Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Philipsburg is a borough
in Centre County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is located at 40°53′42"N 78°13′09"W (40.895, -78.2193). It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city proper contained 3,056 people at the 2000 census, while its urban area, which includes neighboring Chester Hill
, North Philipsburg
, and South Philipsburg
, contained a total of 5,480 people.
, the borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land. Major roads through the area are US Route 322 and State Routes 350, 504, and 53.
After coming to America, James and Henry Philips started an export
ing business with their base being Philadelphia. Their record books include accounts in Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Alexandria
, Norfolk
, New York and Charleston
. Business was also transacted in the West Indies. Imports included cocoa bean, ginger
, molasses
, rum
, pimento
, and tea
. The main exports were timber and furs.
In later years Hardman Philips wrote the following account. “The property was a complete wilderness without a road, and my brother expended considerable sums making the first improvements such as roads, a saw mill and grist mill, etc., having to be carried by pack horse from thirty to fifty miles.”
Then land was unsettled virgin woods. Its only inhabitants were a few native Cornplanter
Indians, who being friendly gave no resistance to the changes that wer about to take place.
The date of Philipsburg’s founding is well documented in the Day Books and ledgers kept by Henry Philips who located at Milesburg
in 1796, a village laid out, only three years before. It was here that Philips kept a store making supplies available to all of those pushing westward.
The original survey of the area was done by a Polish ex-baron, Charles Trcziyulny (also spelled Treziyulny) and his associate, Mr. Behe. Trcziyulny is credited with deciding the location and layout of the new town of Mushannon (Moshannon), meaning "Black Water" renamed Philipsburg.
In the years of 1775 – 96 Mr. Henry Philips, John Leigh Philips and Brothers, purchased for the sum of $173,000, a large tract of land consisting of approximately 350000 acres (1,416.4 km²) on the western slope of the Allegheny mountain. Several reports have stated that this land was purchased at auction on the streets of Philadelphia at two cents per acre.
Late in 1776 Philips came into the area in order to supervise the development of his holdings. The first settlers and their families who were willing to come and settle in Moshannon were promised a town lot and four additional acres of land outside of the village. By means of less than honest advertising, Philips told of a town already developed. However, the promise of free land to the first twelve men who would come with the intention of staying helped Philips reach his goal.
The location of the town was considered suitable for several reasons. It was close to Moshannon Creek
which served as a major supply of water and a method of transporting logs to the lumber mill. Also, the general area was elevated enough to offer protection from any possible flooding of the Moshannon, but not so steep allowing for home and street construction. Finally, a state highway completed in 1796 offered easier access to nearby towns.
John Henry Simler arrived in America in 1780 having volunteered in Armand's Corps seeing active duty in the American Revolution
. It is believed that most of these men came to Philipsburg from Standing Stone (Huntingdon)
, Huntingdon County
.
An advertisement appearing in a Huntingdon Newspaper dated November 26, 1802 gave some people understanding to the problems and end result of some who came to Philipsburg in 1797.
“Settlement of Philipsburg”
“Whereas several persons have left the above Settlement, and are now supposed to be in Huntingdon or the Neighborhood. This is to give notice that unless they return on or before the first of January next, their improvements will be considered as forfeited to the Company and disposed of conformably with the agreements.”
James Philips
The Philips ledger reveals that a portion, if not all of the original twelve settlers of Philipsburg had arrived in the spring of 1797. The Day-Book of the Milesborough (Milesburg) store shows additional entries showing that the first of these men arrived as early as February 7, of that year.
What they found upon their arrival in (Moshannon) Philipsburg was a total wilderness. The land was covered with a heavy forest inhabited by wild animals. The only sign of anyone being there before were axe markings showing the location of future streets and home lots. The dense forest was of hemlock, spruce
, and pine trees
with great thickets of laurel under brush. Some of the pine trees were reported to have been from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet in height.
As stated in the ad, some soon became discouraged and returned to settlements and towns to the East. Each of them forfeited the lots given to them by the Philips brothers. Some stayed longer, but in the end John G. Shultz was the only one of the original twelve to stay for the remainder of his life.
An early report states “There was some terrible cursing and swearing done by some of the pioneers when they arrived; they cursed the place, the Philips brothers and their agents for their deception.” The agent for the Philips Company had told them the Moshannon “River” was a navigable stream large enough for sloops to sail right up to their town, and provisions were cheap and plentiful. Provided that any provisions could be had at all. So much for truth in advertising.
The nearest neighbor was the town of Bellefonte
some twenty-eight miles away. There was a small number of Native American
camps with a few of the Cornplanter tribe still remaining. The “Indians” were friendly giving the settlers little or no problems.
In 1796 the State road
was completed through the area. In 1797 both Henry and James Philips came to their new town. With them came a number of willing men who began the work of clearing the land. Along with these general improvements was the building of a large log home for the Philips brothers located at what was at the time the lower end of town. Additional improvements included a grist mill and a small sawmill located on the Cold Stream then about half a mile east of the town.
Although there are no remaining records to show the exact extent of improvements made in 1797 and in turn how much land was cleared or how many cabins were built. It is known that the settlers were successful in putting up and making habitable several buildings in which they resided during the first, spring, summer, and following winter.
Henry Philips due to poor health returned to Philadelphia in 1799 where he died a year later. Upon his death his brothers James and Nathaniel became the executors of the estate.
Upon the death of James in 1809, the youngest of the Philips brothers, Hardman, came to Philipsburg to carry on and continue the development of the estate. Through family agreement and an act of the Pennsylvania State Senate
, Hardman became the sole owner.
During the time of Hardman Philips, he initiated an intensive effort to populate and industrialize the area. One of his first projects was the building of a manor house in 1813. This house is still standing and is presently known as Halehurst.
A map dated 1813 show less than thirty buildings in the small town. In 1817 a forge and saw mill were constructed. In 1820 the turnpike leading from Philipsburg through Clearfield
to Curwensville
was completed. The first screw factory in the United States and a bridge over the Moshannon Creek were built in 1821 along with the completion of the turnpike between Philipsburg and Bellefonte.
From 1814 to 1834 the town of Philipsburg saw continued growth, and as long as Hardman Philips continued to spend money on the development of the area the population grew.
With the bypassing of the railroad and canal system Philipsburg entered a temporary period of little to no growth until 1864 when a rail line from Tyrone
to Clearfield
was finally completed. That same year the first bank was established and the town of Philipsburg was incorporated.
A house built by one of the settlers has been renewed and stands today on the corner of N 2nd Street and E Laurel St in the downtown area.
It should also be noted that according to his own journals, and surviving letters and documents, Hardman Philips, as early as 1832, had attempted to build a railroad that would connect Philipsburg to the Pennsylvania Canal. While it would be a far-fetched idea to claim the railroad would have caused the town to develop into a bustling city. The railroad could have helped create a "steel and iron city" some 50 years before Pittsburgh truly took off.
However, despite Philips' repeated attempts to secure both funding and public support for the project, the railroad never got off the drawing board. This was due in large part to political maneuvering by local Democrats who held a disdain for Philips' aristocratic Whig tendencies. Interestingly enough when the railroad was put in to Philipsburg, it used the exact plans and coordinates that Philips had laid some 60 years prior.
Because of this and other economic hardships Philipsburg has experienced many booms and busts over the years. Including the most recent depression in the 1980s. Two local groups, the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership and the Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation have and continue to put forth a valiant effort to bring back Philipsburg's economy. To learn more go to www.mvedp.org or www.philipsburgpa.org
(located on Front Street), The Union Church and Burial Ground
(also known as the "Mud" Church, on Presqueisle Street), the Simler House (on North Second St), and Halehurst (located off Presqueisle Street near Ninth Street), thought to be a stop on The Underground Railroad, although no evidence to support this has been published. The Rowland Mansion, former home of U.S. Congressman Charles Hedding Rowland
, suffered damage from a recent fire. It has since been repaired and reopened as a bed and breakfast and is Philipsburg's most recent addition to the National Register of Historic places.
The Philipsburg Historic District
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1999.
of 2000, there were 3,056 people, 1,375 households, and 790 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,727.0 people per square mile (1,438.9/km²). There were 1,527 housing units at an average density of 1,862.3/sq mi (719.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.0% White, 1.17% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.
There were 1,375 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples
living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $28,356, and the median income for a family was $36,667. Males had a median income of $28,537 versus $21,382 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $16,002. 14.5% of the population and 9.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 19.3% are under the age of 18 and 13.8% are 65 or older.
The Philipsburg-Osceola School District
is the school district
that serves the Philipsburg area.
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in Centre County
Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located at 40°53′42"N 78°13′09"W (40.895, -78.2193). It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city proper contained 3,056 people at the 2000 census, while its urban area, which includes neighboring Chester Hill
Chester Hill, Pennsylvania
Chester Hill is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 918 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Chester Hill is located at ....
, North Philipsburg
North Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
North Philipsburg is a census-designated place in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and South Philipsburg
South Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
South Philipsburg is a landfill in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 438 at the 2000 census...
, contained a total of 5,480 people.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land. Major roads through the area are US Route 322 and State Routes 350, 504, and 53.
Schools
- Philipsburg Elementary
- Philipsburg Osceola Junior High School
- Philipsburg Osceola Senior High School
- North Lincoln Hill Elementary
- Osceola Mills Elementary
Original Settlers
- James Philips
- Henry Philips
- Dr. Conrad Bergman (Barrickman) – Upper SaxonyUpper SaxonyUpper Saxony was a name given to the majority of the German lands held by the House of Wettin, in what is now called Mitteldeutschland....
- Joseph Barth (Bart) – Strassburg, AlsaceAlsaceAlsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
- Jacob Diemeling – Württemberg
- Eberhart Klumbach – GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- William Leary – Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
- Rev./Dr. Leipoldt – Germany
- Jacob Meyer (Myer) – Germany
- James McAuley – ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- Christian Ries (Rees) – Hesse-KasselHesse-KasselThe Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
- John Henry Simler – Saxe Coburg
- John Shiloh (Schilloh) – Germany
- John G. Schultz – MagdeburgMagdeburgMagdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
, Lower SaxonyLower SaxonyLower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
After coming to America, James and Henry Philips started an export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
ing business with their base being Philadelphia. Their record books include accounts in Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, New York and Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. Business was also transacted in the West Indies. Imports included cocoa bean, ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
, molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
, rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
, pimento
Pimento
A pimento or cherry pepper is a variety of large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper that measures 3 to 4 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide . The flesh of the pimento is sweet, succulent and more aromatic than that of the red bell pepper...
, and tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
. The main exports were timber and furs.
In later years Hardman Philips wrote the following account. “The property was a complete wilderness without a road, and my brother expended considerable sums making the first improvements such as roads, a saw mill and grist mill, etc., having to be carried by pack horse from thirty to fifty miles.”
Then land was unsettled virgin woods. Its only inhabitants were a few native Cornplanter
Cornplanter
Gaiänt'wakê was a Seneca war-chief. He was the son of a Seneca mother, Aliquipiso, and a Dutch father, Johannes Abeel. He also carried the name John Abeel after his fur trader father...
Indians, who being friendly gave no resistance to the changes that wer about to take place.
The date of Philipsburg’s founding is well documented in the Day Books and ledgers kept by Henry Philips who located at Milesburg
Milesburg, Pennsylvania
Milesburg is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,187 at the 2000 census...
in 1796, a village laid out, only three years before. It was here that Philips kept a store making supplies available to all of those pushing westward.
The original survey of the area was done by a Polish ex-baron, Charles Trcziyulny (also spelled Treziyulny) and his associate, Mr. Behe. Trcziyulny is credited with deciding the location and layout of the new town of Mushannon (Moshannon), meaning "Black Water" renamed Philipsburg.
In the years of 1775 – 96 Mr. Henry Philips, John Leigh Philips and Brothers, purchased for the sum of $173,000, a large tract of land consisting of approximately 350000 acres (1,416.4 km²) on the western slope of the Allegheny mountain. Several reports have stated that this land was purchased at auction on the streets of Philadelphia at two cents per acre.
Late in 1776 Philips came into the area in order to supervise the development of his holdings. The first settlers and their families who were willing to come and settle in Moshannon were promised a town lot and four additional acres of land outside of the village. By means of less than honest advertising, Philips told of a town already developed. However, the promise of free land to the first twelve men who would come with the intention of staying helped Philips reach his goal.
The location of the town was considered suitable for several reasons. It was close to Moshannon Creek
Moshannon Creek
Moshannon Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Centre County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Throughout its length, it serves as the boundary between Centre and Clearfield counties....
which served as a major supply of water and a method of transporting logs to the lumber mill. Also, the general area was elevated enough to offer protection from any possible flooding of the Moshannon, but not so steep allowing for home and street construction. Finally, a state highway completed in 1796 offered easier access to nearby towns.
John Henry Simler arrived in America in 1780 having volunteered in Armand's Corps seeing active duty in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. It is believed that most of these men came to Philipsburg from Standing Stone (Huntingdon)
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon is a borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Huntingdon County. It is located along the Juniata River, west of Harrisburg, about halfway between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, in an agricultural and fruit-growing region, with valuable forests and deposits of...
, Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,913.Huntingdon County was created on September 20, 1787, from part of Bedford County. Its county seat is Huntingdon.-Geography:According to the U.S...
.
An advertisement appearing in a Huntingdon Newspaper dated November 26, 1802 gave some people understanding to the problems and end result of some who came to Philipsburg in 1797.
“Settlement of Philipsburg”
“Whereas several persons have left the above Settlement, and are now supposed to be in Huntingdon or the Neighborhood. This is to give notice that unless they return on or before the first of January next, their improvements will be considered as forfeited to the Company and disposed of conformably with the agreements.”
James Philips
The Philips ledger reveals that a portion, if not all of the original twelve settlers of Philipsburg had arrived in the spring of 1797. The Day-Book of the Milesborough (Milesburg) store shows additional entries showing that the first of these men arrived as early as February 7, of that year.
What they found upon their arrival in (Moshannon) Philipsburg was a total wilderness. The land was covered with a heavy forest inhabited by wild animals. The only sign of anyone being there before were axe markings showing the location of future streets and home lots. The dense forest was of hemlock, spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
, and pine trees
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
with great thickets of laurel under brush. Some of the pine trees were reported to have been from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet in height.
As stated in the ad, some soon became discouraged and returned to settlements and towns to the East. Each of them forfeited the lots given to them by the Philips brothers. Some stayed longer, but in the end John G. Shultz was the only one of the original twelve to stay for the remainder of his life.
An early report states “There was some terrible cursing and swearing done by some of the pioneers when they arrived; they cursed the place, the Philips brothers and their agents for their deception.” The agent for the Philips Company had told them the Moshannon “River” was a navigable stream large enough for sloops to sail right up to their town, and provisions were cheap and plentiful. Provided that any provisions could be had at all. So much for truth in advertising.
The nearest neighbor was the town of Bellefonte
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Bellefonte is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies about twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
some twenty-eight miles away. There was a small number of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
camps with a few of the Cornplanter tribe still remaining. The “Indians” were friendly giving the settlers little or no problems.
In 1796 the State road
Pennsylvania Route 504
Pennsylvania Route 504 is an state highway located in Centre county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 53/PA 350 in Philipsburg...
was completed through the area. In 1797 both Henry and James Philips came to their new town. With them came a number of willing men who began the work of clearing the land. Along with these general improvements was the building of a large log home for the Philips brothers located at what was at the time the lower end of town. Additional improvements included a grist mill and a small sawmill located on the Cold Stream then about half a mile east of the town.
Although there are no remaining records to show the exact extent of improvements made in 1797 and in turn how much land was cleared or how many cabins were built. It is known that the settlers were successful in putting up and making habitable several buildings in which they resided during the first, spring, summer, and following winter.
Henry Philips due to poor health returned to Philadelphia in 1799 where he died a year later. Upon his death his brothers James and Nathaniel became the executors of the estate.
Upon the death of James in 1809, the youngest of the Philips brothers, Hardman, came to Philipsburg to carry on and continue the development of the estate. Through family agreement and an act of the Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
, Hardman became the sole owner.
During the time of Hardman Philips, he initiated an intensive effort to populate and industrialize the area. One of his first projects was the building of a manor house in 1813. This house is still standing and is presently known as Halehurst.
A map dated 1813 show less than thirty buildings in the small town. In 1817 a forge and saw mill were constructed. In 1820 the turnpike leading from Philipsburg through Clearfield
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,631 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clearfield County.-Geography:Clearfield is located at ....
to Curwensville
Curwensville, Pennsylvania
Curwensville is a borough located in Clearfield County, Pennsylvaniain the United States of America, northwest of Altoona on the West Branch Susquehanna River. Coal mining, tanning, and the manufacture of fire bricks were the industries at the turn of the 20th century. In 1900, 1,937 people lived...
was completed. The first screw factory in the United States and a bridge over the Moshannon Creek were built in 1821 along with the completion of the turnpike between Philipsburg and Bellefonte.
From 1814 to 1834 the town of Philipsburg saw continued growth, and as long as Hardman Philips continued to spend money on the development of the area the population grew.
With the bypassing of the railroad and canal system Philipsburg entered a temporary period of little to no growth until 1864 when a rail line from Tyrone
Tyrone, Pennsylvania
Tyrone is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Altoona, on the Little Juniata River. Tyrone was of considerable commercial importance in the twentieth century. It was an outlet for the Clearfield coal fields, and it was noted for the manufacture of paper products. There were...
to Clearfield
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,631 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clearfield County.-Geography:Clearfield is located at ....
was finally completed. That same year the first bank was established and the town of Philipsburg was incorporated.
A house built by one of the settlers has been renewed and stands today on the corner of N 2nd Street and E Laurel St in the downtown area.
It should also be noted that according to his own journals, and surviving letters and documents, Hardman Philips, as early as 1832, had attempted to build a railroad that would connect Philipsburg to the Pennsylvania Canal. While it would be a far-fetched idea to claim the railroad would have caused the town to develop into a bustling city. The railroad could have helped create a "steel and iron city" some 50 years before Pittsburgh truly took off.
However, despite Philips' repeated attempts to secure both funding and public support for the project, the railroad never got off the drawing board. This was due in large part to political maneuvering by local Democrats who held a disdain for Philips' aristocratic Whig tendencies. Interestingly enough when the railroad was put in to Philipsburg, it used the exact plans and coordinates that Philips had laid some 60 years prior.
Because of this and other economic hardships Philipsburg has experienced many booms and busts over the years. Including the most recent depression in the 1980s. Two local groups, the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership and the Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation have and continue to put forth a valiant effort to bring back Philipsburg's economy. To learn more go to www.mvedp.org or www.philipsburgpa.org
Historical Landmarks and Places
Philipsburg is home to a number of sites of historical interest, including The Rowland TheaterRowland Theater
The Rowland Theater , located at 127 North Front Street, Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania, is an historic single screen movie theater, built in 1917 by Charles Hedding Rowland.- History :...
(located on Front Street), The Union Church and Burial Ground
Union Church and Burial Ground
Union Church and Burial Ground is a historic church and cemetery on E. Presqueisle Street in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania....
(also known as the "Mud" Church, on Presqueisle Street), the Simler House (on North Second St), and Halehurst (located off Presqueisle Street near Ninth Street), thought to be a stop on The Underground Railroad, although no evidence to support this has been published. The Rowland Mansion, former home of U.S. Congressman Charles Hedding Rowland
Charles Hedding Rowland
Charles Hedding Rowland was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
, suffered damage from a recent fire. It has since been repaired and reopened as a bed and breakfast and is Philipsburg's most recent addition to the National Register of Historic places.
The Philipsburg Historic District
Philipsburg Historic District (Philipsburg, Pennsylvania)
Philipsburg Historic District is a national historic district located at Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 228 contributing buildings and 2 contributing sites in the central business district and surrounding residential areas of Philipsburg. The oldest house is the...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1999.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,056 people, 1,375 households, and 790 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,727.0 people per square mile (1,438.9/km²). There were 1,527 housing units at an average density of 1,862.3/sq mi (719.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.0% White, 1.17% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.
There were 1,375 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $28,356, and the median income for a family was $36,667. Males had a median income of $28,537 versus $21,382 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $16,002. 14.5% of the population and 9.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 19.3% are under the age of 18 and 13.8% are 65 or older.
The Philipsburg-Osceola School District
Philipsburg-Osceola School District
The Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District is a school district located in a region covering Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania and Clearfield County. The district encompasses approximately 222 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 14,228...
is the school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
that serves the Philipsburg area.
External links
- PhilipsburgPA.org - The Official Borough Website
- Philipsburg Online - Philipsburg area business directory