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Marshall Township

Warrendale-Bayne Road showing Oil Derrick, taken January 28, 1927

Warrendale-Bayne Road showing Oil Derrick, taken January 28, 1927

Click link below to view all Marshall Township content on Historic Pittsburgh

Click link below to view Northland’s contributed Marshall Township historical photos on Historic Pittsburgh

History of Marshall Township

Marshall Township’s existence as a township dates back to June 3, 1863. This territory was previously an election precinct of Franklin Township. Marshall Township is named for Thomas Mercer Marshall, the well-known attorney by whom the proceedings to withdraw from Franklin Township were conducted before the court. For 40 years, in Pittsburgh, there was scarcely an important murder trial in which he did not conduct the defense.

There are two Indian trails dating from the colonial times that wind their way through the area. The Venango Trail cuts the northeast corner of the Township as that historic road follows its course from Pittsburgh to Venango (present day Franklin, Venango County) Erie, and Presque Isle. The Kuskusky Path passes through the entire Township from south to north on its way to Kuskusky (present day New Castle, Lawrence County) and cuts its way through the property where Marshall Elementary and Middle Schools are located.

Links to Historical Articles about Marshall Township

  • Very brief write up about the history of Marshall Township

Links to historical maps of Marshall Township

  • Warrantee atlas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1914 – Plate no. 38 – Marshall Township
  • USGS Topographic map, 1908 edition, reprinted in 1944, Pennsylvania – Sewickley Quadrangle
  • Marshall Township Plat Map

Thorn Hill School Report

  • Thorn Hill School Report 1925 title page
  • Thorn Hill School Report 1925 pages 232-233
  • Thorn Hill School Report 1925 pages 234-235
  • Thorn Hill School Report 1925 pages 236-237
  • Thorn Hill School Report 1925 pages 238-239
  • Thorn Hill School Report 1925 pages 240-241

Click the link below to view photos of the Thorn Hill School on Historic Pittsburgh

Newspaper Articles

  • August 31, 1934 – Work on Fresh Air Poor Farm Starts
  • June 26, 1937 – Society Folk to Help Open New Home For city’s Needy Children
  • November 6, 1969 –  Brief article about Marshall, Pine, and Bradford Woods merging their police operations
  • June 6, 1979 – Community Profile: Marshall
  • May 12, 1988 – Marshall to Help Decide Thorn Hill Land Use
  • October 5, 1988 – The Making of Marshall; Township History Nearly Ready After 6 Years
  • July 22, 2013 – Some Families Share Long History with Marshall

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Historic Pittsburgh

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