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Scottdale
A Great Town in
Westmoreland County, PA
by
Karen Fetter
With the high cost of
gas, traveling this summer will become more and
more of a challenge. However, Westmoreland
County residents have a few wonderful choices
for relaxation in their own backyard. One great
choice for the summer season is Scottdale. Its
convenient location, charm, and history make it
a perfect spot for a road trip or weekend
getaway. Make this summer a “Scottdale Summer!”
Scottdale History ;
Scottdale Resources ;
Scottdale
Activities & Events
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Scottdale gives
meaning to the words “small town charm.”
Only 1.2 square miles in area, Scottdale has
a population of fewer than 5,000. It is very
rare that you can find a picture-perfect
town that still thrives with dining and
shopping, but that is not all Scottdale has
to offer. The tree-lined streets and
brick-covered roads are filled with
Victorian mansions and other marvelous
displays of 19th and early 20th Century
architecture. Not to mention the six family
friendly parks located throughout town.
Walking through Scottdale will take you back
to a more peaceful time, and just possibly
encourage a call to your real estate agent!
And in Scottdale the crime rate is well
below half the national average.
If you are thinking about making this summer
a “Scottdale Summer” you would have
everything at your fingertips – fine dining,
lodging, shopping, exercise, and historical
surroundings! But most of all you would be
able to participate in two exceptional
activities offered in Scottdale in the
summer – the self-guided Walking House Tour
and the Lunch in the Park program. |
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Self-Guided House Tour through
Scottdale Historic District
Scottdale's
self-guided Walking Tour takes you through
the historic district where you will
encounter 29 homes in styles of various
periods such as the Second Empire
(1860-1890), Queen Anne (1880-1910),
Colonial Revival (1880-1920), Neo-Classical
(1910-1940), and Arts and Crafts
(1900-1925). This peaceful and informative
walk reveals some of the best residential
architecture of the Nineteenth and early
Twentieth Centuries.
The walk is one mile and takes approximately
one hour to complete. Pick a morning,
afternoon or evening and walk the tree-lined
streets for a day you will never forget. All
homes are private and are not open to the
public. For more information contact the
Scottdale Area Chamber of Commerce. You can
visit their new website at
www.scottdale.com
Lunch in the Park
Being able to enjoy a lunch outside in a
park is a privilege that not everyone can
experience. However, Scottdale makes it a
reality with its Lunch in the Park program
from May until August. On the second Tuesday
of each month at 11:30 a.m., local church
members and businesses prepare homemade food
for the crowd. The event takes place at the
Gazebo. The Scottdale Area Chamber of
Commerce sponsors the event and door prizes
and entertainment are available. Anyone
interested in participating as a vendor or
sponsor can contact Mayor Patricia Walker at
724-887-8220. This is just one more reason
to make it a “Scottdale Summer.”
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History of
Scottdale
Prior to becoming the
borough of Scottdale, this picturesque area
was named Fountain Mills. The name was not
changed until 1874, when the town was
renamed in honor of Colonel Thomas A. Scott,
who was assistant secretary of war during
the Civil War. Colonel Scott was later
president of the Pennsylvania Railroad when
it opened its Scottdale branch in the spring
of 1873. The borough was incorporated on
February 5, 1874.
The railroad and the coal and coke industry
played a major role in Scottdale’s
development, and due to their success
Scottdale was once one of the wealthiest
towns in the county. This combination of
industries and Scottdale’s location to
Pittsburgh and hundreds of other mining
companies made the town thrive. At one time
there were 30,000 coke ovens in the area
that used the railroad to ship products to
various industrial markets throughout the
country.
Today this exceptional town has a beautiful
atmosphere that would make any visitor feel
welcomed and at home. There are shops,
history, tree-lined streets, and beautiful
Victorian architecture.
Attractions
Durstine House B&B
A stone guest house built from local
sandstone by the owner and his son. Relax on
the stone bench by the lily pond and feed
the fish, smell the flowers, and watch the
hummingbirds in the perennial gardens. Or
sit on the rocking chairs of the two large
porches on the main house and enjoy the
view. |
A Scottdale Mansion |
Linden Hall
Linden
Hall is listed on the National Register of
Historic Sites. It is an elegant English Tudor
Mansion that was the creation of Mrs. Sarah B.
Cochran. It was restored to its original beauty
and elegance and the Mansion opened for the
first visitors in June 1977. There are 35 rooms,
27 fireplaces, 13 bath and powder rooms, a
finished white tiled basement with a game room
complete with billiard tables and bowling
alleys. The Mansion has 8, 720 sq. ft. to each
of its four floors and is 188 ft. long by 40 ft.
wide.
Miss Martha's Tea Room
Miss Martha’s Tea Room & Gifts features a
daily luncheon menu of soups, salads,
sandwiches, and special desserts. For
refreshments there is hot tea, coffee,
cappuccino, mocha latte, chai, and delicious
smoothies. There is a Victorian garden mural and
a 1910 baby grand piano to view while you enjoy
your meal in elegant Victorian styling. Seven
dining rooms are being restored on the second
floor that will make it perfect for Bridge
clubs, Christmas parties, and small, elegant
get-togethers. Etiquette classes for young girls
and other informational and entertainment events
are being planned.
