Tidbits & Random Facts

The history you didn't know...

- Population in the village of Bridgeville in 1858 was 110 persons. The local school, in contrast, had 96 registered pupils. Students came not only from Bridgeville, but also from the surrounding area--farms and homes in Collier, South Fayette and outlying areas of Upper St. Clair Townships.

- In 1830, Jonathan Middleswarth built a fabulous new home for his intended bride. Unfortunately, she jilted him at the altar and the house was forever known as Jonathan’s Folly.

- The second postmaster in Bridgeville was Maggie Morgan, who served from June 1874 until November 1875.  She was the daughter of the first postmaster and worked in the Moorehead Post Office, located in Morgan's Store (on present-day Route 519).

- Prior to its incorporation on 27 July 1901, Bridgeville was the largest unincorporated village in Allegheny County, with a population of 2,400 people and 425 registered MALE voters.

- The first borough building was at 358 Washington Avenue.  The contract for construction was given to the Colussy brothers, and the cost of construction was listed as $6,441.

- In October 1901, there were eight mail arrivals each day to the Railroad Street Station.  Station agent W.F. Russell was made to carry the 36 sacks of mail between the station and the post office in Bennett's Drug Store.

- A special "movie" train operated from Bridgeville to Pittsburgh, and departed at 7:10 PM—taking residents into town for an evening out.  A "shoppers" train also operated, departing at 10:00 AM.  Trains truly were the only real method of transportation into town—particularly for emergency trips to the hospital, where patients were loaded by stretcher onto a train's baggage car whenever it was required.