West Fallowfield Township

The original township of Fallowfield came into existence in 1714 and consisted of 1,400 acres of land along the western edge of Chester County.  The Township was divided into East and West Fallowfield in 1743, using Buck Run as the dividing line and was divided again in 1853 to form Highland Township.  West Fallowfield Township had its roots in agriculture.  Approximately 70 percent of the Township is still actively involved in agriculture.  Many of the farm tracts, roads, structures, hedgerows and family names from the 1800's exist today.  

During the 18th and 19th centuries, manufacturing and development concentrated in three villages, surrounded by expansive amounts of farmland.  These were Cochranville, Glenville and Steelville.  The original location of the village of Cochranville was on a tract of 100 acres reserved around a Shawnee Indian Camp.  At this location was the intersection of two great Indian trails.  These trails included the Nanticoke Trail, now Route 10, and the Gap-Newport Pike, presently Route 41.  Today Cochranville remains the center of activity in the West Fallowfield Township and the location of the majority of commerce within the Township.  All Township administration and community services such as the fire and police stations are located here.  The community building is also home to the Police Station and the Octorara YMCA.  In 1881 Glenville had become a well established village in the Township.  The Cotton Works was located in the village and is said to have produced the first calico made in the United States.  Today the area known as Glenville is owned by a family dairy partnership.  Steelville is one of the oldest villages on the the Octorara Creek.  At one time the village contained two hotels, two blacksmith shops, two stores, a tailor shop, four forges and a woolen mill.  The Chester County Park, Wolf's Hollow, is adjacent to the Village of Steelville.

The Township population steadily decreased from 1860 until the 1930's  where it leveled off at 801 persons.  The 1990 census indicated a population of 2,342 persons and the 2000 census indicated a population of 2,485.  Agricultural activities are the dominate land use in West Fallowfield Township.  This is not unexpected considering the extent of Federally-recognized prime agricultural soil in the Township.  There are currently 5,797 acres in the Agriculltural Security Program.

West Fallowfield Township is a Second Class Township and is governed by a three member Board of Supervisors.  The Township employs a full-time Police Chief.  All other township employees are part-time including a Roadmaster, Township Secretary, Landfill Operator, and two Police Officers.  

Supervisors:       

Chairman:  Gwendolyn S. Null

Vice-Chairman:  Brandon E. Althouse

Supervisor: Robert M. Davis

Secretary:                      Gina M.Wheeler                  3095 Limestone Road, Suite 1 Cochranville, PA  19330                                               610-593-5916 wfaltwp@gmail.com  

Treasurer:

Gina M. Wheeler                     3095 Limestone Road, Suite 1    Cochranville, PA  19330            610-593-5916

Solicitor:

Winifred Moran Sebastian          P.O. Box 381                           208 E. Locust Street,               Third Floor                              Oxford, PA  19363

Engineer:

Ragan Engineering Associates, Inc.                                                                         310 Walnut Glen Road                               New London, PA  19346 

Tax Collectors:

Elected/Appointed:

Eileen J. Engle                   2072 Limestone Road   Cochranville, PA 19330                                               610-593-6097

Earned Income:

Lancaster City, Tax Collection Bureau 

Other

Police Chief:

Charles W. Wilmont, III               610-593-2442                                                      

Zoning Officer:

Gina M. Wheeler                      3095 Limestone Road, Suite 1 Cochranville, PA  19330       610-593-5916                        wfaltwp@gmail.com  

Roadmaster:

James Immel

School District

Octorara Area School District

Fire Company:

Cochranville Fire Company

Meeting Schedule & Location

West Fallowfield Community Bulding                                    3095 Limestone Road Cochranville, PA  19330

Supervisors:

1st and 3rd Thursday         Meeting starts at 6:30 pm

Planning Commission:

2nd Tuesday                       Meeting starts at 7:00 pm