When Harold and Pat Glasser decided to build a campground back in 1956, Harold’s vision was to create a place where friends and family could gather and relax. After the Glassers purchased land and cleared away an old farmhouse, Harold and a few friends would work diligently each summer to create what is now OHI member-park Rustic Acres RV Resort & Campground.
The campground expanded bit by bit over the years as the Glassers began allowing guests to park their RVs on the grounds so that other families could enjoy a weekend away. Rustic Acres also welcomed travelers who would stop for an overnight stay on their way to their next destination. The campground officially opened to the public in 1960, but it would take the family until 1976 to fully realize Harold’s vision. What initially started as a small camp for family and friends blossomed into a 24-acre, family-friendly campground that now welcomes an average of 100 families each weekend during its busy season from April to November. Many of these guests are legacy patrons whose families have been visiting Rustic Acres for years.
In its 65-year history, Rustic Acres has had only three owners—the Glassers, the Swartouts, and now, Scott and Toni Pridemore who purchased the campground in 2013 and who have since made many upgrades to the property. Three of the Pridemore’s four daughters and their families, Cassandra and Dave Rennick, Christin and Jimmy Milnes and Allie and Ryan McCommon, also help run the campground.
Toni says that their true “secret sauce” and the key to their success is their awesome guests. “We believe any time a family is together is cause for celebration,” she says. “We have been blessed with the opportunity to have front row seats to see families grow and evolve and to meet many wonderful new families. We are grateful for the experience.”
Rustic Acres offers full-service RV sites, primitive tent sites and a variety of camper rentals. Its recreational amenities include horseshoes, shuffleboard, a children’s playground, a wading creek, basketball, volleyball and hiking trails. Set in the beautiful countryside of Western Pennsylvania, the campground also offers easy access to the Clarion and Allegheny Rivers and is located adjacent to 3,000 acres of wooded Pennsylvania state game lands offering public hunting and fishing for both large and small game.
The Pridemore family believes that each day brings an opportunity to greet a returning friend or meet a new one. They respect how hard their guests work and play, but mostly how valuable their leisure time is. They believe it is their job to provide opportunities for families to have face-to-face family time as well as time to relax and renew.
While the campground has grown over time and has added newer and more modern accommodations, one element has always remained consistent. At the heart of it, Rustic Acres has always been a family-friendly campground with a focus on simple family values.
The Pridemore family is planning a full summer of celebrations with its guests to honor the campground’s 65-year legacy. “It is both exciting and humbling to celebrate this benchmark.” Toni says.
