Ridgway, PA

[Evergrey]

Ridgway (pop. 4,078) is the seat of Elk County (pop. 31,946) and has an urban cluster population of 4,705. The town is nestled in a valley along the Clarion River and US Route 219, just west of the Allegheny National Forest. Platted in 1833, Ridgway became the seat when Elk County was established in 1843 and was incorporated as a borough in 1881. The town grew during the late 1800s North-Central Pennsylvania lumber boom, and became known for its high-quality architectural millwork and large tanneries. The lumber wealth can be appreciated when walking the streets of Ridgway, whose core neighborhoods are endowed with an impressive collection of Victorian structures.























The Elk County Courthouse was built in the Second Empire style in 1880.
















corner building experienced a fire recently












The Bogert House is a former hotel. Now vacant and deteriorating, efforts are underway for rehabilitation.








This romanesque mansion was built in 1883.












Built in 1859, this is one of the oldest surviving houses in Ridgway.




Ridgway Public Library
































old Ridgway High School is now an office building


























Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh station.




former school


The O.B. Grant House in Ridgway's West End was built in 1870.


Bonifels was built in 1898 and overlooks Ridgway from the country club.


the entire length of Osterhout St. is to be demolished for a truck bypass






St. Leo's School








Ridgway YMCA (1905)


Ridgway Armory

[AlphaMale]

Very nice photo thread. I am glad that the beautiful Grand Central building has made room for a dollar store. You always seem to find very interesting viewpoints of a town such as in your first 2 shots. This takes more skill than most people would think.

[pj3000]

Boot Jackin' awesome!

I've always loved Ridgway. Great homes in that town, and the courthouse is a beaut.

[ColDayMan]

The Metropolis of West North Central Pennsylvania.

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures. I also liked the views of the city from the mountain. I know you're from that area so you know your way around, so it's nice to get a view that I wouldn't know how to find.

When I took pictures of Ridgway a few years ago, it was on a cold, rainy, April day. Even then some of the class showed through the dreariness of the day. Ridgway looks a lot better in the summer, especially on a golden evening.

[Wheelingman04]

my favorite state never lets me down in terms of beautiful scenery, history, urban big cities (even the small towns are urban), fabulous architecture, and the vast amount of rural areas/ mountains etc to get away from it all.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by AlphaMale

Very nice photo thread. I am glad that the beautiful Grand Central building has made room for a dollar store. You always seem to find very interesting viewpoints of a town such as in your first 2 shots. This takes more skill than most people would think.

Thanks. I love taking those types of shots. I always try to find such "overlooks" in every town I photograph in hilly regions. Most small towns don't have an obvious overlook (a la PGH's Mount Washington), so I usually research topo maps and satellite imagery beforehand to find elevated areas of a town that may offer such views. These can often be small openings between trees on some forgotten hillside street.

As for the gorgeous Grand Central building... ughhhhh... I HATE Dollar General's signage... so obnoxious. While I tend to loathe dollar stores and regard them as an indicator of economic stress... they do carry many practical everyday products... so I suppose I can accept a dollar store occupying that building... but the signage is offensive and completely incompatible with the architecture of the district.

[Expat]

Beautiful town. Nearly every pic is postcard worthy.

[PhillyRising]

I finally get to see Ridgway. My friend Jackie from college who now lives with her husband and kids in Wisconsin just came back from there the other day.

Go Elkers!!!!

[the pope]

i like the middle of nowhere. purdy homes, and nice tour.

[Thundertubs]

Another awesome PA small town. I also like how you manage to start every thread with a contextual overlook photo.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by PhillyRising

Go Elkers!!!!

gag me with a spoon

[Robert Pence]

Most impressive town and photos. There seems to be a significant collection of mostly-intact historic commercial facades, something that's rare nowadays.

