Established in 1912 as Mount Lebanon, the township was a farming community. With the arrival of the first streetcar lines and the development of the first real estate subdivision, both in 1901, it became a streetcar suburb, offering residents the ability to commute to Downtown Pittsburgh. Further, the opening of the Liberty Tunnel in 1924 allowed easy automobile access to Pittsburgh. In 1975, the renamed Mt. Lebanon adopted one of the first home rule charters in Pennsylvania.