Rosslyn Farms Borough

In 1901, the Chartiers Land Company invited William Hayes Parrish, a successful land developer and builder in Newark, Ohio, to develop Rosslyn Farms. The community’s name was adopted from Rosslyn, Scotland, where the parents of the president of the Chartiers Land Company were born.

Mr. Parrish began construction of six houses, one of them for himself and one for Monro Lemon, the secretary of the land company. These two houses were located at 45 Edgecliff and 101 Edgecliff, respectively. The other homes were located on Park Road and Puritan Road. In 1919, William Hayes Parrish died unexpectedly and his son, William Morrison Parrish, took over developing the community.

Horse and buggy was the main mode of transportation when Rosslyn Farms was founded in 1902. When the borough grew to 60 occupied homes, Pittsburgh Railways added street car service from Main Street in Carnegie to the top of the hill in Rosslyn Farms. However, the line was short-lived, as it was hazardous, particularly in the winter months. Even after automobiles became common, men walked to Rosslyn Station. located at the foot of Rosslyn Road, to catch the Pennsylvania Railroad train and commute to their jobs in Pittsburgh. Bus service was added in 1941.

Rosslyn Farms has enjoyed a lively social scene since its early days. William Parrish began the annual 4th of July celebration soon after his arrival. The Women’s Club originated in 1902 when a small group of women started meeting weekly during the summer. At these meetings, the women sewed while one member read out loud to the group. Eventually, the Women’s Club merged with the Men’s Club to form the Rosslyn Farms Community Club.

Originally, the borough’s twelve school-aged children walked to classes in Carnegie each day. In 1910, Rosslyn Farms built a community school house. The building was expanded over the years to accommodate eight grades combined into four classrooms. After Rosslyn Farms joined with Crafton and Carnegie to create the Carlynton School District in 1970, the former school was turned into the Rosslyn Farms Community Center and is used for borough council meetings, a voting location, community events, and private rentals.