Before white settlers came to the area that is now Salem Township, Potawatomi Indians hunted and fished in a forest filled with abundant wildlife. The settlers cleared the trees to work the land and built a lumber mill along Little Rabbit River. Salem was primarily a farming community carved out by hardworking pioneers. Four towns were established to serve this farming community: Diamond Springs to the south, New Salem to the north, and Burnips Corners and Salem Center (now known as Burnips) in the center. In 1855, Salem Township separated from Monterey Township; then, in the 1930s, the discovery of oil brought financial relief to Salem farm families who struggled to maintain their farms. A new wave of residents came to settle in the Salem area as men seeking work in the oil fields brought their families to the community.

Yearbook for Salem Township School in Wyandot County, Ohio.

Yearbook for Salem Township School in Wyandot County, Ohio.

As early as 1885, Salem Township's supply of coal attracted companies to build mines and "coal patch" towns. In 1916, Slickville was the last coal patch town built in Salem Township. When the demand for soft coal declined, the companies abandoned the mines, leaving the towns to survive on their own. Delmont, originally known as Salem Crossroads or New Salem, is one of the oldest boroughs in Westmoreland County. Formed around a spring that was eventually piped to a watering trough that still remains, Delmont boasted a busy stagecoach route and was one of the main stagecoach stops on the Northern Turnpike. The arrival of the railroad left little need for stagecoaches, but Delmont continued to survive. In 1993, the Pennsylvania Turnpike 66 opened just south of Delmont in Salem Township, bringing promise to a community once disappointed by Northern Turnpike's decline. Salem Township and Delmont provides a glimpse into the rich history of these communities.