Westmoreland 250: 10 things to see in Derry borough, township

Nov. 1—Derry Township, at more than 97 square miles, is one of the largest municipalities in Westmoreland County.

The township was formed in April 1775, two years after the county was created.

It was settled by some of the first pioneering families of European descent to create homes and farms west of Chestnut Ridge. It was named after an area in northern Ireland from which many of its Scots-Irish residents hailed.

Farming remains part of the township's fabric, with the local Derry Area School District offering one of the few agricultural and horticultural programs for public school students in the area.

The railroad industry became a major influence in the middle of the 19th century, and a number of coal mines were operating in the township by the early 20th century.

The town of Derry had its start as the community of Derry Station, developed as a major rail yard for maintaining trains on the Pennsylvania Railroad main line between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It was incorporated as a borough in 1881 and eventually gained other businesses.

A major employer was the Westinghouse ceramics plant, which produced insulators for electric power lines. Later operated by Industrial Ceramics, the factory closed in 1995.

Today, trains continue to pass through Derry Borough, along tracks that bisect the town, but they no longer stop there. The borough has become largely a bedroom community with a compact business district.

Development has continued in the township, particularly in areas bordering Latrobe and on Route 22.

Here are 10 unique things in Derry Borough and Derry Township:

Fulton House

This restored 1817 log building in the Derry Township village of New Derry once served as an inn along the local road leading to Pittsburgh. Today it is the headquarters of the Derry Area Historical Society, which has added outbuildings including a barn and a blacksmith shop.

The house and its grounds are the setting for special events such as a summer ice cream social and a Lammas Day festival in August, inspired by a traditional English celebration of the beginning of the harvest.

Through its website, the society offers a map to sites of several frontier forts in the township, the result of a local Eagle Scout project.

The Fulton House is at 357 W. Pittsburgh St. Tours are available by appointment.

Atlantic No. 40 One-Room Schoolhouse

Off Route 982, a short distance south of New Derry, this restored schoolhouse dating from the early 20th century is on the grounds of the Derry Area School District campus and can be viewed along the entrance lane to Grandview Elementary School.

The school was established on land in the village of Atlantic, just north of New Derry, that was donated for that purpose in 1909 by the Atlantic Crushed Coal Co. It remained in use until 1958; it was rehabilitated and relocated to the modern school campus in 1994.

The school preserves bells from two other former schools in the township. The one in the tower is from the No. 7 Schoolhouse near Keystone State Park; another displayed inside once rang at the No. 8 Schoolhouse near the village of Pandora.

Derry Area Amphitheater

On the elementary school lane, next to the Atlantic No. 40 school, this outdoor performance space was developed in 2009 by the Derry Area School District Foundation.

Seating is available on wooden benches.

During the summer, concerts by area artists and community bands are featured on select Friday evenings. The concerts typically begin at 6:30 p.m.

Donations are accepted to benefit the foundation. Refreshments are available.

Derry Township Agricultural Fair

This weeklong midsummer staple is held along Route 982 north of New Derry. It features livestock displays and competitions as well as carnival rides.

The fair includes other popular attractions, such as a queen crowning, a pet show, a baked goods auction, tractor pulls, a quad rodeo, a sheep-to-shawl demonstration and musical entertainment.

Keystone State Park

This 12,000-acre park is in Derry Township, off Route 981 south of New Alexandria.

Visitors can enjoy hiking, camping, boating, fishing and seasonal swimming.

The park's central lake was constructed in the early 1900s by the Keystone Coal and Coke Co. Water from the lake was used to wash coal and to quench coke at the company's nearby ovens. Company executives also used it for recreation.

The state acquired the lake and surrounding land for a public park in 1945. A stone lodge once used by coal company executives for meetings, hunting trips and family vacations serves as the park's James A. Kell Visitor Center. It houses mining artifacts and natural history exhibits.

The park hosts a weekly Sunday farmers market during the growing season and Saturday night movie screenings in summer months. Nature-­themed programs and activities are scheduled at various times through the year.

Keystone Raceway Park

Established in 1967, this racetrack is on Route 22 east of New Alexandria.

It features races sanctioned by the World Drag Racing Alliance and the Southern Bracket Racing Association.

The site also has been known as Pittsburgh Raceway Park. It has played host to such events as an auto parts swap meet and activities for enthusiasts of radio-controlled model vehicles.

Derry Railroad Days

Beginning in 1990, this annual festival has been held in September in Derry Borough to celebrate the town's railroading heritage.

That heritage began in the mid-19th century as the community grew around a major rail yard along the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Activities include a parade through town and a Hobo Picnic featuring "hobo stew." Live music, food, craft vendors and children's activities also are featured.

Derry Fire Museum

This museum in Derry Borough documents the more than 130 years of the Derry Volunteer Fire Company. It is in a second-floor space of the borough municipal building, 114 E. Second Ave.

It's packed with firefighting artifacts, including hand-drawn hose carts, nozzles, sirens and helmets — many of the items donated by collector Dave Shafran of Cook Township.

The museum usually is open to visitors during the Derry Railroad Days festival. To arrange a visit at another time, contact the fire station at 724-694-2653.

18th Century Hardware

This business at 131 E. Third St. in Derry Borough specializes in providing reproductions of hardware pieces for restoration of vintage furniture and other antiques. It also can reproduce parts for antique cars, clocks and fans.

After being cast at another location, the custom parts are finished at the Third Street site.

The business supplies such items as handles, drawer pulls, back plates, knobs, trim, emblems and name plates.

Chef Dato's Table

This unique restaurant offers dishes featuring wild game on select dates during the winter months. The menu includes recipes from various cultures, such as German pork schnitzels and Thai coconut mussels. International cuisine selections and seafood are highlighted during special events.

The restaurant carries on the legacy of its late founder, David "Chef Dato" Kadagishvili, a naturalized American citizen who was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, at the border of Eastern Europe and Asia.

The eatery is at 645 PA-217, just west of Derry Borough.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .