Foster Township fuses rural tranquility with convenience
Foster Township is a small community high in northwest Pennsylvania, where commercial conveniences come close to quiet residential corridors among the Allegheny Mountains. This area of about 4,000 people is home to what’s considered one of the busiest intersections across McKean County, along Derrick Road and Main Street. More attractions are available in neighboring Bradford. “Bradford and Foster Township, we all kind of merge together,” says Kelly Strotman, the owner of Foster Brook Creamery, one of the businesses on Derrick Road. “In Foster Township, you’re closer to Bradford — you’re closer to where all the action is.” Still, Foster Township remains a place where buyers can find homes on multiple acres that feel far removed from the busier pockets of this area.
Early to midcentury houses make up a diverse range of options
Many of Foster Township’s homes were built between 1920 and 1980. The inventory includes a variety of colonials, farmhouses, Cape Cods and ranch-style options. It’s common for lots to stretch at least three-tenths of an acre. The mountains are a backdrop for most properties here, which usually sell for $100,000 to $250,000.
Big-box and locally owned businesses are readily available
The area around Derrick and Main is a hub for amenities like the Bradford Mall shopping center, which features Tractor Supply Co., Dollar Tree and a Label Shopper clothing store. There’s also a Walmart Supercenter and an Aldi in this area. Eateries include chains like Tim Hortons and locally owned spots like Strotman’s Foster Brook Creamery. The Hershey’s Peanut Butter Twist is a hit at the creamery, which is open seasonally, from February to September or October. “It’s pretty crazy in the summer. We also sell food and all kinds of food,” says Strotman, whose menu features subs, pizza, boba tea and more, in addition to ice cream. Model T Inn and Derrick City Diner, farther east on Derrick Road, are draws for breakfast. Downtown Bradford, roughly 2 miles south, teems with more restaurants, including Kabob’s at The Option House, which fills a building that dates to 1902 and is renowned for its Mediterranean-style food.
Bradford is a place for close-by community events
The Bradford Mall parking lot serves as the site of a farmers market on Saturdays from June through September. There’s also an annual holiday vendor show in December at the Foster Township Municipal Building. More community events are available in Bradford, including Summer Nights in the Square, a free concert series in June and July. September’s Pumpkin Fest features everything from a parade to wagon rides. “They get thousands that come to that,” Strotman says. “That’s a huge event that’s every year.”
Area schools support skill development and community involvement
Foster Township is within the Bradford Area School District, a system with a B-minus rating from Niche. Families of prekindergarten through second-grade students at George G. Blaisdell Elementary can join the Parent Lighthouse Team to get involved in school programming. Students in grades 3 through 5 can attend School Street Elementary, which hosts a meet-and-greet with teachers heading into the academic year. There’s a dedicated STEM course at Floyd C. Fretz Middle. Bradford Area High has career and technical education classes in computer technology, engineering technology, marketing technology and more. All four schools have B-minus grades.
Mountainous landscape leaves room for recreation
This community’s location in the Allegheny Mountains gives residents proximity to an assortment of trails. “I think a lot of the trails bring a lot of people in,” Strotman says. The nearby Allegany State Park features over 80 miles of paths, plus some 200 campsites. Locals can also swing by Foster Brook Park for the playground or for a picnic. Bradford’s Callahan Park is home to Barcroft Pool, open to the public from June to August. Callahan Park also has an indoor ice rink, basketball and tennis courts, and ballfields.
State highways are connections to neighboring New York
Pennsylvania state routes 346 and 646 and New York state Route 16 link to Olean, New York. Olean is a 15-mile trip and has a population over three times that of Foster Township. People in Foster Township commonly drive to Olean for amenities and vice versa, Strotman says. The Bradford Regional Airport is roughly 20 miles away using U.S. Route 219 and facilitates daily flights to Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Bradford Regional Medical Center is 3 miles away and includes an emergency department. The Area Transportation Authority bus runs through Foster Township, too, and stops at places such as Walmart.
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
