Originally erected in 1942 and rededicated in 1980 to include all wars, this memorial is of the simple brick style and proudly pays tribute to the men and women of North Irwin and Vicinity who have served in the armed forces of our country.
According to the borough's website (
visit link) , "North Irwin received its start when the tracks were laid for the Pennsylvania Railroad in July, 1852. Prior to 1890 North Irwin was a 500 acre farm owned by the Ewing Family. J.L. Ridinger and C.W. Pool purchased the farm and along with other investors organized the Irwin Land Company was born.
On April 2, 1890 they sold the first lots for a total of $30,000.00. The west end of town was reserved for future factory sites. North Irwin's first industry was The Red Brick Company. Work had also begun in 1890 for the largest plate glass factory in the United States owned by the Pennsylvania Plate Glass Company. Covering 5 acres the cost of the plant was $850,000.00.
Seven years later the plant was destroyed in the most spectacular fire ever to occur in the area. People reported seeing the glow in the sky from as far as away as Pittsburgh. With the destruction of the plant, North Irwin's future as an industrial center was destroyed.
Small industries that thrived for a time in North Irwin included Miller's Keystone Bag Company, the Eleanor Irwin & Steel Company, Foreman's Can Company, Irwin Electric Light & Power Company, and the Hellman Bakery, a more recent attempt for industry was built in 1918 on Broadway Avenue and operated until 1938. That building now houses the North Irwin Fire Department.
The Pringle Lumber Company was built in 1889 located on corner of Broadway & Third Street, moved to west Irwin and later sold to the Otterman Lumber Company. The Pringle Family can be credited with building many of the homes in North Irwin. Through the years, North Irwin has gone through many changes. Mostly residential, only a handful of small businesses exist in North Irwin.
In 1895, a group purchased the North Elementary school property, first erecting a four room brick building that served the community for 40 years, after its first opening day of December 2, 1895. By 1925 the building was not large enough to take care of all pupils enrolled, so an addition was added with help of the Civil Works Program and dedicated on June 2, 1935. In the summer of 1952, a jointure was established with the Irwin School District. Kindergarten through sixth grade was attended there.
In 1958-59 North Irwin merged with Irwin and North Huntingdon School District to form the Norwin School District. However, to the dismay of many, because of declining enrollment, the doors were closed in 1982. The building was later torn down. The Borough received the property back from the school district to build a municipal office building on the site.
The "bell" from North Elementary was purchased and mounted on a platform on the property of the borough's maintenance building with a bronze plaque attached. The bell is a symbol representing all the memories attached to the school and was dedicated at a special ceremony on July 24, 1987.
?The bell now sits in front of North Irwin Borough Town Hall."