West Mahanoy offers proximity to small-town Pennsylvania
West Mahanoy, a township in Pennsylvania’s Anthracite Coal Region, is a residential area on the outskirts of three boroughs: Shenandoah, Gilberton and Frackville, which provide access to restaurants, shopping and community events. “The housing prices are affordable. There’s a community spirit there, and they have activities like the Kielbasi Festival,” says Diana Gabardi, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeSale Realty who’s sold homes in the area for over 35 years. “It’s not far from Interstate 81, so travel is easier.” The township has two sections that are split by Gilberton, home of the Gilberton Coal Company and its mine; other mining companies also operate in the area. The northern part of the township encompasses the community of Shenandoah Heights, which is just north of Shenandoah, and it also includes the less-populated mountainous area to the west. The southern part of the township borders Frackville and is closer to I-81.
Detached and twin homes with Queen Anne details
Most of the township’s homes are in Shenandoah Heights or on the edge of Frackville. These 1920s National-style detached and twin houses often have Queen Anne details like bay windows and front porches. They sit close together along sidewalk-lined streets and are sometimes built over single-car garages. While the homes often sit up against the sidewalk and don’t have front yards, there is enough space in the backyard for a small swimming pool or garden bed. Some detached split-levels and raised ranches are also available. “The housing prices are more affordable than some areas of the county,” Gabardi says. Home prices typically range from around $70,000 to $280,000, and some of the homes are available to rent.
Shenandoah and Frackville have restaurants and grocery stores
Shenandoah and Frackville each have a central downtown filled with locally owned restaurants and businesses like hardware stores, auto shops and thrift stores. Shenandoah is known for kielbasi, a Polish sausage sold in popular stores like Kowalonek’s Kielbasy Shop and Lucky’s Corner Deli & Kielbasi Shop. The family-owned Dutch Kitchen Restaurant in Frackville has served classic diner fare and Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine since 1971. Grocery stores here include Redner’s and Boyer’s Food Market. National retailers, including Walmart and The Home Depot, are in Pottsville.
The annual Kielbasi Festival and Heritage Day
Each May in Shenandoah, the annual Kielbasi Festival and Heritage Day brings crowds to Main Street. The day kicks off with a Parade of Nations, where locals carry flags and wear traditional clothes that honor their cultural heritage. Vendors are set up along Main Street, where kielbasi stands have long lines and artisans sell a variety of locally made crafts.
Shenandoah Valley schools earn Cs
Kids can attend schools in the Shenandoah Valley School District, which earns an overall rating of C-minus from Niche. They can start at the C-rated Shenandoah Valley Elementary and then go to the C-plus-rated Shenandoah Valley Junior/Senior High for middle and high school. Students at the high school — whose mascot is the Blue Devils — can volunteer with the Little Devils, Big Goals program to mentor elementary students.
A car-dependent community near Interstate 81
State Route 924, which turns into state Route 61 in Frackville, leads about 14 miles to Pottsville and Lehigh Valley Hospital’s Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street campus. Interstate 81 is in the south, leading to other cities in the area. Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport is a 52-mile drive. Nearby houses of worship include Frackville Foursquare Church and St. Casimir’s Catholic Church.
Nearby parks offer playgrounds, fishing lakes and trails
Shenandoah Heights Park features a playground, a covered picnic area and a nature trail that leads into several cemeteries on the edge of the community. Shenandoah and Frackville also have parks with playgrounds and sports fields. Anglers can cast a line at Whippoorwill Dam & Park, where the lake is regularly stocked with trout. Nearby, the over 1,700-acre Locust Lake State Park has more opportunities for fishing and is even open for ice fishing in the winter. The park also has hiking trails and a popular beach where people can swim. Famous Reading Outdoors to the south is a destination throughout the county for off-roading and dirt bike riding, with trails that offer mountainous terrain and mud pits.
Written By
Annie Franklin
