Ridgway, county seat of Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States
Ridgway is a small town in Elk County, Pennsylvania, located in a valley where the Clarion River and Elk Creek meet. The town covers just under 3 square miles and is surrounded by wooded hills, sitting at an elevation of about 1,400 feet (430 meters).
The town was founded in 1833 after Jacob Ridgway, a wealthy Philadelphia merchant, acquired large amounts of land in the early 1800s. The location grew rapidly through logging, leather making, iron work, and other industries, becoming a center of wealth by the early 1900s, with more millionaires per capita than most other American towns.
Ridgway is named after Jacob Ridgway, a Philadelphia merchant who acquired the land in the 1820s. The town keeps its past alive through well-maintained buildings and local events like the summer chainsaw carving festival, where artists create wood sculptures in front of visitors.
Ridgway is easily accessible by car, as Route 219 passes through downtown and connects to Bradford in the north and DuBois in the south. The town also serves as a good base for outdoor activities like camping, fishing, and boating on the Clarion River, as well as hiking in the nearby National Forest.
In the early 1900s, Ridgway had more millionaires per capita than most other American towns, reflecting its rapid rise through natural resources like timber and coal. This extraordinary period of wealth left its mark on the town and is still reflected today in its many well-preserved Victorian buildings.
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