Connellsville (pop. 9,146) is located in Fayette County (pop. 148,644) and is part of the Pittsburgh MSA.  Connellsville is the secondary node in the Uniontown-Connellsville Urbanized Area, which has a population of 58,442.  This small city straddles the Youghiogheny River at the base of Chestnut Ridge... the western most ridge in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains, and is about 45 miles southeast of Downtown Pittsburgh.  Connellsville is only a few miles downstream of some of the most popular whitewater in the Eastern U.S. in the Ohiopyle State Park area.  Connellsville is served by Amtrak's Capitol Limited, which connects Washington and Pittsburgh.

 

Connellsville has a long history dating to the 1700s.  The Youghiogheny was an important waterway during the second half of the 18th century for pioneers moving west.  Connellsville was laid out in 1793.  The town boomed in the late 1800s with the coal and coke industry.  This industry faltered in the 1950s and decimated Connellsville.  Despite its scenic location and impressive architecture, Connellsville is a very sad place.  Its downtown is largely abandoned... iconic structures rotting away.  There is some hope of economic revitalization spurred by recreation and tourism.  Connellsville is a "trail town" along the Great Allegheny Passage... a 150 mile hiking and biking trail connecting Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD... which then connects with the C&O Canal Towpath on to Washington for a 318 mile system. 

 

soundtrack provided by Connellsville natives The Clarks... a hugely popular rock act in Western and Central Pennsylvania. 

 

 

 

 

 

does that count as a "green roof"?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

crossing the river to the west side of town... the business district continues

 

 

 

 

 

 

hanging out

 

Youghiogheny River

 

 

one of the most prominent buildings downtown... completely abandoned... I assume Aaron's was a department store back in Connellsville's salad days

 

a legendary video game

 

entrance to Aaron's

 

Aaron's again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

old high school... now occupied by the Salvation Army... this handsome structure has suffered from bastardization (esp. the windows) and neglect

 

 

 

 

 

Carnegie Library and some dude

 

Connellsville has a couple thousand of these "Molinaro Band" signs hanging up all over town... it's pretty annoying

 

 

 

 

 

Probably a pretty amazing downtown fifty years ago and more! It's tragic to see how some of these places have declined.

Beautiful...but a bit sad.

Probably a pretty amazing downtown fifty years ago and more! It's tragic to see how some of these places have declined.

 

Here's an article on streetcars in Connellsville

http://www.fay-west.com/connellsville/historic/streetcars.php

It's like Weston, WV.