Ridgway, Pennsylvania
Ridgway is a borough of 3,969 people in Elk County, Pennsylvania, founded in 1824.
Why visit Ridgway
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails and 4 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Bonifels and O.B. Grant House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 53 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Ridgway
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ridgway
Ridgway is a borough in and the county seat of Elk County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 4,039
From the Wikipedia article Ridgway, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks6
Bonifels
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
O.B. Grant House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Ridgway Armory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Arsenal in Pennsylvania, United States of America
Ridgway Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States
Elk County Historical Society
Monument and historic site · 0.8 mi
109 Center Street, Ridgway
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes4
Fox's Pizza Den
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.5 mi
144 North Broad Street, Ridgway
Mo-Th 10:30-20:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-21:00
Joey's Bakery
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
204 Main Street, Ridgway
Su 07:00-13:00; Mo 05:30-13:00; Tu-Fr 05:30-14:00; Sa 06:00-13:00
The Brew Bank Brewing Company
Restaurant · 0.7 mi
255 Main Street, Ridgway
Su 11:00-19:00; Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Churches and places of worship4
First Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.8 mi
119 Center Street, Ridgway
St Leo's Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.6 mi
111 Depot Street, Ridgway
History
Ridgway was founded by Philadelphian shipping merchant Jacob Ridgway and James Gillis. Jacob Ridgway earned substantial wealth both in Philadelphia and abroad in London. He constantly sent sums of money back to be invested in property. In the early 19th century as part of a larger land purchase, Ridgway acquired 40,000 acres (160 km2) that became Elk County. One of Jacob Ridgway's nephews by marriage, James Gillis, convinced Ridgway that the area could become a very lucrative spot for a lumber camp due to the proximity of Elk Creek and the Clarion River, a tributary of the Allegheny River. Coal and natural gas abound in the district. In the past, the industrial interests were manufacturing leather, iron, clay, and lumber products, silk goods, railroad snow plows, dynamos, and machine tools. In 1900, the people living here numbered 3,515; in 1910, 5,408; in 1940, 6,253, and in 2010, 4,078.
Many historic structures are located within the boundaries of the Ridgway Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The O.B. Grant House and Ridgway Armory are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The lumber industry continued to flourish in Ridgway, to the degree that around the start of the 20th century, the town claimed it had more millionaires per capita than any other town in the U.S.
From the History section of Ridgway, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Map of Ridgway
28 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 16°F | 3.4 in | 15.3 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 16°F | 2.7 in | 12.5 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 23°F | 3.4 in | 7.5 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 33°F | 3.9 in | 1.5 in |
| May | 70°F | 43°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 52°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 56°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 55°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 49°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 38°F | 3.8 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 30°F | 3.5 in | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 23°F | 3.5 in | 12.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ridgway Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Elk County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-09-11: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2005-09-10: Hurricane Katrina (Hurricane)
- 2004-09-19: Tropical Depression Ivan (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Saint Marys Municipal Airport (STQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Johnsonburg 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- St. Marys 11 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Brockway 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Kane 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Marienville 20 mi west, about 33 min by car
- Falls Creek 20 mi south, about 33 min by car
- DuBois 21 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Oklahoma 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Sandy 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
- Reynoldsville 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ridgway PA from Country Club Apr 10, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- PA 120 wb at Osterhout Street, Ridgway, Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ridgway, PA train station, Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- North Broad Street, Ridgway, Pennsylvania - 20201108, Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Flickr - Nicholas T - Borough of Ridgway, Nicholas A. Tonelli from Pennsylvania, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Truck US 219 nb, Ridgway, PA (2), Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Truck US 219 nb, Ridgway, PA (3), Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Elk County Council on the Arts Gallery Ridgway PA, DogBless, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Outside the Elk County Council on the Arts Gallery Ridgway PA, DogBless, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Truck US 219 nb, Ridgway, PA (4), Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Truck US 219, Ridgway, PA northern terminus, Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ridgway Record offices, Nyttend, Public domain
- Truck US 219 nb, Ridgway, PA (1), Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
- OB Grant House Jun 09, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- Ridgeway Armory Jun 09, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- Ridgway Historic District Jun 09, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- Bonifels Apr 10, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
- PA 120 wb from Truck US 219 overpass, Aug. 2024, Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
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