Documenting the Past.
Understanding Our Roots.
Recording Lost Memories.
Avonworth Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of the Avonworth community and its future development, providing a sense of history and place for upcoming generations. Our purpose is to collect the artifacts, stories and images from the original settlers to those of its newest inhabitants. We aspire to chronicle the progression of our original communities of Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Emsworth, Ohio Township and Kilbuck Township from rural areas into vibrant neighborhoods.
On Saturday, July 11, 2026, Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 came down the Ohio River valley through Emsworth as part of its coast-to-coast tour marking America’s 250th anniversary. Built in 1941 and measuring 133 feet end to end at roughly 1.2 million pounds, No. 4014 is the only operating Big Boy left of the twenty-five built, and this tour brought it into the Ohio Valley for the first time since it left the factory floor.
The locomotive left Altoona that morning, crossed the Monongahela, and followed the river through Bellevue, Avalon, Emsworth, Haysville and Sewickley before its only public stop in Western Pennsylvania, a brief whistle-stop at Leetsdale that evening.
The setting is as much a part of this footage as the engine. The tracks are the descendant of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago line laid along the Ohio in the mid-1800s, the corridor that brought settlement to this stretch of riverbank and led to the incorporation of Ben Avon in 1892 and Emsworth in 1896. Just off camera sits the Emsworth Locks and Dam, where the lock chambers opened in 1921 and remain the oldest on the Ohio River system. Rail and river, built for the same purpose, in the same frame for about ninety seconds.
Our thanks to Tracy Ferguson for capturing and sharing this.
Pick your week in the summer of 2027 and escape to the Laurel Highlands. Stay at this premium three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom condo perched at the top of the North Summit in Hidden Valley Resort. Unwind on the private deck and take in the lush green mountain views, or step inside to relax in the spacious living area with central air conditioning. It is the perfect home base for exploring the region, whether you are golfing at the Hidden Valley Golf Club, hiking through nearby Kooser State Park, or enjoying the community pools and tennis courts.
The details:
– Tickets: $20 each, and each ticket gives you two numbers
– Availability: only 500 tickets
– How to win: based on the PA 3-Digit Evening Lottery
– Drawing: Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 7:00 PM
– The cause: proceeds fund renovations to our new office and Avonworth Historical
Society community programs
Where to buy
– Avon Club Fall Festival — Saturday, September 26, 2026, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Our booth is at 7119 Church Avenue, Ben Avon, PA 15202.
– Our free October lecture — Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM, Anchor and Anvil
Coffee Bar, 7221 Church Avenue, Ben Avon, PA 15202.
– Any Avonworth Historical Society board member — or message us on [Facebook] or [Instagram].
Thanks to all who have bought raffle tickets for the Laurel Highlands Condo Vacation 1 Week Stay (Summer 2027). This fundraiser for the Avonworth Historical Society has been a great success and 100% of the proceeds will go to our renovation of the former Elste’s Market as our HQ.
Sales are going well and the big drawing is soon – Sunday, November 15, 2026. Since it is based on the PA Lottery evening Pick 3 drawing on that day, it is possible that the number on an unsold ticket hits. Because we want to make sure that one of our supporters can enjoy this amazing vacation, please note the following official drawing rules:
1. The winning number will be based on the official PA Lottery Evening Pick 3 drawing on November 15, 2026.
2. If the lottery number drawn matches an UNSOLD ticket, we will roll the drawing over to the next night. The winner will then be determined by the Monday evening (Nov. 16) PA Lottery drawing.
3. The process will repeat on consecutive nights until a number matching a SOLD ticket is drawn.
Keep an eye on this FB group for updates on the drawing. There is still time to buy a ticket ($20 for two numbers). Please let me know if you would like to buy one (or more) in the comments or by DM.
Good Luck and thanks for your incredible support of AHS!
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2026
SPEAKER: MARK T. FATLA
From the earliest pro football and hockey teams to groundbreaking facilities like Duquesne Garden and the Civic Arena, Pittsburgh has led the way. Following the success of his first book on Pittsburgh’s major league baseball parks, local historian Mark Fatla documents the history of Pittsburgh’s professional football, hockey and basketball venues. Explore that history through dozens of historic images and an engaging lecture by the author. Books available for purchase, $25.
TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2027
SPEAKER: BRIAN BUTKO + SUE MORRIS
Bettis Field was where aviation in Western Pennsylvania took wing. The excitement of flying in the 1920s spanned barnstorming to the launch of airmail. Come along as thousands greet “Lucky Lindy”, witness a pilot crash into a steel mill while trying to cure a passenger’s deafness, and marvel at the skills of the area’s many women pilots. It’s a fun, fascinating look at the dawn of aviation in Pittsburgh a century ago.
