The first post office between Kittanning and Indiana was located at Idaho with Absalon Woodward as postmaster. Other post offices established later in South Bend Township were the Frantz Mills post office at South Bend village in 1843, the Olivet post office in 1850, and one at Girty.

These post offices have all been discontinued, and residents are now served by the Spring Church Star Route, Shelocta RD 3, and the Avonmore RD mail routes.

Besides the saw mills at Idaho and South Bend, there were in pioneer days four other mills. One was a short distance west of Olivet, another on Craigs Run about fifty feet from its mouth, and another on the same run, higher up.

In 1874, James McNees started a pottery on Crooked Creek near Girty. For a time he made crocks, but in 1876 he formed the firm of McNees & Co. and began the manufacture of stone pumps and pipes for wells and cisterns. This finally was abandoned and the works closed. George W. McNees, his son, later became manager of the Kittanning Products Company.

The Mutual Fire Insurance Company of South Bend Township was incorporated in 1875. They have been in business ever since, doing a good business among the farmers. This company pioneered the storm clause for mutual insurance companies in Armstrong Country.

At present, they are carrying in excess of twelve million in risks and are writing re-insurance with three other mutual companies in Armstrong County.