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White  HISTORY OF WHITE TOWNSHIP: White Township, named for Judge Thomas White, was organized in 1843 and is composed of parts of Centre, Washington, Green and Armstrong Townships. It includes the land area surrounding Indiana Borough for a distance of approximately three miles. Credit for being the first permanent settler of what is now White Township is given to Fergus Moorhead and company. In May, 1772, Fergus Moorhead, his family, and his two brothers, Samuel and Joseph Moorhead, along with James Kelly, James Thompson and a few others, left Franklin County, Pennsylvania. At the end of four weeks of rugged travel, the Moorhead party reached their destination, an area about one mile west of what is now the Borough of Indiana. Shortly after establishing the settlement, Mrs. Moorhead gave birth to the first non-Indian child to be born in the county. The boy was named Fergus. Unfortunately, Mr. Moorhead had been captured by warring Seneca Indians and was being held captive during the time of his son's birth. It was reported that, during his Indian captivity, Moorhead asked one of the Indians who spoke some English why he was not scalped and finished off, as had been the fate of his less fortunate companion, soldier Andrew Simpson. The Indian, named Serehowand, replied that the "Great Spirit" would not allow them to shoot at the same person more than three times. Subsequent to his captivity, Mr. Moorhead was sold to English authorities, and eventually released to freedom. After Moorhead's release, he and his family, who had retreated from the county, returnd to their settlement and erected a small fort, Fort Moorhead, to protect themselves and others who had located in the area. This fort, or blockhouse, was constructed in 1781, as is noted by a commemorative plaque located along the road in the west Philadelphia Street area. As noted before, the township was not created until 1843, however, there were a number of important events which occured in what is now White Township that bears a relationship on the Township's development: Samual Moorhead completed a grist mill, to grind grain on Stony Run in 1774, which was the first commercial enterprise in the township. One of the earliest township businessmen was Philip Rice, the first blacksmith in the County. The first township born physician was Dr. Thomas Moorhead who began practicing medicine in 1832. Some of the earliest schools in the county were located in White Township. Before 1790, one school was located three miles northeast of Indiana Borough on land owned by Robert Stephens. Another was erected before 1800 and located about two miles southwest of Indiana on the Meek Kelly farm. Now, the following educational facilities of the Indiana Area School District are located within White Township-Benjamin Franklin Elementary school, Indiana Area Senior High School and the East Pike Elementary School. There were two private hospitals located in the area, but it was not until 1914 that the first public hospital was established at its present site along Hospital Road in White Township. WHITE TOWNSHIP TODAY: The Board of Supervisors is the governing body of White Township. The board is composed of five members who are elected to alternating six-year terms. The Board of Supervisors meet the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the White Township Municipal Building, 950 Indian Springs Road, Indiana, PA. Realizing the importance of further development opportunities and correcting sewage disposal problems in the community, the Board of Supervisors created the White Township Municipal Authority on August 1, 1959. The Board consists of five members appointed by the Supervisors and they work with the Board of supervisors on the operation of the central sewage collection system. The White Township Municipal Authority meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the White Township Municipal Building, 950 Indian Springs Road, Indiana, PA. The White Township Planning Commission was created on December 22, 1959, in order to oversee the future planning and development needs of the township. Members of the Commission are appointed by the Supervisors and are responsible for administering the township's subdivision and land development regulations which set forth improvement standards for developing property in White Township. the White Township Planning Commission meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the White Township Municipal Building, 950 Indian Springs Road, Indiana, PA 15701. Police protection in White Township is provided by the Pennsylvania State Police. Their barracks are located at 4221 Route 286 West in White Township. The troopers respond to police emergencies twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. the police department can be reached by calling 724-357-2888. Fire protection is provided to most of the township area by the Indiana Volunteer Fire Association through a contract with the Borough of Indiana. This all volunteer organization was founed in 1878 and is the largest fire department in Indiana County. The Creekside Volunteer Fire Company provides primary service to the Fulton Run area, loacated in the northwest portion of White Township. The Indiana Free Library was founded in 1926, having grown out of a community reading room established by the New Century Club in 1904. The library moved to the community center in 1934 and still occupies that building today. White Towhsnip began contributing financial support to the library in 1972 and has contributed annually ever since. The Library can be reached at 724-465-8841. The Indiana Recreation and Parks Commission was created in the late 1960's by a cooperative agreement between White Township, Indiana Borough and the Indiana Area School District. Regular meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 7:15 p.m. at the Commissioner's office at 39 North 7th Street. Recreation facilities owned by White Township and managed by the Recreation Department are: Getty Heights Park, Kennedy-King Park, Fourth Ward Park and White's Woods Nature Center. The Recreation Department can be reached at 724-463-3473. In 1995, the township purchased a 50-acre parcel of land along East Pike Road for development as a recreation complex. Through local fund raising efforts and with the assistance of State grant funds, the "White Township Recreation Complex" is now becoming a reality. The facilities completed and being utilized are four baseball fields, two soccer fields, a playground, walking trails, concession stand, restroom facilities, parking, two basketball courts, and a picnic area. Tennis courts and a seniors area are scheduled for completion in 2002-03. A curbside recycling collection program was implemented in 1990 by White Township and Indiana Borough, in cooperation with the Indiana County Solid Waste Authority. ICSWA can be reached at 724-479-0444. White Township covers an area over forty square miles. The township owns and maintains more than eighty miles of roads, all of which are surfaced. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation maintains over seventy-five miles of state-owned roads within the township. White Township is one of the few municipalities in the state that does not impose a tax on real estate. The major sources of tax revenue for White Township are the realty transfer tax (0.5% of sale price), earned income tax (0.5% of earned income), and occupational privilege tax ($10.00 after earning wages of $2,000). The Board of Supervisors take great pride in White Township, a community that has experienced steady population growth and development, yet has maintained its rural character--a community that offers a variety of services and provides the perfect atmosphere for raising a family. White Office Information
White Statistics
Municipal Officials
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