Harrison Township Honors Historic Places and Products

Harrison Township, located along the west shore of the Allegheny River about 20 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, was started as a pioneer farming community in the early 1800s. It soon became home to the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. (Penn Salt), and by 1850, it had morphed into a “company town” called Natrona — named after the ancient Greek word for salt, natron.

Penn Salt began building homes to house its workers, and today, roughly 150 of these homes can still be seen in Natrona’s Pennsalt Historic District, standing as a testament to the industrial might that helped build this community and the nation. Penn Salt’s products included chemicals for home and industrial use, as well as materials used in the Civil War through World War II. The company even made Nazi Germany’s hit list because it processed cryolite, which was used in aluminum production for warplanes.

Though Penn Salt closed after 100 years, today Harrison Township is still home to industrial manufacturers, including its biggest employer, ATI-Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp. But what’s even more intriguing is the small businesses that not only serve today’s customers but preserve history through their products.

Red Ribbon Soda Still a Favorite

A prime example of this is the Natrona Bottling Co., the last glass soda pop factory still standing in Allegheny County. The manufacturing facility, which opened in 1904, is a local landmark known for its nostalgic, sugar-cane-sweetened glass-bottle sodas.

Vito Gerasole and Mary Jane Zdila operate Natrona Bottling Co. the same way it was run 70 years ago, using the same vintage machinery and its signature “pinpoint carbonation.”

“We continue to mix every batch by hand, giving you a genuine American soda pop,” said Gerasole, who is known as the “Sultan of Soda.” “We strive to make sure each bottle receives the same level of attention as it did back in 1904, using 100% pure cane sugar just as we always did, way before it was trendy.”

“Being around for so long really sets us apart, and so does selling our product in glass bottles,” added Zdila, 76, who has been working at the company for 24 years. “We’re about quality, not quantity. You don’t put perfume in plastic; it only goes in glass.”

The company’s Red Ribbon brand is distributed in Grandpa Joe’s candy stores in Ohio, West Virginia and Florida, and Giant Eagle also carries limited flavors. Local beer distributors also stock the popular soda, which has even made it to Oklahoma, where it is sold at Pop’s on Route 66.

The Birdville Pie

Preserving the Birdville Pie

After Harrison Township was incorporated in 1900, neighborhoods began popping up, including Natrona and those “up on the hill,” such as Ducktown, Birdville, Campton and Pughtown. That area later became known as Natrona Heights.

Even as the former town names disappeared, memories remain. At Phillippi’s Family Restaurant and Pizzeria, their biggest seller is the Birdville Pie, which they create from the original 80-plus-year-old recipe created by former restaurateurs in nearby Arnold. The pie consists of a wafer-thin crust and a top-secret blend of cheeses that prominently feature American cheese rather than the standard mozzarella.

“Birdville Pie is the mainstay of our restaurant, and people love it or hate it — you get on board or not,” laughed Mark Phillippi, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Kim. “People have been throwing around theories for years about what’s in the recipe, so it’s a real conversation piece.

“I once had a mother scold me because her child came home to visit after being away for quite a bit of time, and he stopped here for pizza first on his way home,” he added. “We have mailed these pizzas all over the country and taken them onto airplanes for people. It’s got a cult following; if you really want it, you’ll find a way to get it.”

Established in 1994, Phillippi’s is a local favorite with a large menu that includes specialty pizzas, large portions and many handcrafted items.

“We’re a staple of the community, open from breakfast to dinner, seven days a week,” said Phillippi, who is originally from Natrona. “We have a lot of repeat customers that come for our handmade appetizers, fist-sized chicken wings and handmade soups that we serve year-round.”

Though the town has gone through some tough times, Phillippi, a volunteer firefighter for the past 47 years, says that the community comes together whenever there is a need.

“There is nobody in the business community here who we haven’t helped over time or who hasn’t helped us,” he said. “People lose power or run out of things, so we all work together. It’s a small community, and it works better when we all get along.”

The Phillippis also patronize other businesses in the area and are pleased to see new ones open.

“We’re friends with the people around us, so we go to their restaurants, like the Saxon Inn,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the reopening of the Anchor Inn, which was recently sold and is in the process of remodeling. Competition is good and healthy, and we welcome it.”

Phillippi also makes a special point to welcome first responders to his restaurant and offers discounts for those who put their lives on the line for the community. The restaurant also helps sponsor school-related events and helps in community fundraising projects.

Harrison Township Highlights

In addition to the Pennsalt Historic District, the Burtner House is another National Historic Site that showcases Natrona’s history. Phillip Burtner and his brothers, George and John, arrived in the Allegheny Valley in 1793 as frontier scouts and began constructing the home in 1818, according to www.burtnerhouse.org. Once a working farm, travelers would stop at the house to water their horses before continuing up the hill on what is now Burtner Road.

The Burtner House is one of the first sights visitors see when they enter the township.

For those who prefer outdoor recreation, Harrison Hills Park, located in the extreme northeast part of Allegheny County, includes more than 500 acres of wooded land, streams, waterfalls and parks. Fourteen miles of blazed trails are open to hiking, biking and horseback riding, and the park also includes the Watts Memorial Overlook, an Environmental Learning Center, the Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom, playgrounds and a wildlife observation blind. On Aug. 2, the park is hosting a guided hike to see summer wildflowers, and another guided hike is on Aug. 29.