A rural landscape unfurling on the West Virginia border
West Finley Township’s landscape of farmland, densely wooded thickets and rolling hills undulates across southwestern Pennsylvania. Without any restaurants, established parks or schools within its boundaries, the extremely rural neighborhood acts as an escape for residents. “It’s more for the person or people that are looking for quiet, peaceful living,” says Nicole Malesic, a Realtor with Realty One Group Gold Standard. “People want extra land, and you do have a lot of places that have quite a bit of acreage with the homes. It’s kind of off the grid.” West Finley Township is less than 10 miles from Interstate 70 and sits on the border of West Virginia, with properties covering dozens, or even hundreds, of acres.
Winding back country roads are how residents travel throughout West Finley Township.
Small streams wind through the hills of farmland and wilderness in West Finley Township.
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Homes on expansive acreage
Many of the lots in West Finley Township encompass 10 acres or more, and architecture can vary in design from traditional farmhouses to ranch-style homes, Cape Cods and colonial-style homes. “People that want to live in West Finley want to stay in West Finley," Malesic says. "You don’t have close neighbors, but the people that do live around there all seem to help each other out. It’s a nice group of people that live in the West Finley area. That’s the ideal part for people.” Prices can vary for West Finley Township homes, but many fall between $200,000 and $400,000. Larger properties on acreage and custom homes can cost upwards of $500,000. The neighborhood has a CAP crime score of 1 out of 10, significantly below the national average of 4.
Ranch style homes sit on large lots in West Finley Township.
Farmhouses sit on large hills with many acres of land in West Finley Township.
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An expansive school district for the community
Students attend schools within the McGuffey School District, which serves nearly a dozen communities over more than 200 square miles. “It’s a large school district, geographically,” Malesic says. “Because there’s all those back roads, some probably ride for 40 to 45 minutes on a bus.” Joe Walker Elementary School is about 20 miles from central West Finley Township, and gets a B from Niche. About 5 miles west of the elementary school, McGuffey Middle and High School are located on a single campus. The middle school gets a C-plus, while the high school receives a B-minus.
Historic bridges and nearby nature preserves
Just beyond the northeastern corner of West Finley Township, State Game Lands 245 spans about 4,000 acres, where visitors can hunt and fish on its grounds. “They’re looking for hunting and fishing – kind of a getaway,” Malesic says of visitors to the State Game Lands. “It’s a peaceful retreat. There’s no close neighbors. There’s farming, livestock, hunting and stuff like that.” East of the township, East Finley Township Park has a playground, trail and covered bridge. It also serves as the site of annual Halloween and Easter celebrations. Several nearby recreational campgrounds offer getaways as well, and golfers can take swings at the Dogwood Hills Golf Course just north. Four covered bridges sit within West Finley Township and are on the National Register of Historic Places. Across the border in West Virginia, Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area encompasses over 240 acres and offers forest, lake and open-field environments.
Wheeling Creek runs through the beautiful neighborhood of West Finley Township.
Residents enjoy long walks throughout State Game Lands Number 245 near West Finley Township.
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Traveling to the highway for shopping and dining
From Interstate 70, residents of West Finley Township can reach the Highlands shopping complex, just across the state line in West Virginia, in under 15 miles. “It’s just kind of blown up,” Malesic says. “They have Cabela’s, Walmart and all the big stores and restaurants. There’s a movie theater and a Menards. It’s a short distance from West Finley.” The Highlands is in Triadelphia, and the big-box stores Malesic references also include Target, along with over 100 outlets and storefronts, as well as a variety of chain restaurants and dessert stops. The small town of Claysville sits around 10 miles north of West Finley Township. “They’re doing a lot of revamping and bringing small businesses in,” Malesic says. “Claysville has a few small restaurants and little businesses that people from the area go to a lot on Route 40, which is the main street there.” Residents can drive to Claysville and stop in at the Farmhouse Kitchen & Bakery, Main St. Café or Pop’s and Rory’s.
If you're looking for sidewalks and shops, visit Claysville just outside West Finley Township.
Residents of West Finley Township have easy access to the popular Cabela's retail store.
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Heading north to the closest highway
Interstate 70 is the closest highway, with access points just over 7 miles north of the central part of the neighborhood. “Interstate 70 is pretty much the closest,” Malesic says. “That’s made West Finley a little more convenient. You can hit 70 and be at the Highlands in probably 10-15 minutes.” Locals are just over 50 miles from both Pittsburgh and Morgantown.
Photography Contributed By
Nick Conti
Video By
Max Gilmore
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Looking for privacy? 10ACRES!!! How would you like to sit on your wrap around front porch and not see another person or house? Total seclusion but only minutes to the Highlands, cheaper gas, and the highway. Formerly known as the Waterhouse Farm in scenic rural McGuffey school district. This home has 3 bedrooms but could be 4. Primary bedroom on first floor with dressing room (walk-in closet) and
Brenda DeemsBERKSHIRE HATHAWAY THE PREFERRED REALTY
Welcome to home to this gorgeous 30 Acres plot of land ready for its new ownership. Located in the heart of West Finley, is your chance to make this your dream country home. There is a 2 Story home built in the 80s with many newer upgrades, just needing personal touches to make it your own!. A little up the hillside you'll find a large barn, that can be used for storage or turned into a income
Looking for privacy? 10ACRES!!! How would you like to sit on your wrap around front porch and not see another person or house? Total seclusion but only minutes to the Highlands, cheaper gas, and the highway. Formerly known as the Waterhouse Farm in scenic rural McGuffey school district. This home has 3 bedrooms but could be 4. Primary bedroom on first floor with dressing room (walk-in closet) and
Brenda DeemsBERKSHIRE HATHAWAY THE PREFERRED REALTY
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