Brookville, PA photo tour (Pittsburgh, Jefferson: houses, YMCA, elementary school)

[Evergrey]

Brookville (pop. 3,924) is the seat of Jefferson County (pop. 45,200) and has an urban cluster population of 4,542. Located about 90 minutes northeast of Pittsburgh along I-80, Brookville was incorporated in 1830 within a region rich in coal and lumber. Sawmills sprouted throughout the town, and timber was floated down the streams toward Pittsburgh. The elegant residential and commercial architecture of Brookville is testament to its period of economic prosperity in the late 1800s.

Today Brookville still relies heavily on lumber and wood products. Of particular note is Brookville Wood Products, which produces baseball bats used by many Major League players. Brookville also produces gloves, powdered metals, charcoal and locomotives. The town is just south of Cook Forest, one of the most popular state parks in Pennsylvania.





























The monumenal Brookville Park Auditorium is visible from throughout town... unfortunately it now exists as a storage facility.




mill


houses consumed by vegetation






















The Jefferson County Courthouse was built in 1867 and was recently refurbished


















Brookville Elementary










YMCA


appropriate infill

[goodgirl49]

Great pictures Evergrey! I feel like I'm getting a tour of Pennsylvania!

[North Beach Person]

A small correction: the name of the elementary school is Northside Elementary, not Brookville Elementary.

When you were over on the south side of Town (near the large red and white building that was the PA Memorial Home and is now part of the Boro municipal offices) you should have gone up Western Ave. and picked up some of the Craftsman style houses on that side of town. Most are approaching 100 years old, with some older.

One you missed, and I was surprised, was one house away from the red brick boarding house going out of Town on 322 right above the 36 intersection. The old library, Greek Revival, redwood pillars, original slate roof, carriage and ice houses still in existence. Built around 1848.

The town has done a good job the last 30 years pushing the Victorian Era heritage. What helped was the downtown property owners bought into it and only one building on Main Street still has the 1960's remuddling.

Stiil doesn't negate the fact that an entire generation (mine) left when the local economy collapsed in the late 70's and early 80's.

[ki0eh]

That auditorium seems like a weird attribute to a small town, why would something that big have been built there?

The courthouse refit is a sore point with me, as I was recently embarrassed by an easement on a Jefferson County property my surveyor didn't find while the recorder's office was in flux.

[bradjl2009]

Nice photos. I've always liked Brookville and think it's a nice small town that has things actually going for it.

[alleghenyangel]

This town looks wonderful. I would totally live there if they had a Starbucks and a gay bar.

[Evergrey]

You should move there anyways, alleghenyangel.

[PeaceLoveCoffee]

I'm new here, trying to learn about Pa and this was one of the first threads I read. What an awesome collection of information & photos!