I live, work, and my children attend school in beautiful, charming, historic Clarion PA. I am beyond proud to call Clarion my town, with its perfect combination of forests, rivers, and small town charm.
Since buying an office here in 2010 and moving here permanently, we have met so many wonderful individuals from this close-knit community. We have seen neighbors helping neighbors, enjoyed becoming part of our church community, and look forward to Clarion’s annual Autumn Leaf Festival.
We’re not far from Brookville PA, but because I work in and call Clarion home, we seem to stay local with Clarion for most things – banking, groceries, errand-running, etc. Just recently, I have been realizing how much I appreciate Clarion’s exceptional neighboring towns.
Brookville, PA
Brookville is just a short drive from Clarion. Its historic downtown is quite charming, with coffee shops, gift shops, diners, and a toy store. All of the buildings are very well-preserved.
Christmas in Brookville
During Brookville’s Victorian Christmas celebration, its downtown was beautifully decked out for the holidays. The streets were full of people shopping and greeting friends and neighbors. My wife and I commented on the bustling activity on the street and the merry and festive atmosphere. We saw Santa, checked out trains, shopped, and snacked.
Summer Activities
Late this past summer, we visited the Jefferson County History Center’s new Scripture Rocks Heritage Park. If you have not been, I suggest you check it out.
It’s a wonderful little park with a truly fascinating history lesson – you can walk amongst rocks marked with scripture verses carved by a very intriguing man 100 years ago. While touring the rocks, you can feel the pain, agony and triumphs of this man’s life carved into stone.
Active Community
Are you familiar with CREATE Brookville? What a great organization!
With a goal of spreading creativity, this group has created a café space where they highlight the talents of the people around the community. They have brought people together to learn and share their interests and passions at local events. My family and I have attended and participated in several CREATE events and have never been disappointed.
And finally, its so great to see how libraries are working amongst their small communities near us.
The Rebecca M. Arthurs Memorial Library is an integral part of Brookville with story times, author signings, and traditional library services. But, this small-town library also hosts Downton Abby parties, celebrates Banned Book week with live readings, and is currently assembling a poetry book featuring the local winners of their annual poetry contest (a tradition since 1989)!
In closing, while I consider living in Clarion an ideal way of life, it can be topped only by appreciating and supporting our neighboring towns. While every small town is similar, we can certainly appreciate and support the unique characteristics and offerings of our neighbors. Great Job, Brookville!
PS- Have you checked out Franklin, PA lately? Another great neighbor to explore!