“LITTLE WASHINGTON” DESERVES A BETTER RATING

I am not a fan of “best of” lists. At one time, the most famous efforts were the Fortune 500 magazine list of top national companies and the U.S. News & World Report list of best colleges and universities.  In today’s saturated media market, what was once a small smattering of serious lists has morphed into a “best of” feeding frenzy.

Everything is subject to being rated. There are lists for everything from movies, books, music, cars, beaches, restaurants, and the world’s happiest countries, to men’s underwear. The credentials of these list makers are dubious.  Their rating criteria are subjective with preconceived biases of who should win.

This brings me to the subject of my commentary.  Recently, articles have overrun my inbox discussing the top-rated small towns in Pennsylvania. Washington has not appeared on any of these lists. Our community has not received so much as an honorable mention.

I could not think of a better opportunity to explore my theory that best-of lists are generally arbitrary and mostly useless. At the same time, I could provide solid facts about why Washington is an excellent place to live or spend some time.  

I am familiar with many of the small-town “winners” across Pennsylvania that appear on the lists. I grew up in New Jersey, on the Delaware River near eastern Pennsylvania. My employment often took me to Harrisburg and the middle of the state. For 15 years, I spent every weekend during the summer months at Conneaut Lake in Crawford County. My spouse’s sister lives in Confluence, Somerset County where we often visit. Lastly, as a newer Washington homeowner, I am not subject to the “grass is greener elsewhere” syndrome that often plagues long-time residents.

New Hope, along the Delaware River and 30 minutes from my NJ birthplace, is often given the title of the best small town in Pennsylvania.  New Hope is a walkable river town with plenty of local history, shopping, and attractions. You would never want to live there. The invading tourists, traffic, steep home prices, and expensive restaurants are all over the moon. Spring flooding along the Delaware River can be disastrous.

At the other extreme on many of the Pennsylvania, best-of lists are small towns so remote that the main problem is “getting there” and where the main attraction is solitude. Ridgway, along the Clarion River, has an annual chainsaw-carving contest. Ohiopyle, in Somerset County, has Fallingwater which many locals have never visited. Honesdale, in Wayne County, has an annual Roots and Rhythm Arts Festival. Milford, in Pike County, has canoe or kayak rentals. There are similar other winning entries like Wellsboro, Stroudsburg, Jim Thorpe, and Milford. These towns are best treated as places to pass through and soon forget.

Johnstown comes in at the top five of many lists.  Apparently, the museum and memorial dedicated to the three major floods that destroyed the town make it attractive.  There is also the steepest inclined plane (funicular) in the world to occupy the children on the weekends.

Lancaster is another town that scores well in the surveys. It is best known for its association with the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Horse-drawn buggies are fun to observe until you are stuck behind one on the way to an appointment. Picturesque fields and farms (not unlike the ones found in Washington County) surround the town.

In short, many of the best small towns that appear on the published lists are overrated. What surprised me the most was how Washington could be so easily ignored. 

There is no problem finding Washington located at the intersection of two major interstates. One can travel east-west on Interstate 70 for 2,153 miles or north-south on Interstate 79 from Erie, PA to Charleston, WV without a stoplight. Pittsburgh, a major metropolitan city lies 30 minutes to the north, and the wilds of West Virginia are 40 minutes to the south. An international airport with flights across the country, and non-stops to London is even closer.

This unique combination of urban amenities in Allegheny County with Appalachian country culture gives residents in Washington the best of both worlds. On one weekend, one can attend a professional sporting event, a top-notch theater, or a musical performance and in no time be fishing on a deserted trout stream.

Critics often forget that Washington is home to a vibrant college community. At Washington & Jefferson, 1,400 students are located on a 60-acre campus in the middle of town. Many college activities are open to the public. Much larger academic institutions are located nearby in Pittsburgh and Morgantown, WV, along with two of the best medical complexes in the country.

Washington is a gambling mecca with its own racetrack and casino. It is a shopping destination, with Tanger outlets and every notable big-box retailer. It is a haven for history buffs,  located on Route 40, the National Pike at the epicenter of the Whiskey Rebellion.

There is a thriving local symphony and community theater. There are unique restaurants and craft breweries. It is the hub of a thriving economic boom anchored by the oil/gas fracking industry.

I am sure that every small town in Pennsylvania could make a case for inclusion on a best-of list. Livability is subjective and comes with many intangibles. For my money, nothing can replace sitting in the whirlpool at the Cameron Wellness Center and watching the seasons change.