Staycation in Indiana County

Did you know that Indiana County, PA, is the Christmas Tree Capital of the World? We are also the hometown of Jimmy Stewart. Indiana County, PA is where business growth and personal living merge. And when you’re looking for an Indiana County Toyota dealer, your best choice is Colonial Toyota. More about us later. Right now, let’s celebrate the best of what southwestern PA has to offer, right here in or nearby Indiana County.

The Great Outdoors

As the Christmas Tree Capital of the World, there is room for plenty of outdoor activities in Indiana County. But how did we get this title? Various pines and spruces were first grown here specifically as a farming crop sometime around 1918. By 1956, an estimated 700,000 Christmas trees were cut here annually. By 1960, over one million Christmas trees were cut in Indiana County, and there are currently 31,577 acres of Christmas tree farms in the state.

When you want to get outdoors in Indiana County, one great option is the Buttermilk Falls Natural Area. Located in Florence, Buttermilk Falls is 45 feet high and surrounded by a 48-acre park donated to the county in 1995. The land was originally owned by Fred McFeely – grandfather of Mr. Rogers himself. Development is limited around the falls, in keeping with its mission to keep as much of the land as natural as possible. This makes it a perfect little spot in which to get away from it all.

If you’d like to stretch your legs a bit more, check out the Ghost Town Trail. Stretching a total of 46 miles between here and our neighbors to the southeast, Cambria County, the Ghost Town Trail grew from the no longer functional Ebensburg & Black Lick Railroad line. Three connected sections make up the Ghost Town: Blacklick to Dilltown, Dilltown to Nanty Glo, and Nanty Glo to Ebensburg. The Ghost Town Trail has been recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as an official National Recreational Trail, and it’s also part of the Trans Allegheny Trails network.

The Great Indoors

In less than an hour and a half’s drive from Indiana, you can visit any of the five branches of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA). Most of them are even closer. Founded in 1976 with fewer than 100 pieces of art, this community art museum focusing on American and Pennsylvanian art now has a permanent collection of over 5,000 works by internationally known and local artists alike. Between the five sites, you can find at least 30 special exhibits each year, often highlighting up-and-coming talent, as well as special events and award-winning educational programs like children’s art camps.

Most of SAMA’s works are traditional fine art, but they also have some decorative art, especially some fascinating glass pieces. While the museum does primarily focus on regional and American artists, they also have pieces in the permanent collection that fall outside of that scope so as to provide context to what was being created in other parts of the world and the differences – and similarities – between cultures.

The Indiana University of Pennsylvania also has its own museum that is focused on the history and arts of the region. The University Museum knows that art reflects the social and natural world around us, so it presents art in a way that facilitates exploration, dialogue, and enjoyment. Its permanent space is in the historic John Sutton Hall, a nationally registered landmark originally built in 1875. The University Museum also provides exhibits around campus and the city.

For a different type of culture, right in Indiana, you can find The Jimmy Stewart Museum. Born here in May of 1908, James Maitland Stewart appeared in 80 films, earning five Academy Award nominations. While perhaps most famously known for his dramatic turns in To Kill a Mockingbird, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and It’s a Wonderful Life – his first movie after his hiatus to serve as an Air Force pilot during WW2 – Jimmy Stewart’s only Oscar was awarded for his work in The Philadelphia Story, a comedy of the silliest kind co-starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant.

The Jimmy Stewart Museum has five galleries, two rotating exhibit spaces, and a 50-seat theatre. Its collection includes some of Jimmy’s movie costumes, military uniforms, and personal items, including props and awards. The museum opened in 1995, two years before Jimmy passed away. True to his humble, everyman nature, Jimmy only agreed to its creation if it would be located in, and economically beneficial to, his hometown of Indiana. The perfect location ended up being just across the street from where his father’s hardware store was located. No trip to our historic downtown is complete without stopping by the Jimmy Stewart Museum.

You should also check out the Rebecca B. Hadden Stone House Museum in Saltsburg. Built in 1830, this historic building was the home of Saltsburg’s first blacksmith. The museum will let you walk back in time to see how early settlers to the area lived, coped, survived, and even prospered. Run by the Saltsburg Area Historical Society, they say their purpose is to “discover, collect, and preserve any material which may help to establish or illustrate the history of the area.”

Your Hometown Dealership

The Colonial Toyota sales and service departments have convenient hours to accommodate your schedule. In addition, to help you shop as comfortably as possible, we offer home services like a vehicle video walkaround. When you’re shopping for your perfect Toyota here at Colonial, we can give you a full car walkaround via video chat, and you can ask us any questions just like we were together in person. We have deep roots in Indiana County and have been providing Pennsylvania drivers with quality cars for over 70 years.

We not only carry all the latest Toyota models, but Colonial Toyota is also the best place to find a reliable and affordable used vehicle in Indiana County. Most of these used vehicles even come with our Lifetime Powertrain Warranty, just like our new Toyotas. This warranty is at no cost to you and is good nationwide for as long as you own your vehicle. For even greater warranty coverage and factory support, check out our inventory of high-value Toyota Certified models.

Our service garage and parts department are the perfect way to keep your car, truck, or SUV running smoothly. Our technicians are highly skilled and have all the tools and training needed to keep your Toyota running in tip-top shape. After all, who knows Toyota better than Colonial Toyota? From routine maintenance to major repairs, we can have you back out on the roads of Indiana County in no time at all.

Colonial Toyota is family owned and operated with a history in Indian PA stretching back over seven decades. We love all there is to see and do here in the area just as much as you do. When you are exploring everything that our corner of the state has to offer, take a moment to visit our dealership and discover everything that we can do for you. You won’t be disappointed.