In an age when many downtowns are dying on the vine, Brookville offers an unforgettable experience in itself. Our Main Street Revitalization Project assists in all aspects of downtown development and has resulted in restored Victorian buildings, new businesses, shops, restaurants, and dozens of new jobs.

You can stroll through our 90-acre Historic District which is a collection of nearly 300 buildings, residential and commercial alike, constructed between 1830 and 1930 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1984. Our self-guided walking tour is available from merchants on Main Street and is a favorite among our visitors.

The Jefferson County Historical and Genealogical Society is located on Jefferson Street, across from the Brookville Boro Building and one block from the Jefferson County Courthouse and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 2:00pm-5:00pm and is free-of- charge. Victorian furnishings, Civil War artifacts, and other items are on display daily with feature exhibits being highlighted throughout the year. The society's purpose is to "receive, collect and preserve the historical and genealogical records of Jefferson County and maintain a library and museum for their perpetual care, and to develop an interest in the history of Jefferson County."

The Jefferson County Courthouse is a building full of history and is located on the corner of Main and Pickering Streets in downtown Historic Brookville. The original Courthouse was built between 1830 and 1832. It was a one story brick structure built for a cost of $3000. The jail was a separate building that sat on the northeast corner of the "public square". These buildings were razed in 1866 to make way for the new Courthouse.

The new Courthouse was a three-story Italianate structure of red brick with a low gable roof facing Main Street. This building was completed in September of 1869 at a cost of $86,413.
In 1927, a three-story west wing was added, detailed carefully to blend with the original. Paired stone staircases with wrought-iron railing and lamp posts lead to the main entrance. A large square frame clock tower and bell-shaped cupola draw your attention to the decorative scrollwork and swag ornamentation in the gable ends. Visitors would be impressed with the work as much of the interior was trimmed in white marble.

The existing building has maintained its original exterior appearance and has been only slightly altered since 1867.

Each year during the third week in June, the Western Pennsylvania Laurel Festival is held. This week long event includes: a craft show & sale, grand parade, sidewalk sales, bike race, YMCA Laurel Run, and many other fun-filled events. For more information on this annual hometown celebration please write:

Western PA Laurel Festival
175 Main Street
Brookville, PA 15825
(814) 849-8448

You won't want to miss Historic Brookville's Victorian Christmas Celebration that is held the first weekend in December every year. This three day event embraces an era of Victorian charm with Historic waking tours, a Victorian Ball, house tours, horse & buggy rides, Christmas tree lane, doll and dollhouse show, living windows, live nativity procession and many other events that the whole family will enjoy. For more information on this delightful event please write:

Brookville Area Chamber of Commerce
175 Main Street
Brookville, PA 15825
(814) 849-8448

Stop by and browse around at the Hazen Flea Market located five miles out of Brookville. This flea market is held annually the first Saturday and Sunday of each month May through October and draws over 10,000 people per month.

Don't miss the Jefferson County Fair held each year during the third week in July. This week long event features such activities as: a demolition derby, games, carnival rides, fireworks, live entertainment, livestock judging, pageants, food fenders and many more exciting events that you won't want to miss.

For a day in the great outdoors, Brookville is only 25 minutes from Cook Forest and Clear Creek State Parks. These facilities offer cabin rentals, camping facilities, horseback riding, canoeing, hiking and biking trails. This is the perfect opportunity to spend a get away weekend or a couple of hours communing with nature.

Northwest Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors Travel Bureau has information on all of these activities and many others located in our area. You can contact them through their Web Page.

Printer friendly version of this page