Welcome to the Borough of Patterson Heights

     Patterson Heights was incorporated on June 19, 1899, and is one of the smallest municipalities in Beaver County.    When incorporated, Patterson Heights had 27 residents.  As of 2010, there were 636 residents living in the 268 homes in Patterson Heights.  Part of the old Beaver Valley Country Club, now the Beaver Valley Golf Club, lies within the boundaries of Patterson Heights.

     The first business in Patterson Heights was a general store owned and operated by Rosser Prosser.

     The Patterson Heights Street Railway Company operated the Patterson Heights Incline beginning in 1895, which connected residents with lower Beaver Falls.  The lower station was located at the factory of Penn Bridge Works, the area now known as Bridge Street.

     Alum Rocks, locating overlooking Beaver Falls and the Beaver River, has been the site of discovery for many Native American artifacts that have taught us a lot about the Indians that once resided here.

     The Patterson Heights Volunteer Fire Department incorporated on November 4, 1903, making it the first incorporated fire department in Beaver County.

     Patterson Heights does not have its own police department.  Patterson Township Police serve and protect in Patterson Heights.

     Patterson Heights children belong to the Blackhawk School District.

     From the Beaver County  Historical  Research & Landmarks Foundation

Actually, recycling has been with us for a long time. We recycle things every day without even thinking about it. You put leftovers in the fridge to finish tomorrow. You lend a book or a garden tool to a friend. You might wash out that Cool-Whip container for storing the aforementioned leftovers, and what garage doesn’t have odds and ends of lumber from some previous household project?

The Borough is making arrangements to obtain two containers, called “retrievers,” which we can use to collect paper and carboard (separately). The paper retriever will handle just about any kind of paper, including newspaper, magazines, envelopes, “junk” mail, and catalogs. The cardboard retriever will take corrugated cardboard. Corrugated cardboard is the stuff that has two layers, with a honeycomb structure between the layers. Most of the boxes you get from Amazon, for example, are made from corrugated cardboard. The non-corrugated, thinner material, like cereal boxes, can actually be thrown in with the paper!

So why should we bother separating this stuff from our regular garbage, when Valley Waste will take just about anything we put out on Monday morning? The State of Pennsylvania is so committed to keeping paper and cardboard out of landfills, that they are actually willing to pay us to separate it.

Here are some interesting facts, 1 through 4 provided by the EPA: 

1. In 2011, 2/3 of all paper consumed in the United States was recycled.

2. Every ton of paper recycled saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.

3. Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees.

4. Every ton of paper recycled saves 7,000 gallons of water.

5. In 2017 Patterson Heights recycled about 125 tons of yard waste, which equates to 376 cubic yards of landfill space. This yard waste was turned into compost.

6. In 2017 Patterson Heights recycled 90 tons of leaves, which equates to 360 cubic yards of landfill space. The leaves, too, were turned into compost.

In case you don’t care to do the math, little Patterson Heights saved a local landfill from using a space 27 feet long by 27 feet wide by 27 feet deep just last year. Add to that almost 30 tons of mixed recyclables picked up by Valley Waste. 

Getting back to Pennsylvania, why would the State pay people to recycle? Unfortunately, land that is available for landfills is not limitless. And most of the people in Pennsylvania don’t particularly want a landfill in their backyard. It is in the interest of the State, and of course, the people of the State, to limit the amount of trash that goes into landfills. Luckily, paper and cardboard are among the things that are most easily removed from the trash stream, and among the things that take up the most space.

Now, Pennsylvania is not going to send us a check each time we fill a box. They will however, pay us back in grant money once we can demonstrate a track record of having a successful recycling program. We can then use the grant money for a new leaf machine, a rotating brush for sweeping and cleaning the roadways, upgrades to the playground—many things that can be used to maintain and enhance the beauty of our community.

So watch for the boxes, which we hope to have delivered in the next couple of weeks. They will be located behind the Borough Building, and you can drive up to them from 7th Street. If you have any questions at all, feel free to call the Borough office at (724) 846-0677, or email the office at pattersonhgts@verizon.net.