WEBSITE HOSTING AVAILABLE for COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES: In January 2008, the Greene County Commissioners began offering Municipal Website Hosting, to encourage our townships and boroughs to compile information about their own municipality that would benefit the residents of that municipality.
We're proud to announce that Perry Township has been the first to take advantage of our county website hosting service.
Contact Information:
Ryan T. Belski, Mayor
137 Main Street, PO Box 185, Rices Landing, PA 15357
Phone: 724-592-6055 / Fax: 724-592-6717
COG Website: jeff-morgcog.org/Rices_landing_boro.html
Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
About Us:
Rices Landing Borough was incorporated in May 15, 1903. Located in Congressional District 12, 46th Senatorial District and 50th Legislative District of Pennsylvania.
Rice's Landing occupies a narrow and level river terrace, precipitous hillslope, and level ridgetop adjacent to the Monongahela River in northeastern Greene County. Pumpkin Run, a deeply embedded tributary of the river, bisects the Rice's Landing Historic District which is composed of 63 buildings, five structures and four archaeological sites. This integrated community is dominated by vernacular buildings of one to two stories dating from the Mid-Victorian to Craftsman period. Through the small scale vernacular buildings, the preserved riverfront, and the geological setting, this district has retained its integrity as a river port from the mid-to-late 19th century and the railroad/coal era of the early 20th century.
The descent from a steep hilltop down the winding corridor of Main Street to the narrow river terrace below, offers an inspiring view of the meandering river and verdant hillsides on the opposite shore. The community's orientation to the river remains in the preservation of the river front and Pumpkin Run as community parks. The original mid-19th century linear town plan is situated at the river terrace on both sides of Pumpkin Run.
Until the town was incorporated in 1903, two separate communities known as Rice's Landing to the northwest and Newport to the southeast were divided by the Cumberland and Jefferson Township line. The borough integrated the two linear town plans into one community. A commercial section of the town developed in response to construction of the Monongahela River lock in Rice's Landing while the Newport section contained early industrial sites including a planing mill, machine shop, and pottery.
A ferry landing at the northwestern end of Rice's Landing and a boat launching site at the juncture of Pumpkin Run provided additional access to river transportation. Three main roads — Jefferson Street (Millsboro Road), L.R 30077, and Carmichaels Street located on the west, central, and east sides of town connected Rice's Landing with the uplands and Route 88, the main road to Waynesburg. The Pennsylvania Railroad line occupied the edge of the level terrace at the base of the steep uplands.
Children living in the Rices Landing Borough attend schools within the Jefferson-Morgan School District (Jefferson-Morgan Elementary and High School). Rices Landing Borough Voting Precinct: is located in the Scout House - Community Building, 100 Water Street, Rices Landing, PA 15357. For more information, go to: Polling Precincts or contact the Greene County Elections Office at 724-852-5304. Rices Landing Borough GPS Coordinance:39°56'47"N, 79°59'36"W (39.946282, -79.993295) GR1. Comprehensive Plan: Almost two years after beginning the process, eight municipalities
in southeastern Greene County held a final public meeting Monday, October 27, 2008 on a draft of their multi-municipal comprehensive plan.
Also see the Greene County Comprehensive Plan prepared by the Department of Economic Development. Jefferson Morgan Regional Council of Governments (JMRCOG): was created in 2004 and includes Jefferson Township, Morgan Township, Clarksville Borough, Jefferson Borough and Rices Landing Borough. The council was created to allow the municipalities to purchase equipment and materials at a lower cost as well as pull their resources in times of need.
Click here for the Rices Landing Borough JMRCOG information (JMRCOG address: P.O. Box 3 Mather, PA 15346 / Phone: 724-883-2150 / Fax: 724-883-3044 and/or Email: jeff-morgcog@jeff-morgcog.org). Rices Landing Borough Council: (Updated 2/2/2010)
Scheduled Council Meetings: at 7:00 p.m. every second Wednesday of the month in the Boy Scout House in Rices Landing; the public is invited to attend the meetings. Council Meeting Minutes: To view the meeting notes, please contact the borough office at 724-592-6055. Building Permits & Ordinances:coming soon
Notable mentions within Rices Landing Borough:
Parks and Recreation Facilities:
Greene River Trail Head/Parking Lot — accessing 5.2 miles of paved bike/walking trail along the Monongahela River. Click here for a brochure on our public trails.
Min Love Park — (.5 acres) has a gazebo, picnic tables, benches, swingset, wooden jungle gym in shape of a boat, barbecue grills, docks;
Pumpkin Run Park — located in Rices Landing, Pennsylvania is open Memorial Day through Labor Day from 9 am to dusk. From deep cliffs to an old mill race, our 67-acre park features a pavilion/picnic area with fire pit, provides access to the Monongahela River, with a boat ramp and pavilion/picnic area, a water fall, and boy scout cabin used for retreats. This park has acres of recreational hiking and biking and is right next to the Greene River Trail. The pavilions can be rented for a fee, for more information call the recreational authority at 724-592-5403 or 724-592-6055.
Kolat Park — (5 acres) near the Foundry, with fishing area, parking, historic jailhouse, community building, and restrooms
The Historical Sites:
Rices Landing Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Portions of the text below were adapted from a copy of the original nomination document.
Buildings from the river port era include the Methodist Episcopal Church built in 1873, an 1850s brick jail, and several vernacular wood houses from the Mid-to Late-Victorian period. The general store, an Art Deco bank, and an early Hudson-Rambler garage express the community's importance as a local commercial center for the distribution of goods and services relating with river transportation.
