Bradford Woods to mark Founder's Day, 110 years later, with community bash

Discover what has changed — and remained much the same — at the Bradford Woods Founder’s Day celebration on May 3, beginning at noon with a flag ceremony at Bradford Woods Volunteer Fire Company along Wexford Run Road.

The three-hour bash will include historical exhibits and activities that exemplify the uniqueness of the smallest municipality in the North Allegheny School District.

Long-time resident and council President Victoria Pongrace will provide a welcoming statement after the flag ceremony, followed by a performance of “The Bradford Woods Song” by the Bradford Woods Women’s Club.

“Bradford Woods is a welcoming neighborhood with a strong sense of community. It encourages residents to be as active as they wish through various social and service organizations, while respecting desires for solitude and privacy. These qualities attracted my parents to the area in the 1960s and keep my family here today,” Pongrace said.

Her parents, Jackie and Wink Laird, and her older brother, Michael, moved into a home on Oak Road in 1967. She was born two years later, followed by her brother, Scott, in 1978.

Founder’s Day guest speakers will include Bradford Woods Mayor Doug Marsico, state Sen. Devlin Robinson, state Rep. Jeremy Shaffer and council member Suzanne Filiaggi.

Local singer Paul Swann will sing “Sweet Bradford Woods,” and the Bradford Woods Women’s Club also will sing the “Big ‘B’ Song.”

“We do sing sometimes at our own meetings and, in the past, for Founder’s Day events and in centennial celebrations. We have been singers wearing old-fashioned hats and sometimes old-fashioned outfits,” said Vicki Wiegand, a member of the women’s club.

A picnic lunch will be provided by John Marshall Catering at 12:45 p.m. at the fire hall garage followed at 1 p.m. by the North Allegheny Fiddlers on the fire hall stage. A bounce house also will be on-site.

Shuttle services will run from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to and from Bradford Woods Elementary, 41 Forest Road.

Founder’s Day is held every 10 to 15 years, with the last held in 2015, said Rusti Null, manager for Bradford Woods.

The borough is named after landowner Thomas Bradford, who purchased 256 acres in 1800. Bradford Woods Borough was founded on May 3, 1915. Before that, Bradford Woods was part of Marshall Township, according to Null.

Null provided some unique facts about the community from “Bradford Woods: The First Hundred Years,” a book by former resident and historian Ann Jenkins. With the arrival of Harmony Short Line in the early 1900s, Bradford Woods became an ideal location for summer homes.

In 1915, residents wanted their own school, so they petitioned the court to separate from Marshall Township and became the Borough of Bradford Woods.

According to Null, Bradford Woods — at 0.9 square miles, according to the U.S. census — is the smallest municipality in the North Allegheny School District and was the last one to be established.

Pongrace, who has been council president for 11 years, moved out in 1997, the year she was married. However, she and her husband, Paul, returned in 2002, and they raised their two daughters.

“Bradford Woods itself has changed little over the years. A few newer houses have been built and older houses renovated, but the eclectic architecture styles remain, which safeguard the unique characteristics of the community,” Pongrace said.

She noted that while surrounding municipalities have experienced significant growth over the years, Bradford Woods has maintained its unique character.

“Bradford Woods continues to be a haven from the fast-paced lifestyle that flourishes just beyond its borders. The abundance of trees and natural landscape allow the winters to last a little longer and the springs to bloom a little brighter. We experience each season more fully,” Pongrace said.

For more information about the borough, visit bradfordwoodspa.org.