114 Elliotsville Road, Farmington, PA 15437

724-329-8503

Municipal Office Hours:  Mon.-Thu.  8am-4pm  --and--  Fri. 8am-12pm

2024 Farmers Market

Farmington Fire Dept. -- First & Third Fridays -- 5 PM to 8 PM -- Click here to download/print flier

About
Wharton Township

Wharton Township, PA is home to a population of over 3,500 residents in The Uniontown Area School District.

Wharton Township, PA villages include Farmington, Deer Lake, Elliotsville, Chalkhill, and Gibbon Glade.

Wharton Township, PA occupies approximately 92 square miles and is host to several French & Indian War sites, including Edward Braddock's grave and Fort Necessity.

Other attractions include Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Mount Washington Tavern, a former 19th century hotel on the National Road.

Wharton Township, PA History (prepared by Delbert Rush Hager)

Formation of Wharton Township Today

Fayette County was originally divided into nine townships by the first court of the county in 1783. Wharton Township’s greatest length north and south is 11.5 miles, and from east to west (Mason-Dixon Line) is 13 1/4 miles. In January 1823, Henry Clay Township was divided from Wharton Township, and in November 1855, Stewart Township was formed from Wharton Township.

Minerals

  • There are 10 different coal beds, varying from 1.5 feet to 9 feet in thickness.
  • There is a limestone vein near Wharton Furnace and Big Sandy Creek which measures 10 feet to 20 feet thick. Limestone was used to make pig iron.
  • Iron ore is abundant in Wharton Township and is of excellent quality.
  • Lead was mined near Elliotsville, silver near Gibbon Glade, and Zinc near Victor’s old mill in Mill Run, PA.
  • Also, there are mineral springs in Wharton Township, PA.

Native Americans

Native Americans used part of Wharton Township for their hunting grounds. One Indian trail was Nemacolin’s Path, and another trail went past Delaney’s Cave, along Big Sandy Creek and into West Virginia.

Historic Spots and Information

Historic spots include Jumonville’s Camp, Fort Necessity and Braddock’s Grave. In 1812, Major General Braddock’s remains were located near Braddock Run. Abraham Stewart, Peter Hager (a nephew of Abraham Stewart) and others removed Braddock’s remains and placed them under a tree where they remain today. A monument marks the spot.

The early pioneer settlers in Wharton Township were of German and English descent.

The National Road/Pike replaced Braddock Road through Wharton Township in 1817-1818.

Schools

  • The first recorded school board was formed on August 19, 1837. The board appropriated $110 to $116 to build school houses.
  • Male teachers were paid $15/month and female teachers $10/month.
  • There were three month school terms.
  • In 1841, $298 was collected in school tax to run the schools.
  • The first school board was comprised of Joseph Price, Joseph Henry, James Sampey, Daniel Carrol, Charles Griffin and Alex Harvey.
  • Potter School was used continuously from 1838 to 1955.
  • There were a total of 15 one-room schools in Wharton Township including McCracken, Smith, Mt. Washington, Shaffer, Chalk Hill, Wharton Furnace, Sandy Creek, Fairview, Potter, Canaan, Elliotsville Catholic, Guthrie, Mill Run, Wirsing and High Point.

Farms

In 1880, Wharton Township had a population of 1,704 individuals and over 400 farms.