A passionate group of individuals started meeting in 1996 to brainstorm on how to bring back Johnsonburg. They each had a deep connection to the town and came from local organizations, businesses, government, and individuals. The Johnsonburg Community Trust (JCT) was formed in 1997. JCT worked tirelessly to have the historic section of downtown Johnsonburg placed on the National Register of Historic Places, which happened on September 27, 1999. The Johnsonburg Commercial Historic District is 6-acres that contains the historic buildings of the central business district of the borough. This designation as a Commercial Historic District was extremely important to the growth of downtown. In 2017, strategic projects were implemented throughout town including tree plantings, commercial building facades, signage, and more. Funding for murals painted by the talented artist Tom Copella took place in 2014 and 2015. In 2020, JCT the purchased the Armstrong Real Estate and Improvement Company’s Brick Block building. This 1890’s brick structure holds great importance architecturally and it occupies a quarter of the downtown’s Commercial Historic District. From there a Rehabilitation Plan was created and implemented for the Brick Block (BB). In 2021, plans were made to build out a Heritage Education & Welcome Center in the first unit of the BB, located on the corner of Bridge and Market Street. On July 7, 2024 a grand opening and ribbon cutting was held for the new Johnsonburg Community Trust Heritage-Education & Welcome Center. It now houses historical displays, offers space for events, classes, and educational workshops, a welcome center with merchandise and visitor information, the JCT office, and retail space for local artisans.
When travelers enter the Heritage-Education & Welcome Center they are instantly taken back in time by this impressively restored space and the high ceiling. They also will likely be greeted with a warm smile and cheery “Hello!” from Emma Coppolo. Emma serves as the Community & Economic Development Coordinator for the boroughs of Johnsonburg and Ridgway. Often, in the towns and rural communities in Pennsylvania’s Great Outdoors region, talented people like Emma wear many hats and volunteer their time and talents with several organizations to improve the communities and the economy in towns that we love and live in.
When asked, Where are visitors coming from that you meet, Emma replied, “We’ve have a lot of people that grew up in Johnsonburg and moved away. They return, stop by, and love seeing that the building has been saved and restored. They enjoy learning about the heritage and history of Johnsonburg. The locals enjoy purchasing Johnsonburg merchandise as gifts to ship around the world, and travelers like our merchandise as souvenirs. Kay & Rose Bakery will be our new neighbor and we are excited to see more growth in the Historic District.”
There is an energy and excitement you can feel when you talk with Emma or any JTC board member. You can experience that energy at one of the weekly farmers and artisan markets, during Alumni Weekend each July, or at one of the JTC fundraising events. A new restaurant, a bakery, and other businesses are opening in the area. It is a town on the way up. Emma is working on grants to refurbish existing and add new public murals in both Johnsonburg and Ridgway. She is also looking at waterways grants to improve and create launches on the Clarion for better public access to the beautiful river in both boroughs. “With some grants the size of the community can sometimes be a challenge, but there are many avenues of funding to explore”, Coppolo noted.
Johnsonburg is the gateway to the northern reaches of the Wild & Scenic Clarion River. Nearby, East Branch Lake offers 1160-acres for boating and fishing. The Clarion River meanders through the narrow valleys and hardwood forests of the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors region, flowing through the Elk State Forest, Bendigo State Park, the towns of Johnsonburg and Ridgway, the Allegheny National Forest, and Cook Forest State Park. The section of the river between Johnsonburg and Ridgway in known for wild trophy brown trout fishing and the entire river offers excellent kayaking and wildlife viewing opportunities.
