Its main street, PA Route 28-66, is a major thoroughfare between the Pittsburgh metropolitan region and northcentral Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Route 28 passes through the borough, crossing Redbank Creek into South Bethlehem, then leading southwest 20 miles (32 km) to Kittanning on the Allegheny River.

[7] One of the prominent early settlers of the borough was Henry "Gum" Nolf (alternative spellings include Nulph), who built the first store, grist-, and saw-mill.

Though the town is home to the Smucker's peanut butter factory, the company does not sponsor the festival.

Smucker also provided a $2,000 and $1,000 savings bond to the winner and first runner-up, respectively, of the Peanut Butter Festival Queen competition in 2018.

The Peanut Butter Festival is a Redbank Valley Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event and is mainly set in the Gumtown Park.

[17] Reports state that the Redbank Creek was over seven feet above flood stage, and much of the downtown area was underwater.

The trail extends 41 miles from the Allegheny River, winding along the Redbank Creek to Brookville.

[18] The trail is built on a former rail corridor with the final train traveling through New Bethlehem on November 5, 2007, removing the tracks as it moved toward Brookville.