West Kittanning, PA

West Kittanning is an Armstrong County borough across the Allegheny River from Kittanning, the county seat. That distinction matters: county government and the courthouse are in Kittanning proper, while West Kittanning is a separate borough on the opposite side of the river. The borough sits roughly 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh and is part of the cluster of river towns and roads that make up the Kittanning area.

The West Kittanning Fire Department, founded in 1935, is one of the clearest local institutions. It provides fire and rescue service in the borough and North Buffalo Township, and mutual aid reaches neighboring communities including Kittanning, Applewold, Worthington, and Pine Township. Students attend Armstrong School District, though none of the district's schools are located inside West Kittanning. The Allegheny is the boundary that separates the two borough governments. Borough government, the fire hall, and nearby Kittanning's courthouse and commercial center divide everyday needs across the river. West Kittanning is a distinct municipality sharing a regional center with the larger borough next door.