Amity, Washington County, Pennsylvania

Amity, Pennsylvania
Unincorporated community
Amity, Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Amity, Pennsylvania Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°02′22″N 80°12′18″W / 40.0394°N 80.205°W / 40.0394; -80.205
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Washington
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	15311
Area code	724

Amity is an unincorporated community in Amwell Township, Pennsylvania, United States. It is home to the Bailey Covered Bridge and Hughes Covered Bridge.

History

Amity was laid out in 1797, and named after the local Amity Presbyterian Church.^[1] The community developed as part of the early settlement of Washington County, Pennsylvania, which was created in 1781 during westward expansion into southwestern Pennsylvania.^[2][3]

During the 19th century, Amity and the surrounding Amwell Township area were largely agricultural, with farming forming the basis of the local economy.^[4] As Washington County developed, industries such as coal mining contributed to economic growth in the region during the late 19th century.^[5]

Amity remained a small rural community, and nearby covered bridges, such as the Bailey Covered Bridge, reflect the transportation infrastructure and engineering practices of the 19th century.^[6][7]

Geography

Amity is an unincorporated community located in Amwell Township in central Washington County, Pennsylvania.^[8] The community lies within the Appalachian Plateau region of the state, characterized by rolling hills, farmland, and forested areas.^[9]

Amity is situated near Ten Mile Creek, a tributary of the Monongahela River, and is accessible via local roadways that connect it to nearby communities, including Washington, the county seat.^[10]

Landmarks

Amity is home to several historic covered bridges, including the Bailey Covered Bridge and the Hughes Covered Bridge, both of which cross Ten Mile Creek and date to the late 19th century.^[11][12]

These bridges are part of a larger collection of historic covered bridges in Washington County, which is known for having one of the highest concentrations of such structures in Pennsylvania.^[13]

The Bailey Covered Bridge, originally constructed in 1889, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and represents traditional wooden bridge construction techniques of the period.^[14]

Demographics

As an unincorporated community, Amity does not have separate population statistics reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Demographic data for the area is instead included within Amwell Township, which had a population of 3,684 at the 2020 census.^[15]

Notable residents

• Abel McFarland, State Senator (1811–1818)

References