Pennsylvania Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Population: 15,889

Located in Westmoreland County

Greensburg is a town that is steeped in history - like most of the towns surrounding it. This town on the western side of the state, is a city in its own right, but is also a great commuter town for those wanting to travel to Pittsburgh.

Following the Revolutionary War, an inn was built along a wagon trail (today's East Pittsburgh Street) that stretched from Philadelphia west over the Appalachian Mountains to Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh. A tiny settlement known as Newtown grew around the inn, today the intersection of Pittsburgh and Main Streets. Later this town was known as Greensburg.

After 1850, Greensburg became a growing county seat with inns, small businesses and hardworking residents. It was a railroad stop and the discovery of large areas of soft coal nearby made it the center of a vigorous mining industry in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

New housing was constructed in various sections of town. Seton Hill College, formerly St. Joseph's Academy, became a four-year women's institution in 1918. In the 1970's, as shopping malls and new shopping centers appeared outside the City, Greensburg's downtown was adversely affected as large downtown stores closed.

However, the City became a center for service industries, professional offices and banking. Today, small downtown shops and a growing number of restaurants are reviving downtown as a mercantile center. Larger shopping centers can be found at the edges of the City.

Light to moderate industry and service industries thrive in Greensburg. The City's lack of heavy industry has advantages. Economic downturns affect the community less than they do communities depending on one major industry. Housing growth continues on the northern end of the City, with the Saybrook Village and Evergreen Hill plans. These new developments offer a range of houses from the modest to the luxurious and can suit just about everyone's budget. There are also rentals available for those who are not ready to commit to a mortgage just yet!

Excellent schooling is provided by the Greensburg-Salem School District. This district ensures that all students are well taken care of, and that they receive the best possible services money can provide.

Greensburg still has a rural feel to it, mostly because of the way it has developed over the years; this has been a great draw for new residents who are tired of the urban living in Pittsburgh, but still need to live near that big city.

It also means that there is plenty to do in and around Greensburg, from sporting events in Pittsburgh, to cultural and artistic events in the city; and recreation galore with golf courses, hiking trails, tennis courts, swimming pools, biking trails and everything in between!

Pennsylvania residents enjoy a weather system with 4 definite seasons. During the winter months, activities include building snowmen and sledding. The spring and summer months are enjoyed by planting gardens and even basking in the sunshine and fall time is punctuated with a splash of color throughout the region.

Greensburg is a community with much on offer; and for those who are looking for a city that still has a small town feel to it, while offering the services bigger cities supply, then Greensburg should be your first choice.