PA Route 6 Alliance: Supporting a scenic heritage corridor

PA Route 6 Alliance: Supporting a scenic heritage corridor

Warren, McKean, Potter & Tioga Counties | Pine Creek Valley & the PA Grand Canyon, Dark Skies, and the Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds

Route 6, The Grand Army Highway, so named to honor the Union forces during the Civil War, can be traced back to 1807. Even to this day, Route 6 is one of the longest highways in the nation. 

The PA Route 6 Alliance champions the Pennsylvania section of this transcontinental highway, promoting the plethora of rich heritage and beauty still alive along the route. The Alliance has managed to unite 11 counties, 9 convention and visitor bureaus, 4 heritage areas, local development districts, local business owners, Chambers of Commerce, and other interested parties along this 400 mile corridor. The highway extends across the entire state, with a long stretch of it passing through three PA Wilds Landscapes, including: Pine Creek Valley & the PA Grand Canyon, Dark Skies, and the Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds.

The PA Route 6 Alliance, formed in 2003, is a non-profit organization that provides services to artisans and business owners, organizations, heritage promoters and communities along the northern part of Pennsylvania. It works to promote tourism and foster ways to build more sustainable local economies that, in turn, enhance the quality of life in every community along PA Route 6.  To accomplish this, the Alliance creates partnerships with other groups and sponsors programs and services that fulfill their mission of protecting, preserving and promoting the scenic, cultural, historical and recreational resources along Route 6.

One of their standout programs is the Artisan Trail which promotes the vibrant culture of craftsmanship and creativity that exists along this route in PA. The Façade Program is another way that the group is able to help communities and members, enabling upgrades to buildings and storefronts, installation of signage, and preservation of historic beauty. 

Road trips on Route 6 have something to offer all ages and walks of life.  There are historic sites, national and state parks, artist studios, and quaint rural towns to visit and explore.  If you incorporate Route 6 in your trip across the PA Wilds counties of McKean, Potter, Tioga and Warren, you won’t be disappointed. PA Route 6 is one of just two designated Heritage Areas in the PA Wilds region.

The PA Route 6 Alliance is a valuable asset within the PA Wilds and the entire northern tier corridor of Pennsylvania; and like the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, which manages the Wilds Cooperative of PA program, it is assisting communities and businesses to help maintain, preserve and strengthen them for generations to come.

PA Route 6 Alliance is a Resource Partner member of the Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania. Learn more about the PA Route 6 Alliance and leave them a review or recommendation on their WCO profile.


RECENT WCO MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS

  • Entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders connect at Spring 2025 WCO Member Meeting in Williamsport
    Current and potential members of the Wilds Cooperative of PA met at Lycoming Arts in Williamsport on Tuesday, April 29 for the first of two WCO Membership Meetings in 2025. These meetings are held twice a year, typically with the spring meeting on the eastern side of the Pennsylvania Wilds region and the fall meeting on the western side, giving as many Wilds Cooperative (WCO) members as possible the chance to attend. The Kellettville Campground in Tionesta will host the fall WCO Membership Meeting on September 23, 2025.
  • Otto Bookstore: Where the books are calling
    Nestled in the heart of downtown Williamsport, PA in the I-80 Frontier landscape of the PA Wilds Region is the Otto Bookstore. Established in 1841 by Alexander M. Dean and named for his partner H.Y. Otto, the bookstore has been a cornerstone of literary culture.
  • Edge of the Woods Photography: Highlighting the beauty of the PA Wilds through photography and more
    Bernadette Chiaramonte, the owner of Edge of the Woods Photography, is a multi-talented artist and Juried artisan of the Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania. Nestled in the serene Pine Creek Valley and PA Grand Canyon Landscape of the PA Wilds, Chiaramonte draws inspiration for her artwork from her surroundings. Her passion for art and nature can be seen throughout all her creative endeavors.

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