South Heights, bordered by the west bank of the Ohio River, is situated in the southeast corner of Hopewell Township of which it was once a part.
The community was first known as Shannopin, from the name of the station located there on the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad. In the late 1870's, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie ran its single track from Pittsburgh down through today's Jordan Street, and the first train came through on February 10, 1879. The railroad was principally financed by the Harmony Society of Old Economy, but many local residents and farmers also bought small amounts of stock. The "Shannopin" station was named after an Indian warrior. Prosperity came to Shannopin around the turn of the century when a rich field of natural gas and petroleum was discovered nearby.
The present South Heights area was also known by its early post office named "Ethel Landing." After the American Bridge Company was built in Ambridge in 1904, many of its workers and supervisors built homes at "Ethel Landing," and used the ferry which crossed the river at this point. Among these early residents were the Laughner, Irwin, Shoup, Davis, Springer, Sarvey, Wilson, Penney, Elliot, Stojanovich, Grundy, Jamis, Kuhns, Leight, Neel, Rohm, and Gilmore families.
The name South Heights was first applied to the community in 1909, when the residents petitioned for Borough status. Court records show that in the petition, the name "Mogadore" was suggested, but this did not please the court and an alternate name for the borough was selected. The Shannopin Methodist Church on Jordan Street reflects the original village name. Many of the early homes remain, as does the South Heights Hotel.
At the turn of the century, a brick factory was located in South Heights, along with the Riverview Land Company and the Keystone Torpeda and Power Company. South Heights joined Hopewell and nearby Crescent Township in the Creswell Heights Joint Authority for municipal service, but is a member of the Ambridge School District.