Cumberland Township, part of Greene County, was one of Pennsylvania's original townships and has a rich and interesting history. In 1796, the town of Carmichaels, located within Cumberland Township, was named in honor of Maj. James Carmichael, a Revolutionary War soldier and pioneer settler. Carmichael had traded his land in what is now the town of Jefferson for land owned by Thomas Hughes along the banks of Muddy Creek. Carmichaels notably became home to the Greene Academy, the first school of higher learning west of the Allegheny Mountains and the Carmichaels Covered Bridge spans Muddy Creek, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Shelley McMinn Anderson, a lifelong resident of Carmichaels, is a genealogical researcher and local historian with 20 years of experience. Anderson serves as president of the Carmichaels Area Historical Society. She is also a member on the board of directors for the Glades Cemetery, the Laurel Point Cemetery, and the Greene Academy. Images for this work were compiled from the Flenniken Public Library, the Greene Academy archives, and the Greene County Historical Society Museum, in addition to contributions from local residents.