Dunbar, PA

Dunbar occupies the valley of Dunbar Creek, a tributary of the Youghiogheny River, about five miles south of Connellsville. Settled in the 1790s and incorporated in 1883, the borough was named for Col. Thomas Dunbar, whose military command was tied to nearby Jumonville. Its small footprint sits in the Laurel Highlands, where the creek, hills, and old industrial corridor give the town its shape. The 2020 census counted 1,013 people.

Dunbar's history is unusually visible in its working landscape. The town supported Dunbar Furnace, a Semet-Solvay by-products plant, Pennsylvania Wire Glass, bluestone operations, rail yards, and coke ovens that supplied Pittsburgh's steel industry. Today the Dunbar Historical Society occupies the former post office and maintains a heritage route with the 1874 Presbyterian Church and other older buildings. The 2.1-mile Sheepskin Trail begins by the historical society, follows Dunbar Creek, passes restored coke ovens and the Bowest Rail Yard, and reaches the Great Allegheny Passage near Connellsville. It is a compact way to see how industry, rail, and the creek fit together.