‘Ellsworth strong’
Borough marking 125th anniversary with three-day celebration
Courtesy of Bernard Kubitza
A borough whose roots are deep in the coal industry is turning 125 this year and is planning a three-day celebration to mark the occasion.
The borough of Ellsworth was founded in 1900 by James W. Ellsworth, a business tycoon from Chicago who sought to expand his business interest in the blossoming coalfields of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
He sunk his first coal shafts along Pigeon Creek in Washington County in 1900. To support the mining operation, a town was built near the mine shaft. The town took the name of “Ellsworth,” and was incorporated as a borough on Aug. 20, 1900.
Ellsworth was originally a “company” town, with all property owned by the coal company. The company built houses for its employees, and as the mining operation expanded, the town grew. In time, a store, school, doctor’s office, inn, park, theater and two churches were built.
Ellsworth, who also developed the Monongahela Railway, eventually sold the mines to Bethlehem Steel in the 1920s.
“Ellsworth is a typical small, former coal community,” said Mayor Bernard Kubitza. “There’s very little in the way of business. Over the years, coal was king in Ellsworth. The town itself was basically a residential community built to house the coal miners. It’s been a pretty stable population over the last 20 to 30 years.” Its current population stands at about 1,000 residents.
The borough will celebrate its 125 years with festivities beginning July 11 and running through July 13.
A community banquet will kick off the celebration on July 11. Kubitza said ticket sales went so well that the event was moved from Drexel Hall to the Bentleyville Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall.
A community picnic is scheduled for July 12 at Ellsworth Community Park and will feature food and craft vendors, drinks, bounce houses and slide, petting zoo, car show, pet parade, youth pageant, music, a performance by the St. George Junior Tamburitzans, fireman’s parade and fireworks.
The celebration will end with an ecumenical religious service of thanksgiving on July 13 at River of Life Christian Fellowship Church, the former St. Clement Roman Catholic Church.
Kubitza said the celebration is being dedicated to Lillian Bizet Ross, borough secretary for more than 30 years who died in 2024, and George Burcin, chair of the 125th anniversary committee who served on council for more than 25 years, who recently passed away.
Council President Mark Segedi, a lifelong Ellsworth resident, is proud of the borough he calls home.
“I always say ‘Ellsworth strong,’ just like every other small community,” Segedi said. “We survived the mine closing. … I’d say right now we’re thriving. We have a very, very good council. We have a great mayor and some good workers.”
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta recently presented the borough with a Senate resolution recognizing the milestone.