A family moved to Westmoreland County from Eastern Pennsylvania some 225 years ago. It was a time of frequent westward expansion, and many families followed similar paths to settle in Pittsburgh and its surrounding counties. For most families, that move would be of immense personal importance but no particular historical note.

The Overholts are an exception. When they settled between present-day Scottdale and Mt. Pleasant, they were unknowingly staking a claim not only on a beautiful piece of land but also on a sizable amount of history.

Today, that site is West Overton Village, a cluster of buildings on the site of what was a thriving distillery, farm and center of business. The Overholts’ distillery flourished, leading to the establishment of what was then an early example of a company

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