Stuffins Bearmill
Bring your children, family, and friends to
Stuffins Bearmill for more than 45 types of
stuffed animals and dolls that they can make
themselves. All of our stuffed creations include
a pre-recorded sound chip with a special
message, a make a wish star, a guardian angel,
and a heart. All bears, animals, and dolls
receive their own birth certificate and come
with a box or cradle to be carried home in.
Ohiopyle State Park
Ohiopyle State Park’s focal point is the
more than 14 miles of the Youghiogheny River
Gorge that passes through the heart of the park.
The “Yough” provides some of the best whitewater
boating in the Eastern U. S. as well as
spectacular scenery. The famous Lower Yough
begins after the Ohiopyle Falls and flows seven
miles downstream to the Bruner Run Take-out.
This is the busiest section of whitewater east
of the Mississippi River.
West Overton Museum
West
Overton Museum gives a complete explanation
of the coal and coke process. A replica of a
coke oven is on display in the museum yard. All
of the exhibits are a part of the regular museum
tour. West Overton Village was named to the
National Register of Historic Districts in 1985
as an outstanding example of a 19th century
rural industrial village.
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Location
Making your
summer a “Scottdale Summer” is easy because
the town’s strategic location. Situated
between Morgantown, W.V. and Pittsburgh,
Scottdale is close to the Pennsylvania
Turnpike’s New Stanton exit at Interstate
70.
Scottdale is also linked to Routes 31, 51,
40, 119 and toll roads 66 and 43. However,
despite this prime location, Scottdale
manages to remain a hidden treasure by not
being directly off any major route. As a
result, visitors have to make it a point to
stop by and enjoy the beauty and activities
Scottdale has to offer.
But roads and location are not the only
positives for making it a “Scottdale
Summer.” Scottdale is also a part of the
Laurel Highlands, which is an area
encompassing
Southwestern Pennsylvania, including
Westmoreland, Fayette, and Somerset
counties. Within the Laurel Highlands there
is much history and culture along with
outdoor adventure. Major sites to see are
Seven Springs Resort, Ohiopyle, Falling
Water, Hidden Valley, various wineries, and
bike trails, just to name a few. Scottdale
makes a wonderful base from which to enjoy
your exploration of the Laurel Highlands.
For more information about the Laurel
Highlands and what there is to do visit
www.laurelhighlands.org.
Resources
Scottdale
Area Chamber of Commerce
The
Scottdale Area Chamber of Commerce is a
partnership among downtown businesses,
political and community leaders, area
merchants, and downtown property owners who
care about the future of Scottdale and want
to insure the vitality of the downtown
commercial district.
The Scottdale Area Chamber of Commerce
offers a wide array of services and programs
that help enhance economic growth and
development of the community. Some of the
activities include: the Scottie Scholar
Program, Lunch in the Park, The Annual
Easter Egg Hunt, and Christmas Parade. The
Chamber recently purchased new Christmas
lights and banners, and other downtown
beautification projects are being planned.
Scottdale Public Library
Scottdale takes great pride in its library
facilities. The current location of the
Scottdale Public Library is on
Pittsburgh Street. The library serves over
12,000 people in Scottdale and East
Huntingdon Township, but the existing
facilities have become inadequate and more
space is needed. As a result a new library
is being built. The new location will be on
Spring Street where the former YMCA building
was located. The site will be completely
renovated and much larger than the current
building.
The library offers many free programs to the
public. including computers with Internet
service, audiotapes, DVDs and videos, new
titles, and a growing collection of large
print books. There is also a mini bookstore
that sells books the library receives as
donations. The cost per book is .25 to
$1.00.
Also, the Scottdale Public Library has three
book clubs for youth. Bookworms are in
grades 1 and 2. Team Read is for grades 3-5,
and Teen Club is for grades 6 and up. The
goal of these clubs is to encourage a love
of reading in children and to encourage
reading with comprehension. Books are
provided by the Scottdale Public Library.
Children must pre-register in order to
insure a book is available for their use.
Scottdale Community Events
Scottdale has
a variety of community events for the public
to participate in during the summer months.
Below are activities and events for May and
June. For a complete list visit the
Things to Do page of the Scottdale Area
Chamber of Commerce website.
Now through May 25
Annual “Lincolns for the Library Penny
Drive” benefits Scottdale Library
May 9
Lunch in the Park 11:30, 2nd Tuesdays,
Gazebo
May 13
Heirloom Plant Sale, West Overton’s Garden
Club
June 10
Annual Car Cruise
June 12-17
Annual Firemen’s Fair, Rite Aid Lot
June 13
Lunch in the Park 11:30, Gazebo
June 17
Annual Car Show, downtown
June 24
Annual Garden Tour & Party, Friends of
Library
June-Aug
Sunday Night Concerts in the Park -- Free to
public at the Gazebo |
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Scottdale, Westmoreland County, PA
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