History:

Union Township was established in 1753 by proceedings in the Berks County Court of Quarter Sessions.  The Township was formed through the "union" of two land areas: portions of Robeson Township (Berks County) and Coventry Township (Chester County).

The land area of Union Township, as well as most of Berks County, was purchased in the early 1700s by an existing treaty between the local Native Americans and the sons of William Penn.  The Swedes and Germans were the first to settle within the present boundaries of Union Township.  The first known settlement was in 1705, and by 1759, there were an estimated 62 taxable persons in the Township.  By the year 2000, the Township had grown to approximately 3,500 residents.

Readily available water power provided industrial opportunities for the early settlers.  By the early 1800s, mills were located along the Six Penny Creek, the Hay Creek, the Schuylkill River and the Mill Creek.  Hopewell Furnace, located in the southern portion of the Township, was prominent in the iron industry.   

Agriculture also provided opportunities for the early settlers.   The land areas adjacent to the Schuylkill River and the Hay Creek provided exceptionally productive land for farming.  Vast portions of these areas of the Township are still utilized for agriculture.

The Schuylkill Canal Navigation System, completed in 1824, played an important role in the growth and development of the Township.  The Canal provided a system to transport coal, iron, lumber, merchandise and produce between Schuylkill County and Philadelphia.  Portions of the abandoned Canal, which became obsolete in the 1870s, are still evident throughout the northern part of the Township.