Growth And Decline 1946-1985

Growth And Decline 1946-1985. . As county life attempted to return to normal following the end of world war two, the county was once again in an economic boom, and the emphasis turned to recreation. This period saw the establishment of our county parks, a new county airport in Chippewa, and many of our local libraries. The Beaver County River Regatta was born as well as the Maple Syrup Festival and the ice arena.

This era saw Beaver County connected to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the building of the Beaver Valley Expressway, the establishment of the first shopping center, and the opening at the Beaver Medical Center. County residents were ushered into the atomic age with the dedication of the Shippingport nuclear plant.

With the divisions caused by the Vietnam War, civil rights came to the forefront, not only for African Americans but for women as well. The strides made by both groups resulted in the first female mayor in Beaver County, and the first in Pennsylvania along with the first female detective in county history. African-Americans could point with pride to the first black county attorney and chief of police, as well as point to the first African-American president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) who came from Aliquippa.

All good things come to an end. And so it was with the decline of the steel industry and the closing of our large steel plants along with many of the dependent industries idling thousands of workers and forcing them to go elsewhere searching for work. Hard times had come to Beaver County.

1950 , Brady's Run Park opened to the public.

June 25, 1950 , The Korean War began and ended with a cease-fire agreement in 1953.

May 2, 1953 , The Beaver County Airport in Chippewa was dedicated.

1956 , Northern Lights Shopping Center opened as the area's first major shopping mall.

1959 , The Beaver County Home and Hospital was built in Brighton Township.

November 29, 1959 , The original Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe was opened in New Brighton by Victor and Francis Trevelline.

November 22, 1963 , President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while visiting Dallas, Texas.

1965 , Penn State Beaver campus opened. The United States committed large scale active combat units to the Vietnam War. They were withdrawn by 1973.

1960/1970s , Along the Midland-Beaver Road in Industry, Native American artifacts estimated at 8,000/9,000 years old were excavated.

1966 , Construction began on the Beaver Valley Expressway (current Route I-376).

September 18, 1967 , Community College of Beaver County began classes in the Freedom Bank Building.

1969 , Aliquippa's Dr. Jesse Steinfeld was named the 11th Surgeon General of the United States.

September 1970 , The Beaver Valley Mall opened in Center Township on the site of the former Pettibon Raccoon Golf Course.

1974 , Local archaeologists, with assistance from the University of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Museum, began excavations to locate the remains of Fort McIntosh.

1980 , The Medical Center of Beaver County was dedicated in Brighton Township and cost $54 million.

October 15, 1982 , Crucible Steel Company closed its Midland plant.

May 17, 1985 , LTV Corp. closed most of the Aliquippa Works (leaving only the tin mill running), laying off about 8,000 workers.

May 31, 1985 , A tornado ripped through 13 miles of Beaver County, killing three, and resulting in nearly S10 million in damages.

June 12, 1985 , P&LE passenger service ended in the county.