Dunbar

Settled in the 1790s and incorporated in 1883, Dunbar was initially known as Frogtown before being renamed the City of Dunbar and eventually Dunbar Borough. However, the exact timing of the name change is unknown.

Named after Colonel Thomas Dunbar, who led British forces during the French and Indian War, the town played a role in early American military history. In 1793, Isaac Meason established Union Furnace #1, marking the beginning of Dunbar’s iron industry, which would sustain the town for over a century.

Dunbar became a thriving industrial hub, home to five banks at its peak. Industries included iron furnaces, glass manufacturing, brickworks, wool mills, and coke ovens.

Though its industrial era has passed, Dunbar Borough remains a tight-knit community along the Dunbar Creek trout stream.