7 Western PA Locations Where “The Pale Blue Eye” Was Filmed

The Compass Inn Museum sits right along the Old Lincoln Highway on the western side of Laurel Mountain.
The Compass Inn Museum sits right along the Old Lincoln Highway on the western side of Laurel Mountain.

“The Pale Blue Eye” is a Netflix murder-mystery, set in the 1830s and starring Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Fred Hechinger, Gillian Anderson, and Robert Duvall, to name just some of cast members.


While the storyline of “The Pale Blue Eye” is set at West Point in New York, the bulk of the movie was actually filmed in western PA.

Scenes from the movie "The Pale Blue Eye" were filmed at the Compass Inn Museum in Westmoreland County PA.
Scenes from the movie “The Pale Blue Eye” were filmed in several historic spots in western PA.

What follows is a list of seven historic western PA locations where scenes from “The Pale Blue Eye” were filmed.

McConnells Mill and Covered Bridge at McConnells Mill State Park.
McConnells Mill is prominently featured in The Pale Blue Eye.

1. Westminster College in Lawrence County

Westminster College in New Wilmington is used to portray West Point in The Pale Blue Eye, in large part because of the beautiful Collegiate Gothic architectural stylings of the buildings on campus.

Westminster College in Lawrence County was a filming location for the Netflix movie The Pale Blue Eye.
The Collegiate Gothic-style buildings at Westminster College in Lawrence County are evident on this vintage postcard image.

2. Old Economy Village in Beaver County

Old Economy Village in Beaver County is a National Historic Landmark and was once the home of the Harmony Society, a religious communal group that sought to create a utopia inhabited by German Lutheran separatists.

Old Economy Village in Beaver County was a filming location for the Netflix movie The Pale Blue Eye.
Old Economy Village in Beaver County was used to film scenes from The Pale Blue Eye.

3. The Compass Inn Museum in Westmoreland County

The Compass Inn Museum in Westmoreland County is a historically-accurate representation of what an early-to-mid 1800s stagecoach stop would have looked like.

The Compass Inn Museum regular season runs May through October.
The Compass Inn Museum along Route 30 in Laughlintown.

The Compass Inn Museum’s blacksmith shop was used to portray a tavern in The Pale Blue Eye.

Many taverns and inns of this time period had blacksmith shops to repair wagons and stagecoaches.
The blacksmith shop at the Compass Inn Museum.

4. McConnell’s Mill State Park in Lawrence County

The historic gristmill at McConnell’s Mill State Park is instantly recognizable in the movie trailer to anyone familiar with this western PA state park.

McConnells Mill in Lawrence County Pennsylvania.
McConnell’s Mill in Lawrence County was used to film scenes from The Pale Blue Eye.

5. Moraine State Park in Butler County

Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park was used to portray the Hudson River.

Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park on a September morning.
Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park was used to film scenes in The Pale Blue Eye.

6. Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh

Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh is one of the most historic cemeteries in western PA, and a natural fit for filming cemetery scenes set in the 1830s (even though the cemetery didn’t open until 1844).

Allegheny Cemetery in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh was a filming location for the Netflix movie The Pale Blue Eye.
Entrance to Allegheny Cemetery in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, pictured here on a vintage postcard.

7. Penguin Court and Thomas Road Farm in Westmoreland County

Penguin Court and Thomas Road Farm is a 1,089 acre nature preserve, composed of both forest and farmland, owned by the Brandywine Conservancy and used to film various outdoor scenes in The Pale Blue Eye.

The Thomas Road Farm in Westmoreland County was a filming location for the Netflix movie The Pale Blue Eye.
The Thomas Road Farm in Westmoreland County.

Nearby Attractions

Historic Hanna’s Town, established in 1773, was the first county seat of Westmoreland County, and hosted the first English courts west of the Allegheny Mountains!

Exploring Historic Hanna's Town in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania.
The Hanna’s Town historic site consists of the reconstructed Hanna’s Tavern, three re-located log houses, the reconstructed fort, and an excellent museum.

Linn Run State Park is a nearby 612 acre park popular with hikers, campers, and picnickers.

Looking down on Adams Falls at Linn Run State Park after heavy spring rains.
Adam Falls at Linn Run State Park in Westmoreland County.

Fort Ligonier in Westmoreland County is a historically accurate reproduction of a British fort originally constructed in 1758 during what would become known as the French and Indian War.

Fort Ligonier on a late summer morning.
Fort Ligonier on a late summer morning.

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Rusty Glessner
Rusty Glessner is a professional photographer, lifelong Pennsylvanian, and a frequently-cited authority on PA's best travel destinations.