Westmoreland 250: 10 unique things in Murrysville

Jun. 21—(Editor's note: To mark Westmoreland County's 250th birthday this year, we've come up with a list of 250 things — 10 things in 25 communities — that we consider to be important to the makeup of our area. This series will appear each week through December. If you have a suggestion for a future installment, please email gtrcity@triblive.)

As drivers head east out of Monroeville on busy Route 22, there's a sign to greet them in Murrysville, describing the community as the "Gateway to Westmoreland County."

From the crest of the hill near the county line, a commuter can see the long stretch of highway that leads through the town's commercial corridor, with sloping, tree-covered hills on each side.

Jeremiah Murry, who came from Ireland to the American colonies around 1778, may not have envisioned a four-lane highway, but he certainly saw the business potential of the bucolic valley. Walking along what was then Forbes Road, Murry decided the area near Turtle Creek would be a good location for a trading post around 1782.

Eventually, Murry moved to a larger trading post at what is now the intersection of Old William Penn Highway and Sardis Road. A few decades after reaching the United States, he created a plan for the area that became Franklin Township and eventually Murrysville.

Here are 10 unique things in the Murrysville area:

America's first natural gas well

In 1878, Michael and Obediah Haymaker drilled a hole in Murrysville, hunting for oil. Instead, they found gas, inadvertently turning the town into the cradle of the natural gas industry in the early 20th century.

Today, that derrick no longer stands, but it is memorialized with a much smaller version along with a plaque embedded in a boulder, situated just off the Westmoreland Heritage Trail near Carson Avenue.

Westmoreland Heritage Trail

The Westmoreland Heritage Trail runs roughly parallel to Route 22 through the municipality. Bikers and walkers can head west to Trafford, or east to Export.

Trail officials are working to acquire land and develop plans for the final section, which will connect Export to Delmont; then the trail will run continuously from Trafford to Saltsburg.

There are multiple access points for the trail in Murrysville, with the main one being the Roberts Trail Access at 4301 William Penn Highway.

Blessing of the Bikes

Each spring, bike blessings are a common sight at churches in Western Pennsylvania, as riders bring their motorcycles out for the season and polish them for that first big ride of the year.

But Murrysville Alliance Church on Old William Penn Highway boasts one of the biggest, bringing in thousands of bikers and creating quite a sight as they shuttle from the church to their annual ride.

It's traditionally held on a Sunday in mid-April.

Staymates cabin

Local history abounds in Murrysville, including the Staymates cabin, built between 1785 and 1790 along present-day Round Top Road. This small, two-story log cabin has played a unique role in the community's history.

The house, with an addition built prior to 1830, is located about 30 yards south of the historic Forbes Road. It may have served as a rest stop for early settlers traveling west, and it has been referred to as a "blockhouse," used in defense against Native American attacks in those days.

The Blue Spruce

Before it was home to places like Burgatory and Starbucks, the Shoppes at Blue Spruce was home to a motel and swimming pool also named for the pine trees that dot the hills on either side of the valley.

Known over the years as John's Motel as well as the Bruce Spruce Motel, its pool was a popular attraction. In the mid-1990s, before the shopping center was developed, the former motel was used as a filming location for the Woody Harrelson comedy "Kingpin."

In 2011, the area was demolished and ultimately redeveloped into the current shopping center.

380 Auction Warehouse

In the mid-1960s, Jim Beacom Sr. began hosting weekend auctions at his family's property in Murrysville. Eventually, they expanded to a full-time retail operation.

The auctions may be gone, but 380 Auction & Warehouse is buzzing with activity, with 30,000 square feet of space across several buildings that includes lawn and garden supplies, pet supplies, tools, seasonal and specialty items, furniture and more. A typical spring weekend will find the parking lot spilling over with traffic as shoppers choose vegetable and flower plant trays for their gardens.

380 Auction & Warehouse is at 4320 Fairview Drive.

Sampson-Clark Toll House

The Sampson-Clark Toll House log cabin was situated along the Northern Turnpike, proposed by the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1778 as a navigable road between the Juniata and Conemaugh rivers, passing through the former Salem Crossroads — now Delmont — as well as Franklin Township before continuing west toward Pittsburgh.

In 2020, work was completed on a replica of the old one-room schoolhouse that was on the property, which also is the home of the Murrysville Historical Preservation Society and the site of its annual festival.

Nature reserves

In one of the most densely populated areas of Murrysville, nature lovers can find a quiet place to relax at the Lillian Kellman and Victoria Skena nature reserves, which together encompass more than 75 acres off Kellman Drive. There are several loop trails and a small stream running through the area.

In addition, the Westmoreland Conservancy owns two nature reserves in town. The King Reserve is 122 acres between Hills Church and Mamont roads, with parking along Crowfoot Road. A three-acre parcel called Potter's Corner is adjacent. And closer to Delmont, the Morosini Reserve off Morosini Farm Court features an accessible trail as well as several wildlife observation blinds and decks.

Bill Mazeroski Miracle Field

Miracle League organizations — more than 250 across the U.S. — help people with special needs enjoy the excitement of sports. In Murrysville, that excitement came in 2013 with the opening of the Bill Mazeroski Miracle Field at the Rotary Miracle Sports Complex.

Contained within Murrysville Community Park, the complex offers a baseball diamond, playgrounds, basketball court and a concession stand. The Miracle League of Western Pennsylvania hosts games there throughout the late spring and summer.

Murrysville tree sign

A few decades ago, it was a little easier to see, but drivers nearing the bottom of North Hills Road may notice that there seems to be a word spelled out by trees on the hillside across Route 22.

Made primarily of spruces planted in the 1930s by Boy Scouts, several hundred trees constitute the word "Murrysville" across 850 feet of the hillside. It has been featured in the Guinness Book of World Records and "Ripley's Believe It or Not."

It has been maintained since the 1970s by the Sportsmen and Landowners' Alliance of Murrysville.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .