SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

(Redirected from Schuylkill County, PA)

'Schuylkill County' is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania where the Schuylkill River starts. It is located in the heart of the anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania. Schuylkill County was created on March 1, 1811 from parts of Berks and Northampton Counties and named for the Schuylkill River. As of 2000, the population was 150,336. Pottsville is the county seat.

Contents
Railroad history
Geography
Adjacent counties
Notable natives and residents
Demographics
Municipalities
Cities
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated places
Education
Colleges and Universities
Public School Districts
See also
External links

Railroad history


The Reading and Pennsylvania railroad: In the early 1800s southern Schuylkill County was served by the Union Canal out of Pine Grove with connections west, and the Schuylkill canal southward from Port Carbon. To the north, Broad Mountain was a natural barrier to navigation. Other means would be required to transport coal out of the rich basin of the Mahanoy Valley. Numerous railroads were begun north of the headwaters of the Schuylkill Canal.
Through the 1830s and 40s, short railroads sprouted up at numerous areas in the county. Of prime importance was the Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven, which served the Schuylkill Canal. Chartered in 1831, tracks were laid from the "flats" in Schuylkill Haven along the river through Cressona and Minersville to Tremont. The railroad eventually reached Ashland and Locust Gap via the Gordon Planes.
Construction beginning in 1829, the Little Schuylkill Railroad ran from Port Clinton northward to Mahanoy Junction above Tamaqua. It would become the keystone of the Pennsylvania and Reading system, serving as a gauntlet for its eastern and western branches. Connecting with it were four important lines. The 146 mile (235 km) Catawissa Railroad operated from Mahanoy Junction to West Milton, providing access to the Mahanoy region by joining the northern terminus of the Little Schuylkill with connections to New York and Scranton. At Port Clinton, it connected with the P&R's main line from Mount Carbon. Its most important connection would be with the Mahanoy and Broad Mountain Railway via Mahanoy Tunnel and East Mahanoy Railroad.
There was once over 1,000 miles (1600 km) of railroad track in Schuylkill County.

Geography


According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,027 km² (783 mi²). 2,016 km² (778 mi²) of it is land and 11 km² (4 mi²) of it (0.54%) is water.
The Schuylkill River headwaters are found in the county, starting in the Appalachian Mountains, and flows through many towns and the city of Reading, Pennsylvania to Philadelphia where it flows into the Delaware River. To the south, southern Schuylkill county is home to Blue Mountain and Appalachian Trail.
Adjacent counties


Luzerne County (north)

Carbon County (northeast)

Lehigh County (southeast)

Berks County (south)

Lebanon County (southwest)

Dauphin County (southwest)

Northumberland County (northwest)

Columbia County (northwest)

Notable natives and residents



John O'Hara - a short story writer and best-selling novelist, brought Pottsville into the national spotlight through his "Gibbsville" stories, accounts of 1920s Pottsville socialites. O'Hara's single family home is located at 606 Mahantongo Street, Pottsville.

★ The Molly Maguires, a clandestine society of Irish miners who engaged in a violent confrontation with Pennsylvania mining companies in the 19th century.

Conrad Richter, award-winning American novelist. Books written by Richter include The Light in the Forest and the Awakening Land trilogy. He was born in Pine Grove.

George Washington Deitzler, Born in Pine Grove, November 30, 1826. Moved to Kansas and became a prominent member of the Free-State Party, Kansas Territorial Speaker of the House of Representatives, Territorial Senator, and Mayor of Lawrence, Kansas. Most notably, he raised the 1st Kansas Volunteer Regiment and was appointed Colonel by Kansas Territorial Governor Charles Robinson. He went on to fight in several battles of the Civil War including Vickburg but is most famous for his leadership of the Kansas Militia in the Battle of Westport. (Taken from Article by Christopher Alan Edwards, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, website: suvew.org/mollus)

★ General George Joulwan (retired), was Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, from 1993-97. General Joulwan was born in Pottsville.

★ Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania.

★ Judge John E. Jones III of the 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District Intelligent design trial.

Demographics


As of the census² of 2000, there were 150,336 people, 60,530 households, and 40,131 families residing in the county. The population density was 75/km² (193/mi²). There were 67,806 housing units at an average density of 34/km² (87/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.62% White, 2.09% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population. 29.0% were of German, 14.1% Irish, 9.7% Polish, 7.5% Italian, 5.6% American and 5.1% Lithuanian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 60,530 households out of which 26.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.40% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 29.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out with 20.90% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.
Schuylkill County is one of the most heavily Lithuanian parts of the United States. New Philadelphia, West Mahanoy, Shenandoah, and Girardville have the highest proportions of Lithuanian Americans of all places in the country. Irish Americans and Polish Americans are also predominant.

Municipalities


Farming near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania.

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, , and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Schuylkill County:
Cities


Pottsville

Boroughs


Ashland
Auburn
Coaldale
Cressona
Deer Lake
Frackville
Gilberton
Girardville
Gordon
Landingville

Mahanoy City
McAdoo
Mechanicsville
Middleport
Minersville
Mount Carbon
New Philadelphia
New Ringgold
Orwigsburg
Palo Alto

Pine Grove
Port Carbon
Port Clinton
Ringtown
Schuylkill Haven
Shenandoah
St. Clair
Tamaqua
Tower City
Tremont

Map of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Townships


Barry Township
Blythe Township
Branch Township
Butler Township
Cass Township
Delano Township
East Brunswick Township
East Norwegian Township
East Union Township
Eldred Township
Foster Township
Frailey Township

Hegins Township
Hubley Township
Kline Township
Mahanoy Township
New Castle Township
North Manheim Township
North Union Township
Norwegian Township
Pine Grove Township
Porter Township
Reilly Township
Rush Township

Ryan Township
Schuylkill Township
South Manheim Township
Tremont Township
Union Township
Upper Mahantongo Township
Walker Township
Washington Township
Wayne Township
West Brunswick Township
West Mahanoy Township
West Penn Township

Census-designated places

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

Altamont
Beurys Lake
Branchdale
Brandonville
Buck Run
Delano
Donaldson
Duncott
Englewood
Forrestville

Fountain Springs
Friedensburg
Grier City-Park Crest
Heckscherville
Hometown
Klingerstown
Lake Wynonah
Lavelle-Locustdale
Marlin
McKeansburg

New Boston-Morea
Newtown
Nuremberg
Oneida
Ravine
Reinerton-Orwin-Muir
Renningers
Seltzer
Shenandoah Heights
Sheppton

Summit Station
Tuscarora
Valley View
Weishample

Education


Colleges and Universities


Penn State Schuylkill Campus, located in Schuylkill Haven

Schuylkill Institute of Business and Technology, located in Pottsville

McCann School of Business and Technology, located in Pottsville

Lehigh Carbon Community College - Morgan Center, Tamaqua
Public School Districts

Map of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts


Blue Mountain School District

Hazleton Area School District (also in Luzerne County)

Mahanoy Area School District

Minersville Area School District

North Schuylkill School District (also in Columbia County)

Panther Valley School District (also in Carbon County)

Pine Grove Area School District

Pottsville Area School District

Saint Clair Area School District

Schuylkill Haven Area School District

Shenandoah Valley School District

Tamaqua Area School District

Tri-Valley School District

Williams Valley School District (also in Dauphin County)

See also



Anthracite

Coal Region

John O'Hara

Mahantongo

Mahanoy

Molly Maguires

Necho Allen

Reading Company

Schuylkill River

External links



Schuylkill County Historical Society

Schuylkill Chamber of commerce

Schuylkill County Fire Companies

Anthracite Miners

Black Diamonds Anthacite Coal region

The Great "''Bootleg''" Coal Industry in Pennsylvania

Mining the Anthacite coal country long ago abdicated in this Pennsylvania region starting in ''Mahanoy City''

Necho Allen by George Luks; the legend of Necho Allen, often credited with being the first white man to "discover" coal in Schuylkill County

North East Rails, ''Reading to Pottsville, Pennsylvania'' and the Anthracite Coal Region ''of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania''.

''Porter Tunnel Mine Disaster'' Kocher Coal Company Tower City, 'Schuylkill County', Pennsylvania March 1,1977 (''9 Killed'')

Roadside America, ''Miniature Village''

Scrap book of Historical Schuylkill county Pictures, people, and places, Barb Lavin

Schuylkill county History

The name Schuylkill

''USGS Mining'' drainage and the Schuylkill River

Go PA Outdoors Schuykill County offers a wide array of outdoor activities to satisfy any sports enthusiast's needs including fishing, hunting, camping and hiking.

Upper Schuylkill

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