Community Profile
Founded in 1768 and situated on U.S. 219/PA160 amid the Appalachian Plateau of the Allegheny Mountains, Berlin, Pennsylvania, is a great location to work and live. Excellent highway facilities bring metropolitan markets close to home. Interstates 70/76 are within 10 minutes of Berlin, U.S. 30 within 17 minutes, and Interstate 68 within 30 minutes. As a result, Pittsburgh can be driven within 1½ hours, while Baltimore, MD, Akron, OH, Parkersburg, WV, and Washington, D.C., can all be accessed in approximately 3½ hours. The Johnstown-Cambria County Airport in Johnstown, a 40-minute commute, provides air transportation and connects to Pittsburgh International Airport for several flight choices.
Berlin Municipal Electric System provides electric power to the community, and maintains distribution lines and related infrastructure. As a municipal “public power” electric system, we are owned by our constituents. They have the ability to participate in electing representatives to the Berlin Borough Council, and attend their open meetings. We are members of a multi-state non-profit consortium, American Municipal Power (AMP), who owns, operates, or otherwise provides for generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy to its members; as well as a wide range of other services for the benefit of their member communities. Together, it is our goal to provide Berlin with quality, economical power and related services.
Local youth receive their education through the Berlin Brothersvalley School District. There are a variety of colleges/universities available close to home for those who wish to further their education: Allegheny College of Maryland – Somerset (10 minutes), Frostburg State University (40 minutes), University of Pittsburgh – Johnstown (35 minutes), and Westmoreland County Community College (1 hour). Penn State – Altoona, California University of Pennsylvania, and West Virginia University can all be accessed within 1½ hours.
Berlin is rich in history. Be sure to participate in Berlin’s Whiskey Rebellion Celebration held annually during the last weekend in September. The Berlin Fife and Drum Corps holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously active Fife and Drum Corps in the United States. Also, when visiting Berlin, include a tour of the Berlin Area Historical Society’s headquarters as part of your itinerary.
Our region is a vacationer’s dream. Our geographic area known as the Laurel Highlands offers:
Beautiful scenery
Whitewater rafting
Bike trails
Downhill skiing
Swimming, boating, and fishing
Hunting
The state’s tallest mountain – Mount Davis
The state’s deepest gorge – Ohio Pyle
An amusement park (within 50 minutes)
Relaxing resorts (Seven Springs Mountain Resort and Hidden Valley Resort within 25 miles)
Laurel Hill State Park, and more
Berlin truly offers something for everyone. Berlin is home to Snyder of Berlin known for their potato chips and snack food products. Center Rock, Inc. (the drilling-equipment manufacturer who developed the drill for boring the hole that assisted in the rescue of 33 miners trapped in Chile in October 2010) is headquartered ½ mile north of Berlin’s business district. We’d love to be your home, too! Come visit us, allow us to show you around, and review everything the Borough of Berlin has to offer you.