CLEARFIELD COALFIELD
(Including Moshannon District)
Sam contributed this photograph, which he describes as a "coal tipple owned as of now by Waroquier Coal. No mines that I can tell are on site, but it is
right beside the rails to trails on what was formerly the Pennsylvania Railroad. It is in a state of disrepair, which isn't surprising seeing how it is a mostly wooden structure."
Another photo of the Waroquier coal tipple, which is between Clearfield and Curwensville.
Tipple remains on Lumber City hill.
Moshannon District of Clearfield Coalfield
The heyday of the Moshannon Distric was the second half of the 19th Century. The main coal
seam was the "D", or Lower Freeport, known locally and marketed nationally as the Moshannon seam. This coal was as high as 6.5' in some parts
of this coal district. The "D" seam in this area is highly faulted, and it can jump up or down in elevation between 40' and 90' at times. Since most of this coalfield's mining took place so long ago in the 1800s, not many relic coal communities remain intact.
2008 image courtesy of Sam Baker
2008 image courtesy of Sam Baker
Nov. 2023 image by author
Glen Richey, Pa. was a company town of Peale, Peacock, and Kerr, Inc. Their Glen Richey Nos. 1, 2, and 5 mines were in the same seam of coal.
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The former New York Central Railroad trestle over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.
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Croft, Pa. was a company town of Harbison-Walker Refractories. On the right is the former company store, and to the left of that is a management level company house.
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Coal company houses in Croft. Perhaps the coal fired nearby brick kilns.
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Christ the King Immaculate Conception cemetery near Madera, Pa.
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Woodland, Pennsylvania. The tan brick building in the center may have been a company store. It was certainly
a retail enterprise at one time. Behind the store was once a portal of Harbison and Walker Refractories's Woodland Mine. Woodland was surrounded by mines that probably supplied the nearby thriving brick industry with fuel. Woolrich Coal Company mined "C" seam coal near Woodland. The same firm operated the Orchard No. 5 mine at Woodland in the 1950s. This was a drift portal into the rather low 26"
thick "B" coal seam. By that time Woolridge Coal Co. was affiliated with Moshannon Falls
Mining Co.
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Woodland company houses.
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I asked the man mowing the grass at this fine home in Woodland if it was previously a
house for the manager / superintendent of nearby coal mines? He said he didn't know.
Nov. 2023 image by author
Former coal mining town of Bald Hill, Pa. This was constructed by the Bald Hill
Coal Company to house the workers of the Victor No. 44 coal mine. Bald Hill Coal Company's headquarters were actually in adjoining Cambria
County at St. Benedict. Later Manor Mining Company
operated the No. 44 mine, which was in the Lower Kittanning (or "B") coal seam.
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The unusual coal company houses at Bald Hill feature barn-shaped roofs.
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Another view of the distinctive "patch town" houses at Bald Hill.
2008 image courtesy of Sam Baker
Nov. 2023 image by author
Berwind White Coal Mining Company may be best know for their properties of
the Windber Coalfield in neighboring Cambria County, but they got their start in Clearfield County. This structure remains from their Eureka No. 28 mine.
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Eureka No. 28 was a shaft mine opened in 1901.
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A corner of the large Eureka No. 28 shell building.
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This may have been the Eureka No. 28 powder / dynamite house.
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Two of the three remaining Eureka No. 28 coal company duplex houses.
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Autumn leaves on Eureka No. 28 coal refuse.
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The rectory and beautiful St. Marys Holy Annunciation Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ramey, Pa.
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The rear of the church with a traditional rounded end.
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Nothing remains from the mines and company town of Mascot, Pa. except for
slate dumps like this. W.O. Gulbranson was the operator of the Imperial No. 2 and 3 mines here.
Nov. 2023 image by author
Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery is on the mountain above Ramey. This is not affiliated
with St. Mary's church above, which has its own cemetery.
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Headstone written is a Slavic language.
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R.I.P. Uncle Marko.