Clarion’s small-town atmosphere and western PA recreation
A red brick clock tower crowns the historic Clarion County Courthouse in the namesake county seat of Clarion. Down below, the borough's old-fashioned Main Street connects century-old homes to a community of local businesses and Pennsylvania Western University's Clarion campus. Despite its turn-of-the-century look, Clarion isn't untouched by time; the decline of industry has both shrunken the population and cleared the waters of the Clarion River. Through it all, Clarion has preserved small-town traditions and atmosphere between the rush of Interstate 80 and the wild beauty of western Pennsylvania. “I’m an outdoors kind of guy. I like being able to drive 20 minutes and kayak on the river or hike in the state forest,” says Nate Forrest, a Realtor with Forrest Property Solutions who was born and raised in Clarion. “People get sick of the city in general, and come out of Pittsburgh looking for camps, state parks and a friendly town. You can make a day out of going to the Steelers game and come home to some peace and quiet.”
Many styles of single-family homes from around $90,000
Mature trees shade single-family homes built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries on Clarion’s oldest residential blocks. Simple National and Minimal Traditional styles are common on some streets, while others favor grander Victorian designs. Sidewalks connect the flat blocks closest to Main Street and begin to slope along the surrounding hills. In more winding, suburban subdivisions around the borough’s center, buyers can find ranch-style and split-level homes built from the 1950s through 1970s or New Traditional homes from the 1990s. Move-in-ready single-family homes sell for around $90,000 to $400,000, depending on age, square footage and condition.
Recreation from the Allegheny National Forest to Clarion's local parks
Clarion is surrounded by some of western Pennsylvania’s most scenic recreation destinations. Starting down the North Country Trail, hikers set off into the more than 500,000-acre Allegheny National Forest. The Clarion River was once among the state's most polluted waterways, but exceptional conservation efforts eventually earned it the title of Pennsylvania’s river of the year in 2019. Boaters launch from Toby Boat Launch or start tubing farther upstream at Cook Forest State Park. A few state game lands are within 20 minutes of home, offering opportunities for fishing, hunting and kayaking in the woods and streams that fill the Allegheny Plateau. Closer to home, the Clarion Oaks Golf Course is open to the public. The borough’s youth leagues hit the baseball diamonds at Paul A. Weaver Community Park, while Clarion County Veterans Memorial Park offers a quiet spot to sit across from the courthouse.
Attending Clarion Area School District and PennWest
Clarion is served by the Clarion Area School District. Clarion Area Elementary earns a B-minus from Niche. Students finish at Clarion Area Junior-Senior High School, which also scores a B-minus. Seniors can choose to finish high school while also being a full-time student at Pennsylvania Western University's Clarion campus. Also called PennWest, the institution became the second-largest university in western Pennsylvania after the merging of historic colleges in Clarion, Edinboro and California. More than 3,000 undergraduates and graduates call Clarion’s campus home. Students can also opt to take courses through Clarion's PennWest sister schools.
Clarion County and I-80 commuting
As the seat of its namesake county, Clarion is home to many of the region’s biggest employers: Clarion Hospital, PennWest and a host of smaller manufacturing and municipal offices. While many residents rely on cars, an Area Transportation Authority bus route also serves the borough. “Clarion is pretty lowkey. You don’t have to worry about going through the Fort Pitt Tunnel every Monday through Friday. But I-80 is right there. If I want to go to Pittsburgh or Erie, they’re not super far away,” Forrest says. Taking Interstate 80 to a north-south connector, Pittsburgh is about an hour and 40 minutes away. Erie International Airport is around 90 miles from home.
Shopping and dining on Main Street and Route 68
Sidewalks, evenly spaced benches and flower planters front the blend of mom-and-pop businesses that line Clarion’s Main Street. Diners sink into well-worn booths for breakfast at County Seat before walking a block to browse the shelves at Sparrow Books. The craft beers and bar food at Clarion River Brewing Company are inspired heavily by local history and local farmers. Labyrinthian antique shops, banks and houses of worship like Hope Rising Church pop up on blocks near the main drag. Closer to the confluence of state Route 68 and I-80, Walmart and Aldi anchor the chain-heavy commercial strip around the Clarion Mall.
Clarion’s annual Autumn Leaf Festival
The changing of the leaves has heralded the return of the Autumn Leaf Festival for more than 70 years. Festival dates change to coincide with PennWest’s homecoming football game, but many other special events attract hundreds of thousands of visitors throughout the event’s nine-day run. Farmers and Crafters’ Day takes place on the second Friday, drawing crowds to peruse hundreds of vendor booths that pop up throughout town. Fair food, carnival games and rides pocket Main Street throughout the festival.
Written By
Julia Szymanski
