From Councilman Jim to all you
carvers out there!!!!!
I would like to give a little history of Ridgway.
First of all, it was
here in the same place it is now from back before I can remember.
It is the
only place that I have ever lived, except the four years that I was in
the
Air Force. Ridgway is the county seat and always has been as far
back as I
can remember. Ridgway has lots of friendly caring people as far
back as I
can remember. Ridgway is a small town in north central Pa that has
a
setting in the middle of two valleys. Ridgway has a Volunteer Fire
Department and many fire police will be available to help with the
rendezvous. Our local Government is very supportive of the
chainsaw carving
rendezvous. We also have a lot of good solid volunteers that work
on the
rendezvous every year. Our Chief of Police took an active part in
last
years rendezvous. The people in Ridgway just naturally will talk
to you on
the street because it is our way of life. The next fact is very well
known
on the forums and that is that Ridgway proclaimed itself, The Chainsaw
Carvers Rendezvous Capital of the World during this past year and we
sure
don't want to ever lose that title. Our goal is to help kids, and
with your
support at the rendezvous, we are doing very well at it. I could
talk about
Ridgway all day long but I would rather that you come and see for
yourself.
There is nowhere in the World that I would rather live as far ahead as I
can
remember. You carvers will be welcomed and looked up to for your
participation in this annual event.
Ridgway rests in a scenic valley in Elk County at the southeastern
gateway
to the Allegheny National Forest, and grew from the lumber industry due
to
the abundance of timber in the area. Logging is still one of our
strongest
businesses. The largest elk herd east of the Mississippi roams a
few miles
to the east. In the late 1800''s, thanks to its rich lumbering heritage,
Ridgway boasted one of the highest numbers of millionaires per capita in
the
United States, and its magnificent homes and commercial buildings
reflect
those expansive times. Now designated the ""Lily of the
Valley"" National
Register Historic District, Ridgway was home to the Hyde-Murphy Company,
which provided the extraordinary woodwork found in many public buildings
in
Washington, D.C., including the Smithsonian Museum and the Pentagon.
Ridgway
also offers exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities, including
wilderness canoeing on the Clarion River, the Clarion-Little Toby
Rail-Trail, Cross-County Skiing in the National Forest, and some of the
best
fly-fishing in the Eastern U.S.! Throughout the years, Ridgway has
maintained it's friendly small town atmosphere, and is graced with
unique
specialty shops, quaint restaurants, and elegant B&B''s. Away from
the
hustle and bustle, History, Architecture, the Great Outdoors all beckons
to
you!
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