'Sweet, homespun feel'
Land on Mars, a township with an extraterrestrial theme, 25 miles from Pittsburgh. “It’s like a Hallmark movie. A small town with a charming, sweet homespun feel,” says Diane Bureman, Realtor at Howard Hanna. While the small town of Mars is easily categorized as a typical suburb with brick buildings and manicured lawns, the area has a quirky side. The Mars Flying Saucer Statue sits on a grassy area along the main thoroughfare and a bright purple dinosaur mingles with a blue racecar at the play structure in Garfield Park. Children pour over a book in a vibrant mural outside the Mars Area Public Library. These features showcase Mars' fun, artistic side, which can also be seen in the township events and local attractions. Despite the Martian references, the origins of the town’s name are unclear. Some believe Mars is a shortened version of the name Marshall, after one of the founders, Samuel Marshall, while others think it was named for his wife, who liked astronomy. The CAP Index crime score is a 2 out of 10. The national average is 4.
Mars New Year Festival
“We have a Mars New Year every two years,” says John Watson, president of the Mars Area History and Landmarks Society. “Because that’s how long it takes Mars to make it around the sun. It’s like a science fair. NASA comes down and sets up booths. We’ve done that about five or six times. It’s a big event.” The next Mars New Year Festival is scheduled for June 2025. Mars Brew Fest is an annual June event, where residents enjoy beer from a local brewery while listening to live music. On the first Saturday of October, the Mars Applefest features over 90 vendors and free admission. In the wider Butler County area, Jeep owners trek to Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, in May for the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, where visitors participate in a virtual scavenger hunt, a trail ride and other car-related activities. Closer to home, the Mars Area Public Library has a popular summer reading program and offers times to read with a golden retriever named Wally.
Shopping and dining in Mars
The Mars Farmhouse Café serves American comfort food with locally sourced ingredients. Patrons can bring their alcoholic beverages for a $5 corkage fee. Mars Brew House offers frozen coffees and cinnamon rolls in a converted house. Jimmy’s Strip District Grille serves homestyle breakfast. The railroad-themed Breakneck Tavern is known for its lamb and risotto, farm-to-table style and patio. Groceries are available at local convenience stores. For more variety, residents may stop at the Giant Eagle Supermarket in nearby Seven Fields or head to Cranberry Mall for Walmart or Costco.
Mars-Bethel Golf
Mars-Bethel Golf, the main attraction within Mars, has a mini-golf course with brightly painted sculptures of exotic animals and a newly opened Mars-themed attraction. The Mars Indoor Sports League offers playground games such as dodgeball, CornHole and knockerball, where players are covered with a giant inflatable bubble. At the Mars Community Ballfield and Playground, kids can play Little League games or climb on the jungle gym. The covered pavilion provides shade for a picnic. Garfield Park is more extensive and offers a wider playground area, swing set and basketball court for pickup games.
Light Night event at Mars Area Elementary
Mars students attend the Mars Area School District, which earns a B-plus from Niche and is listed as one of the best school districts in Butler County. Children attend Mars Area Elementary School, which earns an A-minus, and Mars Area Middle School, which receives a B-plus. Students advance to Mars Area High School, which earns a B-plus. Mars Area Elementary School presents a Light Night event showcasing student work in the arts and sciences along with interactive activities and games with a glow-in-the-dark theme.
Single-family homes from $175,000
Homes sit along gridded streets on medium lots with rolling lawns and wide driveways. There are no sidewalks in the residential areas of Mars, and most homes are Foursquares or bungalows. Condos in the region are in the Colonial Revival style. Single-family homes range from $175,000 to $340,000, while condos range from $110,000 to $150,000.
Commuting on Route 228
Route 228 borders the neighborhood, leading to Route 8 and Interstates 79 and 76. While most homes are within walking distance of the town center, Mars is a car-dependent area. The Pittsburgh International Airport is 35 miles away. For residents looking to attend religious services, the Chinmaya Amarnath, Mars United Presbyterian Church, and Advance Community Church are in the area.
Important to know
Breakneck Creek cuts through Mars Township and into nearby Valencia. “Breakneck sometimes floods, not too badly in Mars, but it can get bad in other towns,” says Watson.
Written By
Isabella Pontecorvo
Photography Contributed By
Anna Dukovich
