If you’re looking for the best things to see and do in Butler County, you’re in the right place!
The county was formed in 1800 and is named in honor of General Richard Butler, who served with General George Washington in the Continental Army.
Constructed in 1885, the county courthouse in downtown Butler is a three-story brick and sandstone building that showcases the High Victorian Gothic style, featuring a prominent central four-faced clock tower topped with two double pyramid-shaped roofs.
Butler County is known as the “birthplace of the Jeep”.
Butler County is also the birthplace of Bret Michael Sychak, better known as Bret Michaels, frontman of the rock band Poison.
From state parks to museums to roadside attractions, here are 5 of the best things to see and do in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
Simply click on the blue text links on the map above or in the descriptions below to read more in-depth information about each destination.
1. Moraine State Park
Moraine State Park is a 16,725-acre recreational area named for its hilly deposits of gravel, sand and clay (moraines) that were deposited at the end of the last glacial period (about 12,500 years ago).
The centerpiece of Moraine State Park is 3,225 acre Lake Arthur, a man-made version of an even larger glacial lake that once existed in this same area thousands of years ago.
Lake Arthur features 42 miles of shoreline, as well as numerous boat launches, fishing jetties, and swimming areas.
Lake Arthur was even cast in a feature film, used to portray the Hudson River in The Pale Blue Eye starring Christian Bale.
And 21 year-old George Washington (yes THAT George Washington) is believed to have passed through what is now Moraine State Park in 1753, on a mission to evict the French from territory claimed by the British.
2. The Maridon Museum
The Maridon Museum in downtown Butler is the only museum in Western Pennsylvania specifically focused on Asian art and culture.
The museum’s permanent collection includes over 800 art objects, including jade and ivory sculptures, tapestries, paintings, vases, and other assorted artifacts.
The Maridon Museum is named after Mary Hulton Phillips and husband Don Phillips, Don being the grandson of the founder of T. W. Phillips Gas and Oil Company, also based in Butler.
All of the items on display at the museum were personally collected over a lifetime by Mary Hulton Phillips.
3. Playthings, Etc.
Playthings Etc. is a stealth bomber-shaped toy store along Route 8 in Butler County, billed by the owners as “The World’s Coolest Toy Store!”
In this aerial view (provided by the store) you can REALLY see just how closely the structure resembles the once top-secret aircraft.
Inside you’ll experience a space-age atmosphere where you can try many of the 6,000 toys on display.
4. The Snowman
The Snowman is a one-of-a-kind, 13 foot-tall concession stand in Butler County that dispenses delicious frozen treats from his round white belly!
The Snowman is believed to have been built as a one-off mobile concession stand in New Mexico in the 1970s, according to owner Brian LaChance.
Looking for a way to capitalize on the traffic driving past their property en route to Moraine State Park (which sees nearly 2 million visitors/year), Brian and his wife Debbie purchased the Snowman in Cincinnati in 2013 and set up shop on a plot of land next to their house.
5. The Mars Flying Saucer
The Mars Flying Saucer is a spaceship-themed roadside attraction in the small town of Mars, Pennsylvania, 25 miles north of Pittsburgh.
The town is believed to be named after the Red Planet, which in turn was named after the Roman god of war.
It occupies a prominent spot in a downtown park, next to a ship’s bell from the USS Mars, a Vietnam War-era Navy ship named after the town.
But it’s the Flying Saucer that has made Mars a popular pitstop for folks that seek out the unusual roadside attractions dotting PA’s landscape.
Nearby Attractions
Yellow Dog Village in neighboring Armstrong County is a former mining company town dating back to the early 1900s that has been called “Pennsylvania’s Best Ghost Town!”
24 Must-See Attractions in Allegheny County is your guide to some of the best things to see and do in Butler County’s neighbor to the south.
McConnells Mill State Park, in neighboring Lawrence County, encompasses 2,546 acres of the spectacular Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, which is a National Natural Landmark.
Quaker Falls is a 50 foot-tall waterfall in the newly-created Quaker Falls Recreation Area in Lawrence County.
Buttermilk Falls is located in neighboring Beaver County, and is one of a handful of Pennsylvania waterfalls that you can stand BEHIND!
Brady’s Bend Overlook in neighboring Clarion County is a fantastic roadside vista perched some 520 feet above the Allegheny River.
Did you enjoy this article?
If so, be sure to like and follow PA Bucket List on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pinterest to learn more about the best things to see and do in Pennsylvania!
Click on any of the icons below to get connected to PA Bucket List on social media.
