Local history is important for everyone - here's why.

The following is an excerpt originally published in the Vol. 36 Western Pennsylvania History Magazine in March, 1953. The writer of this article, Milton M. Allison, delivered the following as a speech at a McDonald family reunion at Raccoon Church, September 16, 1950. He was a second great-grandson of John and Martha McDonald - the original settlers of the McDonald and Noble names. It should be noted that this is article dates from 1950 and uses outdated terminology. In order

Two very important structures from the beginning of Mount Pleasant Township's recorded history (1770's) persisted into the 20th century but, due to lack of historic preservation and different mindsets of the time, both were lost. These structures were Cherry's Fort and the Reed Family House. Cherry's Fort was both a house and a fortress in Cherry Valley occupied by frontier rangers, who were tasked with preventing Native American raids on the nearby settlements. The Reed Hous

Several towns of varying sizes across the United States feature programs to attempt to identify and preserve houses, commercial structures, and other landmarks that are historically significant on both local and national levels. Currently, throughout the area of Fort Cherry, no such programs exist. This proposed program will serve to establish a local registry, represented by standing signs for historic sites such as Cherry’s Fort, as well as mounted plaques for historic hous