A $220,000 River Cottage on the Allegheny, Private Road and All
$220,000
Kennerdell sits along the Allegheny River in Venango County, about an hour and a half from Pittsburgh — close enough for weekend trips, far enough to actually feel like the city's been left behind. This cottage sits on a private road in Scrubgrass Township, the kind of quiet approach that tells you what to expect before the water even comes into view.
Inside, the cottage has been updated in the places that matter most: a refreshed kitchen and bathroom, plus a new mini-split system for heating and cooling year-round. Two bedrooms and one bath fill out 1,000 square feet, built in 1900 but clearly cared for since — a spacious living room opens into a dining room, and a sliding door off the back leads straight to a deck framing the river views that are the real reason to buy this place. A laundry area with its own skylight, a shed, and off-street parking round out the practical side, and boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking are all within reach without leaving the property.
At $220,000, or roughly $220 a square foot, this is one of the more affordable ways into genuine river living on this stretch of the Allegheny — a small, well-kept cottage rather than a fixer, on a private road, with the water right there. This is a for-sale-by-owner listing with no listing agent involved, so bring a buyer's agent or attorney to handle the offer and closing rather than relying on the seller to represent both sides.
Life at the Water
Water Access & Depth
The cottage sits directly along the Allegheny River in Kennerdell, with a deck positioned to frame the river view and boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking all listed as available right from the property. No specific frontage footage is given in the listing, so confirm the exact riverbank boundary and any access easements with the seller before closing.
Recreation & Boating
This stretch of the Allegheny River through Venango County is well regarded for smallmouth bass fishing and sits along the mapped Allegheny River Water Trail, which draws paddlers for canoeing and kayaking trips of all lengths. The current here tends to run gentle rather than whitewater, making it an approachable stretch for a family that wants real water access without technical conditions.
Dock & Waterfront Features
No dock is mentioned for this property, and homes along this stretch of the Allegheny typically rely on direct bank access for launching a canoe or kayak rather than a built dock structure. If a future owner wants to add one, any shoreline structure on the Allegheny would need review through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and potentially the Army Corps of Engineers — worth confirming before assuming anything can be built.
Flood & Insurance Considerations
Western Pennsylvania's river towns, including stretches of the Allegheny, have seen periodic flooding, so pull the FEMA flood zone designation for this specific parcel and get an actual flood insurance quote before closing — a riverside cottage built in 1900 is worth understanding on paper, not just from the deck, especially given the property's age.
Beyond the Property Line
Local Flavor & Small-Town Character
Kennerdell sits in Venango County along the Allegheny River, a small unincorporated community known mostly to locals and river regulars rather than tourists. A few miles downriver, Foxburg is the area's cultural anchor — home to Foxburg Country Club, one of the oldest golf clubs in continuous use in the country, founded in 1887, plus Foxburg Wine Cellars for an afternoon tasting.
Outdoor Recreation & Natural Surroundings
Freedom Falls, a wooded waterfall walk near Kennerdell, gives hikers a nearby payoff beyond the water itself, and the river's downstream stretch through Foxburg connects to the mapped Allegheny River Water Trail for longer paddling and canoe trips. Between the smallmouth bass fishing and the water trail access, outdoor days here don't require driving anywhere.
Listed on Zillow
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