Human Services

Mt. Lebanon gives financial support to several non-governmental programs in the community.

OUTREACH TEEN & FAMILY SERVICES is a nonprofit, community-based counseling agency. Outreach provides professional, confidential, affordable counseling to young people and their families, with services to address anger management, family problems, school-related issues, depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol and other issues. Mt. Lebanon has budgeted $104,040 for core Outreach services in 2021, with an additional $13,000 for expanded programs with the Mt. Lebanon Police Department  and the Mt. Lebanon Public Library. This underwriting allows Mt. Lebanon residents to receive counseling at reduced rates on a sliding scale: the first two sessions are free; the next eight sessions are $20 each and remaining session are $50, which is the price for non-residents. www.outreachteen.org

MT. LEBANON PARTNERSHIP is a community development corporation dedicated to economic growth in Mt. Lebanon’s business districts. Mt. Lebanon allocated $20,000 to the Partnership in 2021. The Partnership coordinates events such as the Artists’ Market, produces videos in the Love Lebo Learning Series, and offers design help to Mt. Lebanon businesses. www.mtlebopartnership.org 

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MOUNT LEBANON received $5,000 this year from the municipality. The society is located at 794 Washington Road. The building houses historical Mt. Lebanon photos and artifacts. The society hosts events and programs that include walking tours, lectures and discussion forums. www.lebohistory.org 

MT. LEBANON VILLAGE provides a support service and enrichment opportunities to assist Mt. Lebanon seniors in leading rewarding, active lives while remaining in their own homes. Mt. Lebanon has allocated $5,000 to Mt. Lebanon Village. www.facebook.com/mtlebvillage 

CAMP AIM The municipality allocates $1,000 to provide support for Mt. Lebanon children with special needs to attend the YMCA’s Camp AIM. www.ycamps.org/camp-aim 

Quick History

The earliest permanent settlers in what is now called Mt. Lebanon began arriving in the 1770s. Most were farmers, a trend that continued into the 1900s. John Neville’s Bower Hill farm was the scene of several Whiskey Rebellion skirmishes in 1794.

Sometime in the 1850s, the Rev. Joseph Clokey, pastor of St. Clair Church (now the site of Mt. Lebanon Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Washington Road), made a pilgrimage to the “Holy Land,” and brought back two Cedar of Lebanon trees from the Taurus Mountains in what was then Turkey, and planted them on his property. Because of this, people started calling the area “Mt. Lebanon,” though we were part of Upper St. Clair at the time. The area was designated part of Scott Township a few years later, but the name remained. By 1883, a postal station located in a general store at the corner of Washington Road and Bower Hill roads was referred to as the Mt. Lebanon Post Office.

The first trolleys from Pittsburgh came to Mt. Lebanon in 1901, quickly followed by the Mt. Lebanon Plan of Homes, in the center of town, including Shady Drive East and West. The next year, the Mt. Lebanon Land & Trust Company plotted out the Clearview Plan of Homes.

The rapid development spurred a desire for independent government, and residents petitioned the court to split off from Scott. Mt. Lebanon became a township on February 6, 1912.

The opening of the Liberty Tunnels in 1924 accelerated development, and by 1930, Mt. Lebanon’s population was around 13,000. Improvements to public transportation and highways and a post-World War II growth spurt added to the expansion, causing Mt. Lebanon to evolve from a rural town into a prosperous “automobile suburb,” a premier example of that phenomenon of modern American life.

Mt. Lebanon is now home to more than 33,000 people, with a top-ranked school district, walkable neighborhoods and thriving business districts.

Awards and Accolades

Mt. Lebanon’s municipal staff operates at a pretty high level. Here is a list of some of our recent awards and achievements.

The Allegheny League of Municipalities regularly includes Mt. Lebanon on its list of Banner Communities, in recognition of outstanding commitment to professional development, prudent fiscal management, transparency, accountability and proactive communications to engage community stakeholders.

Since 2007, Mt. Lebanon has been designated as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of our maintaining a budget for tree planting and maintenance, establishing a parks advisory board to oversee trees and holding an annual Arbor Day Celebration.

Mt. Lebanon has been designated a Main Street America, by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Mt. Lebanon Magazine has been regularly recognized by the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, most recently receiving three Finalist awards in the 2020 Golden Quill competition.

The American Planning Association has designated Clearview Common, in Central Square, as one of the Great Public Spaces in Pennsylvania, given to unique, memorable places that work not only for their community, but as models others want to emulate; places of exemplary character, quality, planning, identity, cultural interest, and community involvement with a sustainable vision for tomorrow.

Mt. Lebanon is a Live Well Allegheny Community, an Allegheny County Health Department designation recognizing communities that offer activities that are age-friendly, contributing to a thriving community.

The Center for Public Safety and Excellence has given the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department its highest rating, ISO (Insurance Services Organization) Class 1.

Mt. Lebanon received a Safe Communities America designation from the National Safety Council. To get the accreditation, Mt. Lebanon was required to document its unified, community-based approach to preventing injuries and death and commit to consistent improvement in the future.

The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) has rated the Mt. Lebanon Tennis Center a USTA Middle States Premier Tennis Facility, in recognition of its “excellent customer service, high quality programming and overall contribution to the game of tennis.”

Mt. Lebanon was named the No. 1 Best Suburb in Pittsburgh by Niche, a service that ranks schools, universities and communities. Niche’s ranking takes into account several key factors of a community, including the quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics, and access to amenities. Niche also ranked Mt. Lebanon sixth of 703 Pennsylvania suburbs and eighth of 1,515 places to live in the state.