Thomas Pillow owned the land from Highland Avenue to the Harmar Township line.

Borland & Truck farms sold vegetables to Pittsburgh in the days of the canal.

The men were fed by women who took baked goods out to the slow-moving barges in boats.

Later, when the railroad bought out the right of way, the noise and dust became disturbing and many houses became run down and neglected.

Among the early names are Borland, Pillows, Macleans, Wilsons, Stewarts, Lemons, Albertsons, Buntings, Cummings, Shoops and Armstrongs.

One built the fine stone house next to the Cheswick Theater (which has since been demolished), and he served as postmaster in the borough.

When the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed, the land was divided and sold in sections and lots.

Several small factories were built, but coal, river sand and gravel were the most important.

In early times, the children went to school near Deer Creek in Harmar Township.

In 1919, fire destroyed the interior of the old school, burning most of the records of the young borough of Cheswick.

Today, the old elementary school is part of the Cheswick Christian Academy.

Around 1873, Mathew Maclean donated land for the Presbyterian Church, and it was built at a cost of $2,441.01 with a membership of seventeen.

The Reverend James Boyd was an early minister of the Presbyterian faith who served the community.