New Galilee

Near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border is the small countryside town of New Galilee. Once known as an industrial and railroad hub, this rural Pittsburgh neighborhood is now a primarily residential community surrounded by wetlands and lush forests. But that’s not to say this community isn’t bustling. With an active community center that hosts dozens of events each year, New Galilee is “a quite vibrant little community,” says Chris Johnston, a Realtor at EXP Realty LLC. Johnston has been selling real estate in the area for more than five years.

Along the hilly country roads of New Galilee are Colonial Revival, Foursquare, cottage, and ranch-style homes on plots of varying sizes. Many were built between 1900 and 1925. Single-family homes are popular here, but an occasional multi-family home could appear on the market. Older 2- to 4-bedroom homes needing some TLC can start at just $20,000, while newly renovated or partly renovated two- to three-bedroom homes can sell for more than $150,000.

Kids may attend schools in the Big Beaver Falls Area Public School District, starting at Big Beaver Elementary School. The elementary school has a 13-to-1 student-teacher ratio and received a B-minus on Niche. Students may then attend Beaver Falls Middle School, which received a C on Niche, before moving up to Beaver Falls Area Senior High School, rated a B-minus on Niche. High schoolers can take classes at the Beaver County Career & Technical Center, which gives students the opportunity to learn skills from several trades and specialized fields. Students in the district may also choose to complete their education online through Beaver Falls’ digital academy.

Outdoor recreation is plentiful in and around New Galilee. “The town has wetlands on the one side and a nearby game land… The amenities, if you’re into the outdoors, are great,” says Johnston. At the 19-acre New Galilee Community Park, residents can access a trail, lawn space, shaded pavilion and playground. Each summer, the park is transformed into a fairground for the New Galilee Carnival. The carnival has several free attractions and includes games, rides, food and live music. Residents can also walk through the woods along the Jordan Run stream, which runs through the center of town. Less than 2 miles north, residents can explore the 15-acre Big Beaver Borough Wetlands, where over 100 species of birds have been spotted.

New Galilee may be small, but it has an active community calendar. At the centrally located New Galilee Community Events Center, the nonprofit New Galilee CommUNITY Foundation hosts several regular and annual neighborhood events. Each October 31, families can head to the community center for the Annual Halloween Spooktacular. Come springtime, community members can participate in the foundation’s annual Easter egg hunt. Throughout the year, the community center also holds regular B-I-N-G-O games and fundraisers.

Shopping options are limited here, but residents can shop at Tammy’s Candy & Bakery for artisanal bread and handcrafted chocolates. For daily necessities, residents will need to head out of town. At the Chippewa Center, just 7 miles south, there are familiar retailers like Walmart, Walgreens and Lowes. There are also dozens of restaurants, such as Sal’s Ristorante and Bar or Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe. In Darlington, less than 3 miles away, residents have more dining options, such as Greersburg Tavern and Lance’s Port & Pub.

While New Galilee may offer a small-town feel, it is just 14 miles from New Castle. It is also conveniently located near U.S. Interstate Highway 76, which leads to Pittsburgh, less than 42 miles away. Pittsburgh International Airport is nearly 32 miles from New Galilee and can be accessed by hopping on nearby U.S. Interstate Highway 376. Public transit is not immediately available since the nearest bus stop is nearly 5 miles from town.

Photography Contributed By

Danny Lambert

Video By

Adam Barkley