The post office for Slippery Rock Township was established in 1826 in the Ginger Hill area.

The town of Ginger Hill was incorporated as a borough under the name Centreville in 1841, later changing its name to Slippery Rock in 1896.

[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.3 km2), all land.

The terrain around Slippery Rock is hilly, and the strip mining of coal has been a prominent commercial activity in the surrounding area, which is largely agricultural.

The Rock football team plays their games at Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium, while the baseball team has their games at Jack Critchfield Park.

The closest access to I-79 is 4 miles (6 km) to the west on Pennsylvania Route 108.

PA 258 (North Main Street) leads northwest 7.7 miles (12.4 km) to I-79.