Talk to anyone who lives, works, or plays in Lewisburg, PA and they will quickly rattle off a variety of reasons to move to this charming small town in Central PA. Here are our top 10 reasons to move to Lewisburg, PA:
1) Historic Downtown – You’ll know that you’ve entered historic downtown Lewisburg by the three globe lampposts that dot the Main Street and side streets within the historic district. Their style complements the well-preserved architectural heritage of the town and signals visitors that “they’ve arrived” at a very special place. They also cast a lovely glow at dusk over historic streets, providing the perfect ambiance for an evening stroll through the downtown to shop, dine, see a movie, or hear live music.
According to the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, installation of the cast iron lamp standards began in 1912 when Market Street was paved with brick. The lamp posts were originally placed only on Market Street and were produced at that time by Westinghouse, who stopped production sometime in the 1940’s or 1950’s. The borough of Lewisburg engaged the nearby Watsontown Foundry to make a mold using an original street lamp. Today they number nearly 1500 and are still manufactured at the Watsontown Foundry and wired by Citizen’s Electric Company of Lewisburg.
2) Thriving Family-Owned Businesses – Downtown Lewisburg is one of the few towns in the region where the downtown businesses are visibly thriving. Vacant storefronts are minimal, and when a storefront does open up, it takes a very short period of time for new business opportunities to take shape.
The downtown also offers a variety of goods and services. This combined with excellent customer service and a long family history in the town merge to offer a very unique and personable shopping experience for visitors and locals alike. Many residents of neighboring towns (Selinsgrove, Watsontown, Sunbury, Northumberland, Mifflinburg, New Berlin and Danville) come to Lewisburg purely for the shopping variety and experience.
The town often comes together for festivals like the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival in February, Lewisburg Arts Festival in April, Sidewalk Chalk Festival in July, Music in the Park each week all summer, and Stroll through the Arts in November.
3) Excellent School District – Lewisburg is considered by many to be a high performing public school system. Students typically score in the top echelon of school systems on national and state assessments. Lewisburg Area School District offers a wide variety of academic, related arts, and athletic programs that promote a well-rounded, comprehensive education for all students.
Some notable achievements:
- 2012 & 2009: Lewisburg Area High School received the US News Silver Medal Award – Top 4% in the Nation
- 2012: Pittsburgh Business Times ranked LASD 16th of 500 districts for academic performance – Top 4% in PA
- 2012 & 2011: Recognized as a Best Community for Music Education in the Nation by the NAMM Foundation
- 2010: Donald H. Eichhorn Middle School Selected as a National Schools to Watch Site
4) Variety of Homes and High Resale Value – Lewisburg and all of its diverse neighborhoods really does offer a wide variety of housing options, from new condos and townhouses, to old historic homes on the National Register for Historic Properties, to traditional ranch and cottage-style homes. Visit: http://montrealmovers.com to move your belongings safely.
Properties ranging from $100,000 to $1 million dollars, and offering less than 1 acre to 100+ acres allow homeowners at all price points and life stages to relocate to the area. The region is ideal for young professionals, couples, young families, empty nesters, and retirees. That cannot be said of many regions in the Commonwealth.
5) Access to Arts and Culture at Bucknell University – Lewisburg is home to the nation’s largest and one of the most prestigious private liberal arts institutions in the country, Bucknell University. The university consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Management, and the College of Engineering. Bucknell was founded in 1846. It has almost 50 majors and over 60 minors. In its 2012 edition of America’s Best Colleges, Bucknell was ranked 29th among all liberal arts colleges in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. Some stats from Bucknell.edu:
- 3,500 undergraduate students. Approximately 440 students study abroad each year, including fall, spring, full year and summer programs. About one quarter of these students study abroad during the summer.
- 150 graduate students.
- Students from 46 states, 63 countries
- More than 180 international students
- Approximately 8,300 applicants for about 925 spaces
6) Excellent Healthcare
Thanks to Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg and Geisinger Medical Center just 20 minutes away in Danville, the region offers access to high-quality and affordable healthcare in a rural, patient-centered setting.
Geisinger, in particular, has become a national model. In his healthcare address to Congress on Sept. 9, 2009 and a speech earlier that summer in Green Bay, WI, President Obama cited Geisinger as a model of reform, “Even within our own country, a lot of the places where we spend less on healthcare actually have higher quality than places where we spend more. We have to ask why places like the Geisinger Health system in rural Pennsylvania…can offer high-quality care at costs well below average, but other places in America can’t. We need to identify the best practices across the country, learn from the success, and replicate that success elsewhere.”
7) Scenic and Picturesque Susquehanna River – Located on the Susquehanna River, which flows some 464 miles from upstate New York to the Chesapeake Bay, the region is ideal for boating, canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, and many other water-related activities. The health of the Susquehanna River has also vastly improved in recent years, making it a great place to fish.
8) Rural, yet Accessible – The region is located in an almost ideal location for those wishing to have a rural lifestyle, but also have easy access to major East coast urban areas.
Lewisburg is located within 2-3 hours of Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and New York City. The town is located just 30 minutes south of Williamsport, which became the seventh fastest growing metropolitan area in the country in 2010, according to figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. This growth is largely due to Marcellus Shale activity in the region.
9) Rural Environment – Lewisburg is comprised of many land types – historic downtown lots, suburb neighborhoods with a few acres, to hundred-acre farms, and everything in between. This diversity allows homeowners at all price points and life stages to relocate to the area. The region is ideal for young professionals, couples, young families, empty nesters, and retirees. That cannot be said of many regions in Pennsylvania.
10) Safe Place to Raise a Family – All of these items combined mean that people can rest assured that when they relocated to Lewisburg, PA, they will have a safe and secure place to buy a home, raise a family, and work and play.
The region’s downtown association, the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, says it best: Nestled between the Susquehanna River and Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania is an architectural gem listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Downtown Lewisburg features an original 1941 Art Deco movie palace, the Campus Theatre, still showing film nightly the way it was intended….on the big screen, plus dining options for every palate from gourmet to family. Its vibrant retail district is anchored by Barnes and Noble at Bucknell University and filled with friendly, charming independent businesses. Lewisburg….There’s Still A Place.