History of Butler County

Butler County, Pennsylvania, was established on March 12, 1800, from a portion of Allegheny County. Like many other Western PA counties, Butler County was named for a Revolutionary War hero, General Richard Butler.

Pictured Gen. Richard Butler Mural

The county seat, the Borough of Butler, was laid out in 1803, and on April 2, 1803, the county was formally organized for judicial purposes.

The official boundaries of Butler were defined in 1800 as follows: Beginning at a locust tree on the south side of Buffalo Creek (near Freeport), thence along the Allegheny line due west 23 miles, thence due north 23 miles, then north 35 degrees east 15 miles, then east to the Allegheny River, thence due south to the place of beginning.

Thus, the shape of Butler County is a rectangle spanning more than 790 miles with the northwestern corner removed diagonally. The boundaries of Butler County, in contrast to many other Pennsylvania counties, have remained unchanged from its creation to the present.

Butler County is home to 193,763 residents (2020 United States Census) who live in 33 townships, 23 boroughs and one city. Half of the county is considered forest land, quite remarkable considering that the city of Pittsburgh is just 20 minutes from the county’s southern border. Major highways including Interstates 79 and 80 and the Penna. Turnpike make the county easily accessible to visitors.

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