A place called home: the past and present of Adams Township
At first glance, Adams Township looks like many other suburban spots scattered around Western Pennsylvania, quiet streets, neatly kept lawns, and a pace of life that feels just a little slower than the that of the life in Pittsburgh.
But look a little closer, and you will find a place shaped by nearly two and a half centuries of hard work and community support.
After the Revolutionary War, the government owed a debt to its soldiers, not just in money but in land. So, Congress set aside vast tracts known as the “Depreciation Lands” to pay them back. Adams Township is where these first settlers laid claim, carving homes and farms out of the thick Pennsylvania woods.
One of Butler County’s earliest settlers was, James Glover. Glover was of Holland Dutch descent, and served in the colonial army during the Revolutionary War. He settled in what would become Adams Township in 1792, an area that was nothing more than an unbroken forest. Glover was apart of a wave of pioneers who chopped trees, broke soil, and set down roots.
It wasn’t until 1854 that Adams Township officially came into being, named for John Quincy Adams, America’s sixth President. At the time, the land was mostly thick forest bisected by Breakneck Creek, a winding stream that would become a backbone for transportation and settlement.
In the late 19th century, coal was discovered near what would become the borough of Callery, bringing new jobs and an industrial energy to the area. It wasn’t the massive coalfields of Pittsburgh, but it was enough to spark interest and workers to the area.
Two years later, the Pittsburgh & Western Railroad laid tracks along Breakneck Creek, connecting Adams Township to the wider world. Towns like Mars, Callery, and Valencia quickly popped up along the line.
The railroad line transformed the area from quiet farm crossroads to bustling boroughs, complete with shops, schools, and train depots.
By the early 1900s, nearly two-thirds of the area’s residents lived in these three boroughs. The railroad and creek carved out a corridor for growth, factories and businesses moved into the area, allowing for financial growth.
Originally called Sugar Creek Station, the town was named in honor of the president of the railroad at the time, James Callery.
The railroad brought a steady flow of goods and opportunities. Lumber, coal, and farm products could finally reach markets far beyond the township. Callery grew into a tight-knit community with churches, general stores, and its own train depot.
The borough suffered a devastating fire that destroyed much of the community in 1892. Homes, small restaurants, the railroad depot, and freight house were all lost in the blaze. Fortunately for its residents, Callery was now a considered a major hub along the railway, and within a year the railroad depot and much of the ruined homes were rebuilt. Callery would experience another fire in 1917, however, it didn’t wreak the same devastation as did the previous one.
Today, Callery still holds onto that small-town charm, a quiet reminder of Adams Township’s industrious past.
Back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, life in Adams Township revolved around similar small town comforts many other communities experienced. Churches weren’t just for Sunday, they were the heart of social life and were an immense bond within the community. Schoolhouses were one-room affairs where kids of all ages learned their lessons and neighbors gathered for meetings and socials. Small town America was a friendly place where people helped each other out, and heading into your local establishments, everyone knew everyone’s name.
Local businesses served the community. Doctors made house calls, grocers knew your name, and long before the Facebook feed, the post office was where news and gossip spread as quickly as the mail itself. People worked hard to earn a living, but also made time to look out for one another. Camaraderie was found volunteering at the local fire house, or through fraternal organizations like the Odd Fellows.
While farmlands were predominate for decades, one problem persisted for many residents of the area, there was no direct east-west road through Adams Township. Routes 8 and 19 ran north-south, but to get across town you had to take a maze of back roads, often slowing down traffic. A new highways was constructed in the mid 1950s specifically to create a continuous east-west corridor between Routes 8 and 19, we know this today as Route 228.
Adams Township has seen significant transformation in the two hundred years since revolutionary times. Pastures gave way to neighborhoods. Where once farmers rose with the sun, many residents now head off to jobs in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Nearly half of today’s residents have moved in since 1980. People of all backgrounds and ways of life blossomed within Adams Township. The community grew more diverse and evolved with the changing of the times.
Even for all its change, Adams hasn’t lost all the charm of its rural roots. Barns still stand, and a few farms keep going, reminding newcomers of the township’s deep history.
Even with the passage of time, the past and those that built it have not been forgotten. Today, road signs honor the families, like the Irvines and the McCandlesses, who helped to build Adams Township into what it is today. Historical markers and old buildings tell the stories of a different time, times we now look back on with envy.
There is something quite powerful about looking back. Those empty barns and old rail lines aren’t just relics, they are our anchors to a time when the world seemed much bigger and new. It’s about honoring the grit and vision of those who cleared the forests, laid those fundamental railroad tracks, and gave their lives so that residents today have a place they can call home.
Today, the volunteers of our historical societies work hard to keep those memories alive. Through collections of artifacts and by hosting events, these organizations work hard to make sure Adams’s history doesn’t get lost.
Adams Township is a community that hasn’t forgotten where it came from, even as it keeps moving forward. The railroad still runs through town, although now for freight instead of passengers. Breakneck Creek still winds its way north, and the spirit of community still thrives in this digital age.
What began as wild frontier land for Revolutionary War veterans is now a growing, diverse place that welcomes new families without forgetting the old ones. It’s a story of change and continuity, and it’s still being written, one day at a time.