[MARCOLIVIO]

Thanks for the pictorial essay. I grew up in Ridgway in the 1950's and 60's and haven't seen these sites in (37) years. What a great place to have lived if you liked the out of doors. Speaking of doors... back then you didn't even lock the doors to your home when you left town...it was that safe! Certain areas of the town, the more modest homes of Depot Street/ Allenhurst Avenue (where I lived), seem to have deteriorated much, according to your pictures, in those (37) years. Though modest in comparison to the homes pictured up town, they were maintained in immaculate condition... and that's sad to see. I'd like to make one correction/ addition to your work regarding the comment about the "Romanesque mansion... built in 1883... located at the base of Boot Jack Mountain....an out-of-control truck smashed into the structure in the 1950s". In fact, the "Hyde mansion" (pictured) was not the mansion that was struck by the out-of-control truck. The mansion struck and destroyed by the truck in the 1950's was the "Murphy mansion". Similar in architecture, it was located directly across Main Street from the Hyde mansion. Being on the lower side of the road, as Boot Jack curved onto Main Street, it was the natural path for runaway trucks coming down Boot Jack Hill. I know this to be true because I heard the loud "boom" that Saturday morning when the truck crash happened. I was playing outside, not far from the crash site, and ran to the scene as quickly as I could. As a young boy I was fascinated for the rest of the day by the spectacle of the Ridgway Fire Department fighting the conflagration that ensued. Unfortunately, the great mansion was totally destroyed to be replaced by a smaller modern structure where Mr. Murphy lived out his life. Ultimately the home was turned over to the nearby Catholic Church. Thanks again... these pics are a real treat. MJM

[Austinlee]

Beautiful town! Really great business district and an impressive collection of Victorian style houses.

Is there a large rivalry between Ridgwayers and St Maryians? Animosity, hate, drive by shootings? That type of thing.

[photoLith]

Looks like a real nice little town. I love how the dollar general went in the old building instead of building a tin sided thing on the outskirts of the town.

[rack776]

Cool town, the old buildings in good condition remind me of a model train layout except in full size, Also kind of reminds me Cooperstown NY, with the large collection of Victorian buildings, Thanks for sharing

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by MARCOLIVIO

Thanks for the pictorial essay. I grew up in Ridgway in the 1950's and 60's and haven't seen these sites in (37) years. What a great place to have lived if you liked the out of doors. Speaking of doors... back then you didn't even lock the doors to your home when you left town...it was that safe! Certain areas of the town, the more modest homes of Depot Street/ Allenhurst Avenue (where I lived), seem to have deteriorated much, according to your pictures, in those (37) years. Though modest in comparison to the homes pictured up town, they were maintained in immaculate condition... and that's sad to see. I'd like to make one correction/ addition to your work regarding the comment about the "Romanesque mansion... built in 1883... located at the base of Boot Jack Mountain....an out-of-control truck smashed into the structure in the 1950s". In fact, the "Hyde mansion" (pictured) was not the mansion that was struck by the out-of-control truck. The mansion struck and destroyed by the truck in the 1950's was the "Murphy mansion". Similar in architecture, it was located directly across Main Street from the Hyde mansion. Being on the lower side of the road, as Boot Jack curved onto Main Street, it was the natural path for runaway trucks coming down Boot Jack Hill. I know this to be true because I heard the loud "boom" that Saturday morning when the truck crash happened. I was playing outside, not far from the crash site, and ran to the scene as quickly as I could. As a young boy I was fascinated for the rest of the day by the spectacle of the Ridgway Fire Department fighting the conflagration that ensued. Unfortunately, the great mansion was totally destroyed to be replaced by a smaller modern structure where Mr. Murphy lived out his life. Ultimately the home was turned over to the nearby Catholic Church. Thanks again... these pics are a real treat. MJM

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm glad you enjoyed these pics.

Originally Posted by Austinlee

Beautiful town! Really great business district and an impressive collection of Victorian style houses.

Is there a large rivalry between Ridgwayers and St Maryians? Animosity, hate, drive by shootings? That type of thing.

St. Marys is much larger than Ridgway... so there's no "rivalry" there. The rivalry is between Ridgway and Johnsonburg, 7 miles to its north.

However, there is a football rivalry between my alma mater Elk County Catholic Crusaders (located in St. Marys) and Ridgway Area Elkers. It was pretty heated in the 90s when both teams were successful.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

However, there is a football rivalry between my alma mater Elk County Catholic Crusaders (located in St. Marys) and Ridgway Area Elkers. It was pretty heated in the 90s when both teams were successful.

I would imagine the excitement was palpable.

[AJW]

Thanks for the tour Evergrey! Such wonderful architecture, I love the vibe of this place, also makes me wonder what the surroundings look like.