Former coal town along Chartiers Creek
Once a coal mining town called Montour No. 4 and Hill’s Station, Lawrence retains the railroad track-strewn charm, revered local history and close-knit neighborhoods found in many post-industrial communities throughout Western Pennsylvania. “I call it Hill’s Station, I’ll always call it that,” says Stanley Sadowski, better known as Stush, chief of the Lawrence Fire Company and a Lawrence-Hill's Station lifer. “My wife was born and raised on First Street, then we got married and moved to Third Street. We’ve lived there ever since.” Reaping the benefits of modern developments in housing, recreation centers and the Canon-McMillan School District, Lawrence keeps pace with modern suburban living while preserving a rural, small-town sensibility in the hills between Pittsburgh and Washington.
Prewar homes from $110,000
During Lawrence’s early 20th-century coal boom, National styles and other simple vernacular single-family homes were built on long, grassy blocks, many heralded by front porches and neat garden beds. These homes typically sell for $110,000 to $250,000, though larger and more updated properties can sell in the low $400,000s. A few subdivisions like the Cherry Brook Community developed in the 1990s and early 2000s, providing a newer, sidewalk-lined suburban atmosphere along rows of townhouses and cul-de-sacs spiraled with New Traditional single-family homes. Depending on the subdivision, townhouses sell for $215,000 to $340,000 plus varied HOA fees and newer single-family homes sell for $330,000 to $430,000. “The market is very mixed, but everything that comes on sells very quickly,” says Barbara Baker, a Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway with 39 years of experience selling in the region. “It’s in Washington County which has lower taxes than Allegheny County.” Lawrence has a CAP Index crime score of 2 out of 10 compared to the national average of 4.
Commuting on I-79
Commuters can head just west of Lawrence to Interstate 79 to begin an 18-mile drive into downtown Pittsburgh or a 14-mile drive into Washington. The Southpointe Park and Ride connects Freedom Transit bus riders to destinations from Washington to Pittsburgh on weekday mornings and evenings.
Shopping and dining in McMurray
A few small restaurants and businesses pop up along Lawrence’s main thoroughfares, including Frankie’s Italian Kitchen, Lawrence’s favorite pizza and hoagie joint. The Tandem Connection bike shop is conveniently located along the Montour Trail for mid-trail tune-ups, snacks and bike rentals. A few churches hold services throughout Lawrence. Less than 5 miles away in McMurray, Donaldson’s Crossroads shopping plaza is anchored by a Giant Eagle and retailers like T.J. Maxx and Five Below. Along that same stretch of road, higher-end restaurant chains like Atria’s mingle with more casual spots like Applebee’s and Pittsburgh-famous Fiori’s Pizzaria.
Lawrence Park, Boyce Mayview and the Montour Trail
Lawrence Park is a classic, grassy community park with a colorful playground and soccer and baseball fields which are often reserved by Canon Mac youth athletic teams. About 3 miles away and over the county line, Boyce Mayview Park is an enormous destination park beloved for modern playground equipment and indoor recreation facilities as well as more rustic hiking trails through deep forests and preserved wetlands. The Montour Trail runs through Lawrence on its 47-mile path from Coraopolis to Clairton, taking cyclists, walkers and joggers over a bridge spanning Chartiers Creek and through the echoey Greer Tunnel.
A handful of private athletic centers gear lessons toward children, including the Bianco School of Baseball and Lori Allen Dance Center. Guests and members can choose between three nine-hole golf courses at the Valley Brook Country Club.
Zoo in the Classroom at Canon McMillan High
Hills-Hendersonville Elementary School teaches kindergarten through fourth grade and earns an A-minus from Niche, as does Cecil Intermediate School which serves fifth and sixth grades. Canon-McMillan Middle School, formerly Canonsburg Middle School, teaches seventh and eighth grades and earns an A-minus. Canon-McMillan High School earns a B-plus and gives environmental science students a chance to teach elementary schoolers from different districts about animals through the Zoo in the Classroom Collaborative.
Fall Festival at Cecil Park
While events at clubs like the SNPJ Lodge have declined in recent years, Lawrence residents can still head to seasonal events put on by Cecil Township. The Fall Festival at Cecil Park is one of the most anticipated annual traditions, welcoming hundreds to enjoy live music and peruse craft vendors and food trucks as the leaves begin to change and September comes to an end. Birthday parties at Sky Zone Trampoline Park are a newer tradition, and bouncers make sure to wear white shirts for evenings under the blacklights at GLOW Night each Friday and Saturday.
Flooding along Chartiers Creek
During unusually heavy rainfall, Chartiers Creek floods its banks. While most homes fall outside of the flood plain, areas of Georgetown Road closest to the creek may flood and close until stormwater recedes.
Written By
Julia Szymanski
Photography Contributed By
Amanda Kirkpatrick
