The steep old Monongahela Valley town of Brownsville has been so well documented in its decline that it seems almost unfair to mention it. This city has fallen on some very hard times.
With block after block of empty storefronts, Brownsville appears in numerous movies where an abandoned is called for. Some of them are pretty bad movies, too. And yet, there's a dark loveliness to the place, too. It's got steep brick streets, broad views of the river, and nice overlooks.
The town was established in 1785, and it has a proud history. Just as in McKeesport, the Baptist faith does not seem to have fared very well here.
Parts of the so-called "Nemacolin Castle" were built in the 1700s. It sits in a neighborhood of fine old houses with beautiful gardens, overlooking the mostly derelict city. I think this used to be a museum and conference center--or at least a B&B--but its website is defunct.
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