Bradford lies in the Tuna Valley, whose name comes from the east and west branches of Tunungwant Creek, which converge in the valley. In the city, cultural history and trails through the surrounding area go hand in hand. Bradford’s Main Street is part of the Historic District; museums offer insights into music, oil history and other local topics. Bradford is also part of the Pennsylvania Wilds tourism region.
Historic Downtown and Museums
The historic downtown can be explored with a self-guided audio tour as well as occasional guided tours. These options offer different ways to experience the city center: follow the audio walk independently or include one of the occasional guided tours in your plans. Check the dates for your travel period.
The Marilyn Horne Museum and Exhibit Center is located in the historic downtown and displays selected items from the singer’s personal archive. It is considered the world’s only museum dedicated to Marilyn Horne’s extraordinary career. Alongside Bradford’s city and industrial history, the career of an individual artist takes center stage.
At the Penn-Brad Oil Museum, visitors can tour an authentic oil derrick and explore exhibits about the people, equipment and technologies that built the petroleum industry. The museum preserves the history, heritage and pioneering spirit of an important oil region in Bradford. Another topic is Zippo’s role in American military service during World War II. The Zippo/Case Museum also displays some of the rarest and oldest Case knives.
Crook Farm is an open-air museum that brings history to life on the original Crook family farmstead. The School Day Program is designed for public and private school classes, as well as homeschool classes, and offers a hands-on learning day. Bradford’s cultural history therefore includes not only museums but also a program that provides school groups with a practical approach to learning about history.
Loop Trails and Creekside Trails
The Community Parks Trail is an easy, paved 3.4-mile loop. It connects Bradford’s city parks and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford campus with the Historic District. As a loop, its layout differs from the R.E. McDowell Trail: this trail is 1.4 miles long, paved and set up as a point-to-point route near campus. It follows the west branch of Tunungwant Creek; the trail also includes a trout stream stocked with fish. Length and route type offer two specific points of comparison when weighing the options.
Another route is the Blaisdell-Emery Trail. It runs from South Bradford to Lewis Run along a former railroad bed beside the East Branch of Tuna Creek. The trails described therefore include a loop, a point-to-point connection and a route along a former railroad bed.
Parks and Events
Callahan Park in Bradford has an ice arena, two swimming pools, a splash park and a playground. Facilities also include basketball and tennis courts, pickleball courts and baseball fields. The range of amenities spans everything from sports facilities to water and play areas.
Bradford offers family-friendly events year-round, including holiday festivals. Wine Walks take place twice a year. Memorial Day commemorations have been held annually at Veterans Square for more than 100 years; the exact date may vary. If you would like to tie your visit to an event, it is a good idea to check the dates for your travel period.
Discover more destinations: Mount Jewett.
Return to the main travel overview: Mckean County.
