Exurb of the Week: Potter Township (Beaver County) (Pittsburgh, Washington: hotel, attorney)

[runpens1]

Potter is a small (7 sq. mil) mostly rural and industrial township located near the center of Beaver county, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River and just west of the Monaca and Center Township areas, which it shares Central Valley School District with. It is presently a factor of economic growth and revitalization in the Pittsburgh area.

Potter Township was first settles in the 18th Century by mostly the Indian tribes. A group of men later formed the Ohio Company, which their charter granted them the land of the area. Settlers then soon came to the area following the Revolutionary War and when George Washington came through the area at the mouth of Raccoon Creek and declared it a "good body of land." These settlers then began to build farms and many small industries such as gas and salt water wells began to pop up and boost the local economy. The Potter family were among the original settlers of the township and one of the ancestors who was a local attorney formed the township as part of the now defunct Moon Township in Beaver County in the early 20th Century.

In the 20th Century, like much of the area, many larger industrial companies began to sprawl along the Ohio River boosting the local area's economy. By the 1980's, like much of the area, that began to decline, as much of the local area's economy did. Therefore, Potter Township did never really see modern day suburban growth. Much of the rest of the township is still characterized by woods and few homes on back roads. However, in the 2010's, the future of the township began to change as Shell Corporation announced that it would build a large 386-acre ethylene cracker plant on the site of former steel mills and factories along the Ohio River that has been under construction over the past decade and is slated to begin operation in the early 2020's.

While Potter Township is of very small size and not that much growth maybe can be done right within the township, the cracker plant definitely has revitalized the economy of Beaver County and more newer housing developments to the area and should for years to come. The location was primarily chosen for its proximity to Pittsburgh, with highway access via I-376 and to bring light back to a once thriving industrial area.

[svband76]

Just wondering if any surveys have been taken of Beaver/Beaver County residents to see if they welcome the cracker plant?

[runpens1]

Originally Posted by svband76

Just wondering if any surveys have been taken of Beaver/Beaver County residents to see if they welcome the cracker plant?

I couldn't find anything on that, I would venture to guess is prob like anything else though, like 50/50.

[Gypsy3n8]

Originally Posted by svband76

Just wondering if any surveys have been taken of Beaver/Beaver County residents to see if they welcome the cracker plant?

The miserable old turds at the VFW don't want it - but they had their steel mill jobs and are collecting great pensions out of it. IMO, it's no different than Zinc Corp/St. Joe Lead/Horsehead that was there before - it's an industry that will provide jobs, and all of the ancillary opportunities that come with it. When I was growing up in Beaver County, there was ONE major chain hotel in the entire county, and that was off the turnpike. The growth should hopefully bring better high speed internet to the suburban/rural areas.