Just prior to incorporation, Pleasant Hills was part of Jefferson
Township, a mainly farming community. At the time it officially became a borough, it
consisted of 837 homes and a population of about 2,500.
In the early 1950’s, Mr. A.W. Robertson contributed a 16- acre tract of virgin
woodland, known as the Arboretum, thus making Pleasant Hills one of the few communities
with its own protected preserve, all that remains of the vast forests where the Delaware,
Shawnee, and Mingo Indians once roamed. The Arboretum’s main entrance is at the
corner of West Bruceton Road and Arbor Lane.
An historical landmark of note is Torrence House, located on Colson Drive, which was
built around 1792.
A somewhat notorious piece of our history was the Whiskey Rebellion of the 1790’s
in which local rye and corn farmers balked against high excise taxes on whiskey imposed by
the brand-new U.S. government..
As of the census of 1990, Pleasant Hills had 2,803 homes and a population of 8,485. We
have an area of 2-1/2 square miles and are located 10 miles south of downtown Pittsburgh.
If you are a history buff who is seeking more detail and perspective, a great store of
information and photographs is available at the Pleasant Hills Library, corner of Old
Clairton and West Bruceton Roads.
