Ringtown's small community stays active
Ringtown is a borough in Union Township, located in the Ringtown Valley of northern Schuylkill County. It’s a small town where veteran memorial banners decorate the telephone poles, and the library is a hot spot for community events. Having a quaint downtown set near farmland and mountains is certainly a draw, but the near constant festivals, library events and annual yard sale are among the reasons people live in Ringtown for so long. Steve Oravitz has been a Ringtown resident for over 48 years, and he’s been a part of the Ringtown Rotary Club just as long. “We didn't have to live here; we chose to live here,” Oravitz says. “Everyone is friendly. Everyone sits out on their porches, and it’s like how things used to be. I love the people. I love rotary and the organizations we support.”
Homes close together on Main Street, and larger lots nearby
Foursquare and national-style homes with wide front porches line Main Street. Residents park on side streets or in detached garages behind the homes. Radiating away from Main Street, lots are larger with New Traditionals and ranch-style homes. Some even have attached garages and space for a pool in the backyard. “We’re lucky. Where most people have an older crowd, ours is growing,” Oravitz says. “A younger crowd has been moving in, gradually over the last 20 to 30 years. They see the beauty of the valley, and you’re not jammed in next to one another. You can be spread out.” The median single-family home price is $175,000, which is much lower than the national median of about $435,000. Sidewalks border Main Street, creating a path for neighbors to head next door and chat. Most residential streets are sidewalk-free, but that means homeowners have more yard space.
North Schuylkill School District serves Ringtown
Ringtown falls in the North Schuylkill School District, which gets a C-plus from Niche, so kids attend school in Ashland. North Schuylkill Elementary School serves kindergarten through sixth grade and receives a C from Niche. North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School has a C-plus. The district was chosen for the Solar for Schools grant program in 2025. The money will go toward adding solar panels to North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High’s campus.
Yard sales, pig roasts and slow pitch softball tournaments
July is one of the busier months because of the annual Ringtown Community Yard Sale. “The whole town gets involved. It’s amazing,” Oravitz says. Anyone who wants their home on the official yard sale map pays a registration fee. The Ringtown Valley Fire & Rescue Company usually sells breakfast and lunch, while Aurand Memorial Methodist Church sells snacks and drinks. “The club hosts the annual pig roast, which has been a tradition for over 46 years,” Oravitz says. “We hold it at the Union Township municipal grove. We would do a sit-in or take-out, but after Covid, we just do take-out."
The Ringtown Area Library always has something going on, from puzzle race nights to educational activities for kids in the summer. The biggest event, though, is the annual Slow Pitch Softball Tournament, a fundraiser held every July at the Ringtown Recreation Complex. “We support the athletic fields at the Ringtown Recreation Complex,” Oravitz. “Our club spearheaded building the complex.” Ringtown Area Little League hosts games and practices on the fields.
Commuting to Hazleton or Pottsville for work
When it comes to jobs, many people commute about 30 minutes outside of Ringtown to busier surrounding areas. “People go to Shenandoah and Hazleton,” Oravitz says. “A lot of people travel to work in the Geisinger health network. Some travel toward Pottsville.” The Humboldt Industrial Park in Hazleton is full of manufacturing and fulfillment companies. The Pottsville area has major employers, like the Walmart Distribution Center and D.G. Yuengling & Son, the country’s oldest brewery.
St. Luke’s has a Star Community Health center in Ringtown, where residents can go for routine care, but the nearest hospital and emergency room is the Lehigh Valley Hospital – Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street in Pottsville, 18 miles away. The Ringtown Valley Fire & Rescue Company responds to emergencies.
Restaurants on Main Street and groceries from Shenandoah
The borough’s restaurants and shops are along Main Street, like the Baked ‘n Brewed coffee shop and Luna’s Pizzeria. The Wagon Wheel is a quiet bar known for its wings. Your Sister’s Closet is a thrift store that uses its funds to support women in need throughout Schuylkill County with services like resume writing. The Dollar General sells basic goods, but the Boyer’s Food Market in Shenandoah has a larger selection of groceries. Shenandoah also has locally owned and chain restaurants.
Services in one of the oldest churches in the county
Churches host recurring events as well, like St. John Lutheran’s Fall Festival in October and Aurand Memorial UMC’s ice cream socials in the summer. St. John's and Saint Paul’s United Church of Christ occasionally hold joint services at the Historic Old White Church, a national landmark where the first Lutheran congregation formed in the early 1800s. The current church was built in 1842, making it the oldest religious building in Northern Schuylkill County.
