USA Today ranks Sewickley among best small towns in the Northeast

George Shannon has known for quite some time that Sewickley is a special place.

The longtime resident and current mayor has enjoyed what the borough has to offer for the past 45 years.

“Sewickley is a friendly town,” Shannon said. “People will talk to you. People will acknowledge your existence. People will be kind to you. They will help you walk across the street if you need that.”

It also has numerous amenities such as the Sewickley Valley YMCA, Sewickley Public Library, the Lindsay Theater & Cultural Center, a strong business district, several recreation sites and St. James Church, which recently received a visit from Bishop David Zubik of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Sewickley has so much going on that other people are taking notice.

USA Today ranked the Pittsburgh area suburb as the No. 2. best small town in the Northeast.

Its Readers’ Choice Award post states Sewickley “is known for its leafy streets and upscale boutiques. Featuring well-preserved architecture, the town seamlessly blends historic charm with modern sophistication. It has a thriving cultural scene, spearheaded by the Sweetwater Center for the Arts, which offers hundreds of classes to the community and adds an enriching layer to this tranquil destination along the Ohio River.”

Sweetwater Center for the Arts is located along Broad Street near the heart of the borough.

“Sweetwater is honored to be recognized as a cultural pillar of the community,” executive director Christine Brondyke said. “We are fortunate to be just one of many non-profits that work to enrich the lives of residents not only in Sewickley but also in the region.”

Shannon said he was unaware of the contest and that the ranking came as a pleasant surprise.

“There’s a lot of small great towns around the Northeast,” he said. “It’s certainly an honor to be No. 2. … Our goal is not to become No. 1. If it happens, it happens. We didn’t even know that this was happening. I don’t believe anybody was in town interviewing anybody — ff they did, they were doing it quiet and privately. Nothing we do is to become No. 1. What we do is become capable for the people of Sewickley. We run a good, efficient borough.”

Shannon also said Sweetwater is a tremendous part of Sewickley’s culture.

“When you have a very visible and active cultural organization in your town, it provides a variety of things that you don’t get in most towns,” the mayor said. “They have classes. They have shows. They have their art gallery and have events. It brings a whole new dimension to a community.”

Maggie Tuten Tyner, editor of USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, said a panel of experts make nominations, which are then curated during an editorial review to a list of 20 nominees for the public to vote on.

“We define the Northeast based on the U.S. Census Bureau regions, which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont,” Tyner explained.

“To be considered for one of the best small towns, the town population should be fewer than 25,000 people, and it should offer gorgeous scenery, historic charm and outstanding local cuisine, as well as cultural attractions.”

Tyner said Sewickley offers a “wonderful blend” of all the above.

Other Pennsylvania towns to make the small town list were Ohiopyle at No. 4, Gettysburg at No. 8 and New Hope at No. 10.

The No. 1 best small town on USA Today’s list was Castine, Maine.