale job losses, failed financial institutions, widespread mortgage defaults and home foreclosures. All those actions filter down to many residents, businesses and governments in the county.