Two water-powered gristmills on Breakneck Creek, a renamed railroad stop, and the Mars Area History and Landmarks Society offer insights into Mars’s local history. The picture is rounded out by seasonal rides on the Shortline Railroad, the two-day Mars New Year celebration, and an unusual photo opportunity in the town square. For planning your trip, the different time frames for these offerings are especially important.

A visit to the historical society

The Mars Area History and Landmarks Society welcomes visitors every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. During these hours, its buildings and exhibits are open. Volunteers answer questions or talk about local history—a fitting place to start if you’d like to learn more about Mars.

As opening hours can change, check the current hours before your visit. That way, you can plan your Friday visit accordingly.

Seasonal rides on the Shortline Railroad

The Mars Area History and Landmarks Society offers rides on its Shortline Railroad from late May through the end of October. The railroad operates seasonally, while the society’s buildings and exhibits are open to visitors on Fridays. If you’d like to plan a ride, check the available ride dates in advance.

Two mills on Breakneck Creek

Matthew Parks and Thomas Kennedy built water-powered gristmills on Breakneck Creek in Mars. The construction years and locations distinguish the two projects: Parks built his mill in 1825 near the intersection of Mars-Valencia Road and Route 228. Kennedy built his mill in 1828 in the valley east of Cherry Street.

For Parks’s mill, the focus is on its location near a road intersection; Kennedy’s mill is located by reference to the valley east of Cherry Street. Together, the two examples give the story of local industry concrete names, dates, and distinct locations. Water-powered gristmills used water for power and were used to grind grain—the projects thus link a technical function with the history of the people who built them in Mars.

How the railroad stop got its name

The railroad stop in Mars was initially called Overbrook. However, its name conflicted with that of the post office, and there was also another post office named Overbrook in Pennsylvania. Railroad and postal authorities subsequently agreed to use the name Mars.

This naming story adds another perspective on the town alongside the mills: it concerns coordination between railroad and postal authorities. Anyone interested in the history of everyday place names will find in the renaming a concrete, locally rooted reason to reflect.

Mars New Year: a two-day community celebration

Mars New Year is a two-day community celebration in Mars, Pennsylvania, marking the New Year on the Red Planet. The program includes interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and activities. This gives visitors a different way to experience the town than its milling history or a visit to the historical society.

Individual program details may change. If you’d like to plan your trip around Mars New Year, check the event dates and announced program in advance. This lets you plan your visit around the specific occasion without conflating the different offerings and their distinct time frames.

An unusual photo opportunity in the town square

A model flying saucer in Mars’s town square offers visitors an unusual photo opportunity. For travelers who’d like to capture a distinctive subject in addition to exploring local history and events, it’s a separate item on the list of local discoveries.

Discover more destinations: Slippery Rock Borough, Butler, Cranberry Township.

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