History
North Versailles Township was formed September 18, 1869, by a division of (the original) Versailles Township into North and South Versailles townships. Versailles Township was one of the original seven townships of Allegheny County formed in 1788 from Westmoreland County. Additionally, the land which encompasses the present day North Versailles Township was disputed territory between Pennsylvania and Virginia, which claimed the area as part of Yohogania County of the District of West Augusta.
The territory designated in 1788 as Versailles Township now contains the townships of North Versailles and South Versailles; the boroughs of White Oak, East McKeesport, Wall, Versailles, and portions of Wilmerding and Trafford; as well as the major portion (excluding 10th ward) of the city of McKeesport.
North Versailles was further divided with the formation of the boroughs of East McKeesport (1893), Wall (1904), and portions of the boroughs of Wilmerding (1890) and Trafford (1904). The section of Wilmerding on the north side of Turtle Creek was originally part of the former Patton Township, and the majority of Trafford is situated in Westmoreland County. An area of North Versailles (Allequippa Grove, later known as North McKeesport and Highland Grove) was annexed by the city of McKeesport.
Early villages and population centers in North Versailles included Port Perry, Saltsburgh and Allequippa Grove along the Monongahela River; Pleasant Hill near to what is now East McKeesport; Point Pleasant located near the present intersections of Route 30 and McKee and Naser roads; and Stewart's Station, Spring Hill, Mosside Station, Wall Station, and Wilmerding Station along Turtle Creek, a tributary of the Monongahela River.
North Versailles has a number of named neighborhoods, including the following which roughly correspond to the township's seven wards:
- Ward 1: Park Terrace
- Ward 2: Arlington
- Ward 3: Sunset and South Wilmerding
- Ward 4: Green Valley and Fite Station
- Ward 5: West Wilmerding
- Ward 6: Dixon Hollow and Oak Hill
- Ward 7: Crestas Terrace
At one time, North Versailles was served by eight volunteer fire departments. Each ward was served by one department, with the exception of Ward 3, which had both the Sunset and South Wilmerding VFDs. Ward 4 and 6's fire departments were the Green Valley VFD and Dixon VFD respectively.
Currently, two fire departments serve the township. Crestas VFD (with one station) serves Crestas Terrace and West Wilmerding. The remaining five wards of the township are served by the Fire Department of North Versailles (FDNV) with three stations. The stations are respectively the former Sunset-Central VFD, Green Valley VFD, and Dixon Hollow VFD.
The North Versailles Township Police department also patrols the borough of Wilmerding.
Read more about this topic: North Versailles Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
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