Bradford Woods Reserve Commercial choice for August

Commercial: Bradford Woods Reserve

Strolling along paths encircling tall stands of golden helianthus and pink and red monarda, one could never imagine the history of this reserve. Here once stood a 10,000 sq. ft. heartwood cedar greenhouse that for almost 100 years, provided cut flowers and other horticultural crops to the public was originally built to grow cut flowers for the tables of the Monongehela House Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. Bradford Woods, located along the former Harmony Short Line Railroad, was originally a country summer getaway for ‘smokey’ city dwellers.

Ted and Janet Eck, as newlyweds, bought the property from Ray and Irene Marter in 1973, operating as Bradford Gardens Greenhouse during the “Green Plant Revolution” of the 1970’s. The property was sold to the borough in 1988, the greenhouse dismantled and moved by another grower to Latrobe. One foot of topsoil was removed and hauled away from the greenhouse footprint to ensure no heavy metal pollution from pesticides remained.

The Reserve is owned and maintained by the Borough. The Bradford Woods Conservancy partnered with The Allegheny Land Trust to retain 501(c3)  status to enable donations to be made for special projects such as the purchase of memorial trees.

This park is a well-used facility for families to enjoy fishing in the pond, ice skating in the winter, and an annual Earth Day celebration with lecture programs and informative booths. Other special annual programs include storytelling around the campfire with refreshments, decorated memorial trees at the December winter celebration with refreshments around the fire, and Boy Scout events. The pond is stocked for the catch and release fishing program. Children play throughout the wooded property.

Check out the Borough’s website for more pictures... https://www.bradfordwoodspa.org/2155/Conservanchttps://bradfordwoodsconservancy.org/