A Walk Down High-Street, Ebensburg PA

For this week’s blog post I'm taking you on a trip along High Street, the hub of Ebensburg, PA. Ebensburg is a borough and the county seat of Cambria County about thirty minutes outside of Johnstown. Since the region was once rich with coal, in the past, sawmills, tanneries, wool mills, and a foundry operated here. Being the county seat means this neighborhood is also home to the Cambria County Courthouse, which is a great piece of acrhitecture to take in if you have the time. The borough is also home to the Old Cambria County Prison which is rumored to be haunted. I am always drawn to this area because of the unique architecture, local stores, and of course the food! I’m Nathan Madison, multi-media specialist at Visit Johnstown, and I will be your guide on our walk through this historic town!

As we begin our journey at an intersection in the middle of High-Street, we can immediately notice the small-town main street charm. It’s January and the streetlamps are decked out with garland and lights along with a holiday banner on each one. As we continue down the street the first thing that we'll notice is Penn-Eben Park, a green space in the town that is home to a gazebo that hosts live concerts during the summer months. Just across the road is Follow Your Art, a locally owned business that features the craftsmanship of hundreds of local artists! Stepping inside we are greeted with an abundance of paintings, candles, quilts, wood crafts, and other trinkets. No matter when I come here I always find something new and interesting that wasn’t there before, and I almost always end up leaving with a bag full of neat things.

                After leaving the art store we head right and take a walk down past the Music Mart which often has unique instruments on display, from drums and trumpets to keyboards and guitars. They also sell ukuleles which are neatly arranged in the shop windows. Continuing on the walk we then get into the food portion of the street (My personal favorite!). High Street is home to several local favorites such as Rik-N’-Nik's a pizza place that is known for its wings, Italian Village Pizza which is best known for its pepperoni rolls, and Everyday Gourmet an eatery that combines modern flair with home-cooked meals. I have eaten at each one countless times and I can attest to their delectable food choices.

                As we reach the end of High Street, but there are still a few local shops worth mentioning. One that’s hard to miss is High Street Emporium, a three-floored antique store that’s easy to get lost in. When I have the time I spend hours in here looking at old bits and bobs that time forgot. They’re stocked up with local sellers so their selection changes often, and you probably will need to come here more than once to get the full experience!

Our final stop on our journey before we hit the traffic light at the end of the street is Codex Comics. Codex is a smaller store, but they have a lot of character, the owners are always happy to help you find what you’re looking for and they have no shortage of things to browse. I’m a board game fan and I stop in from time-to-time to see what they have and they always surprise me with something new! And what would a comic book store be without comics? They have four full-size tables full of pre-owned and new comics for purchase. Also, if you don’t see what you’re looking for they’ll surely do their best to order it for you!

High Street is just one segment of this close-knit community’s map, but it has a lot of heart. Anytime I’m in the Ebensburg area I can’t help but to stop and drink it all in. Thank you for coming with me on this journey, and I hope to see you on the sidewalks of Ebensburg very soon!