How does a book like this ever come into being? The answer lies in inspiration, dedication and cooperation. The inspiration came from Mayor Robert Linn and the Beaver Area Bicentennial Committee, who believed that a printed record of the area's 200 year history would be an appropriate way of commemorating the national bicentennial. The dedication came from the editorial committee, who visualized, organized and created the material reproduced here. The cooperation came from every corner of the community, as area citizens turned out their private archives and collections, and business and community organizations contributed time and talent. Special appreciation is due Mr. Frank Carver, who wrote much of the material and coordinated the work of the editorial committee; to Mr. Robert A. Smith, who designed and arranged the book, and who also produced the original drawings and spot illustrations; to the Beaver Area Memorial Library, which served as repository and clearing house for borrowed material; to Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., who provided photocopy work; to the Beaver County Times for both old and new photography; to the area police and fire departments who helped stage the photograph on Pages 60-61; to Mr. Halstead McCabe, who handled printing and production arrangements at cost; to members of the editorial committee, who researched and wrote the contents of the book; and not least of all, to you the reader, for purchasing and preserving what we hope will be a definitive portrait of our community for the enrichment and enlightenment of future generations.