Industrial resources are represented by the Y.A. Young Machine Shop, the Excelsior Pottery, and company houses once owned by the H.C. Frick Coke Company during the bituminous coal era. Monongahela River Lock #6, two brick lock keeper's houses from the 1930s, and concrete structures from the railroad period symbolize the significance of transportation to the development of Rice's Landing. Structures include the remains of Lock #6, a concrete bridge from 1914, a 1913 railroad bridge, and a 1913 railroad tunnel.
W. A. Young Machine Shop and Foundry: located on Water Street in Rices Landing, the Foundry was built in 1900 by William A. Young. The Foundry is a prime example of America’s industrial heritage and is operated by the Historical Society. Open for tours, the Foundry is full of antique equipment and live demonstrations are performed.
Click here for more information on the Foundry.
Lock 6 Museum: located at 137 Main Street, Rices Landing, PA 15357
Significance: The Rice's Landing Historic District is significant in the areas of transportation, industry, and architecture as a preserved, mid-19th to early-20th century Upper Monongahela River port and early industrial town.
The town's evolution as a riverport began in the 1860s with the construction of a foundry, blacksmith shop, boat yard and steam sawmill. Although these resources are no longer extant, the Rice's Landing Historic District contains significant extant buildings from the later 19th century.
Situated along the river front are the Excelsior Pottery (1870-1885), the W. A. Young and Sons Machine Shop (1900-1965), and the Dilworth Mining Complex (1880-1930). Transportation on the Monongahela River improved in the 20th century when the locks were reconstructed and a new railroad system was introduced through the town. While the integrity of other Upper Monongahela river towns declined due to industrial development, floods, and neglect, this well-preserved, cohesive community dominated by vernacular wood buildings from the Mid-Victorian to Craftsman period provides a sense of historic feeling for the river port era of the mid-to-late 19th century and the railroad/coal era of the early 20th century. The archaeological remains of the Dilworth Mine site also can provide information about the size, layout and processes of this bituminous mining operation.
Click here for additional historical information about Rices Landing.
Organizations & landmarks:
Lock Wall (remaining from Rices Landing Old Lock 6)
Area Churches:
Hewitt Presbyterian Church, 1206 Crucible Rd., Rices Landing, PA 15357 (Phone: 724-592-6111), W. Bradford Davis, Pastor
Sacred Heart Catholic Church & Social Hall, Rices Landing c/o 408 Rt. 88, Carmichaels, PA 15320 (Phone: 724-592-5314), John M. Bauer, Pastor
Rices Landing United Methodist Church, Main Street, Rices Landing, PA 15357 (Phone: 724-592-7404), Ernie DeLuca, Pastor
Cemeteries:
Pennsylvania Local Government:
Local government in Pennsylvania is a mosaic of 5,334 individual units.
All were established by the State or provincial government and operate under laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Each unit is distinct and independent of other local units, although they may overlap geographically and may act together to serve the public.
As of 2001, there were 67 counties, 56 cities, 964 boroughs, 1 incorporated town, 1,548 townships (91 first class, 1,457 second class), 501 school districts and 2,198 authorities (active and inactive).
The number of local units has remained fairly stable for the past few decades with two major exceptions. Rices Landing is a borough in Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States.
The population was 443 at the 2000 census.
After passage of school district legislation in 1963 and 1965, the number of school districts diminished radically. Authorities, born as local units during the depression years of the 1930s, have proliferated at a phenomenal pace since then. Greene County is divided into five (5) area School Districts. Demographics of Rices Landing Borough:
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 443 people, 179 households, and 126 families residing in the borough.
The population density was 222.1/km² (574.8/mi²).
There were 190 housing units at an average density of 95.3/km² (246.5/mi²).
The racial makeup of the borough was 98.42% White, 0.68% African American, and 0.90% from two or more races.
There were 179 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years.
For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $34,306, and the median income for a family was $39,792.
Males had a median income of $28,646 versus $20,000 for females.
The per capita income for the borough was $17,775.
About 5.7% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
(Information Source: Wikipedia, the Free Online Encyclopedia.
Rices Landing Borough ARIAL MAP:Topographic USGS Map of Rices Landing area (from TopoZone).
USEPA FIPS Code for Pennsylvania = 42, Greene County = 059 (42059).
Federal Information Processing Standards Codes for states, counties, and named populated places; are a standardized set of numeric or alphabetic codes issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to ensure uniform identification of geographic entities through all federal government agencies. The entities covered include: states and statistically equivalent entities, counties and statistically equivalent entities, named populated and related location entities (such as, places and county subdivisions), and American Indian and Alaska Native areas.
Watersheds: Ohio Basin, Monongahela Subbasin (Source: www.dep.state.pa.us).
A watershed is an area of land that drains into a lake or river. As rainwater and melting snow run downhill, they carry sediment and other materials into our streams, lakes, wetlands and groundwater (Source www.ctic.purdue.edu)
To search for cemeteries, villages and other features within Greene County, visit the
USGS Geographical Names Information System (GNIS) to determine what 7.5' topographic map(s) depict specific geographic features.
Today's date is:
For general information, please contact the Information Services at 724-852-5399 / Toll Free: 1-888-852-5399. County Office Building, 93 E. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370
Ryan T. Belski, Mayor
