Westmoreland County, County in southwestern Pennsylvania, United States
Westmoreland County is an administrative division in southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. The territory encompasses urban centers like Greensburg alongside wide rural areas with forests, farmland and small townships.
The region was created in 1773 as the first administrative division west of the Allegheny Mountains. Coal mining and steel industry shaped its development from the late 19th century into the second half of the 20th century.
The name honors John Fane, the 10th Earl of Westmoreland, a British nobleman from the 18th century. Visitors today notice the coal mining legacy in old company towns and workers' settlements scattered across the rolling hills.
Greensburg sits centrally and serves as a starting point for drives to the four state parks or smaller towns. Interstate 70 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike make movement through the rolling terrain easier.
Numerous abandoned mine shafts still release acidic drainage into streams today, requiring ongoing work between authorities and conservation groups. Local residents recognize the orange and rust-brown deposits along creek banks as signs of this unresolved environmental issue.
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