 The President Judge of Mercer County Court of Common Pleas issued an order on December 11, 1975 decreeing that the name of the Township of Hickory shall be changed to Hermitage, Pennsylvania, effective January 2, 1976.On May 31, 1985 Hermitage was struck by an F5 tornado that killed 18 people and injured 310.It was the strongest tornado ever recorded in Pennsylvania.