Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on October 15, 2024.
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As you likely know, southwest Pennsylvania has a rich heritage in the whiskey industry, with the production of the acclaimed Monongahela Rye, the Whiskey Rebellion taking place nearby, and more.
This history can be seen all over the region, and perhaps one place that shows it off the best is none other than West Overton Village in Scottdale- just a few minutes off the turnpike in the Laurel Highlands.
This museum does an excellent job at showcasing village life in the 1800s, highlighting the growing whiskey trade around the Old Overholt brand, and even has a connection to the steel magnate Henry Clay Frick, too!
So head down to the Laurel Highlands during their seasonal operating hours to check out this gem of a museum.
West Overton Village Shares History, Whiskey, and More
When visiting West Overton Village, you really get three experiences in one.
The first is visiting the two-floor museum which showcases what life was like in West Overton Village since its founding and expansion in support of the whiskey industry.
The museum profiles several residents sharing what life was like for each, how their jobs supported life in the village, and period artifacts that survived over the last two centuries. Among the jobs profiled included a cooper, farm workers tending to the grains, a boarder, and many more- giving a robust look at all of the jobs that went into village life in the 1800s.
Not only do you learn about how this all relates to distilling, naturally, but you also see insights into coverlet making, how the town general store functioned, how coal was prepared into coke to support the growing steel industry, and so much more.
On the second floor of the museum, you can also take a dive into the history of whiskey production in western PA and see a collection of nearly 300 historic whiskey bottles spanning the last two hundred years. The collection truly is quite impressive, and this is a rather large understatement on our part, if we’re being honest.
The second aspect of visiting West Overton Village is touring the Overholt homestead. On the tour, which typically leaves promptly on the hour (we missed a tour by a few minutes), you learn about how the Mennonites settled in the region, how Henry Overholt got into the whiskey trade, how his son Abraham built up the enterprise considerably, hear about their family and village life as a result of this success, and learning a bit more about Henry Clay Frick who was born in the village in 1849 (Henry Overholt was his great-grandfather).
The final experience at West Overton Village is seeing the educational distillery found on-site, where, if you are lucky, you may get a chance to speak with the distiller and learn about how they are keeping whiskey history alive and producing spirits in the village for the first time since Prohibition ended operations.
Naturally, where any good distillery can be found, a cocktail bar is not too far away, and the educational distillery is home to a delicious bar program that samples spirits not only made on-site, but also by regional whiskey producers, and featuring a selection of flavorful cocktails to purchase at an additional fee to round out the experience.
By the end of a tour, you’ll have a rather robust appreciation for what village life was like at West Overton Village in the 1800s, how the village grew around the whiskey trade, how its legacy was carried on via notable residents (namely, Henry Clay Frick and his daughter, Helen, who helped preserve the village in the early 1900s), and enjoy locally made spirits all in one visit.
As far as historical villages are concerned, this one goes the extra mile in sharing its history and truly makes it one of the finest museums in southwest Pennsylvania. So whether you like local history, whiskey, or a bit of both, a trip to West Overton Village in Scottdale is a must during their seasonal tours.
West Overton Village is located at 109 W Overton Road in Scottdale, PA, and is open seasonally from May to October.
