Tarentum is a river community on the Allegheny River. Historic riverside sites, an Art Deco building, mining history, and outdoor recreation give the town a variety of highlights. You can tailor your stay to culture, park activities, or seasonal events.
Riverside Sites and Architectural History
Chartier's Old Town is a historic site and a small green space on the banks of the Allegheny River, near Riverview Memorial Park. The site combines a connection to local history with a riverside setting. This gives it a different focus from the A-K Valley Heritage Museum, which highlights architectural history and murals.
The A-K Valley Heritage Museum is located at the corner of Lock Street and East Seventh Avenue. Its limestone building was constructed in 1931 as American Legion Post 85 and is designed in the Art Deco style. In the entrance hall, murals depict the home front during World War II. The architecture, the building’s original use, and the murals give the museum several distinct historical themes.
Underground Mining History
Tour-Ed Mine & Museum offers an underground tour at a depth of 160 feet, led by experienced coal miners. This sets it apart from the architectural and visual history explored at the A-K Valley Heritage Museum: here, the focus is on a tour underground.
The grounds of Tour-Ed Mine & Museum also include several features: historic attractions, a picnic pavilion, and a train ride. There is also an authentic Pittsburgh & Shawmut Railroad caboose. The tour and the features of the grounds are distinct aspects you can consider when making your choice.
Parks, Market, and Events
The centrally located Riverfront Park has several baseball fields, a deck hockey playing area, and a spray park for children. The facilities offer a range of recreational activities in a central location in Tarentum. If you are looking for specific park amenities while planning your trip, these are among the local options.
The Tarentum Farmers Market is seasonal. It offers fresh local fruits and vegetables, meat, handmade crafts, baked goods, and hot foods, including pierogies. If you plan to visit the market, check in advance whether it will be open during your trip. The Tarentum Recreation Board also plans and hosts a Summer Concert Series, holiday parades, seasonal celebrations, and other family-friendly community events. Dates vary, so plan around the dates of each event.
Water Access and Trail History
Tarentum Access is a concrete boat ramp on the Allegheny River in the Borough of Tarentum. The 2024 planning status also lists more than 20 on-site parking spaces and an accessible asphalt path to the pier. Since parking and access conditions can change, check them before your trip.
A trail connection is also part of the town’s development history: in 2016, the Borough of Tarentum opened a roadside trail section just over a mile long. It was intended to connect with the section in Brackenridge that was under construction at the time.
Discover more destinations: Pittsburgh, Pine, Etna, Munhall, Coraopolis, Gibsonia, Whitehall, Bridgeville.
For the main travel overview: Allegheny.
