Clearfield Coalfield

(Including Moshannon District)

2008 image courtesy of Sam Baker 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.
2008 image courtesy of Sam Baker Another photo of the Waroquier coal tipple, which is between Clearfield and Curwensville.
Mar. 2003 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.
Nov. 2023 image by author The former New York Central Railroad trestle over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.
Nov. 2023 image by author 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.
Nov. 2023 image by author Coal company houses in Croft. Perhaps the coal fired nearby brick kilns. The coal and brick industries are often intertwined in this coalfield due to both clay and coal deposits.
Nov. 2023 image by author Christ the King Immaculate Conception cemetery near Madera, Pa.
Nov. 2023 image by author 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.
Nov. 2023 image by author Woodland company houses.
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 but it was possible.
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.
Nov. 2023 image by author The unusual coal company houses at Bald Hill feature barn-shaped roofs.
Nov. 2023 image by author Another view of the distinctive "patch town" houses at Bald Hill.
2008 image courtesy of Sam Baker Tipple remains on Lumber City hill.
March 2024 image by author Coal company houses at Winburne that were possibly built by Peale, Peacock, and Herr, Inc., who owned several coal mining towns and operations in Clearfield County. Their Ogle No. 1 mine was nearby.
March 2024 image by author However, these Winburne houses were probably owned by Pennsylvania Coal & Coke Corp. to house the miners of their No. 45, 46, and 47 mines. These coal from these mines was cleaned in a large preparation plant that was still loading trains as late as the 1950s.
March 2024 image by author Management level houses at Winburne. Unrelated to these houses, Riverhill Coal Company's No. 3 mine was in the hill in the background in the 1960s. The site of that mine is now a private gun club.
March 2024 image by author Most of the surficial evidence of the historical coal mines at Winbure, Pa. has been reclaimed and erased. Here is one small industrial building and a small former rail bridge near the location of the portal for Ogle No. 8. There is still a small gob pile behind this as well.
March 2024 image by author At the edge of Winburne can be found Saints Cyrus and Methodius Roman Catholic Cemetery.
March 2024 image by author Headstone written in Slovakian. As is well known, large numbers of immigrants came from Slovakia to Pennsylvania to work in the mines and the mills.
March 2024 image by author Other tombstones of people with Eastern European ancestry. Click here for high resolution image.

Moshannon Coal District of Clearfield and Centre Counties

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.

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.
Nov. 2023 image by author Eureka No. 28 was a shaft mine opened in 1901.
Nov. 2023 image by author A corner of the large Eureka No. 28 shell building.
Nov. 2023 image by author This may have been the Eureka No. 28 powder / dynamite house.
Nov. 2023 image by author Two of the three remaining Eureka No. 28 coal company duplex houses.
Nov. 2023 image by author Autumn leaves on Eureka No. 28 coal refuse.
Nov. 2023 image by author The rectory and beautiful St. Marys Holy Annunciation Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ramey, Pa.
Nov. 2023 image by author The rear of the church with a traditional rounded end.
Nov. 2023 image by author 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.
Nov. 2023 image by author Headstone written is a Slavic language.
Nov. 2023 image by author R.I.P. Uncle Marko.
March 2024 image by author Post-coal mining wasteland on the Clearfield-Centre County line.
March 2024 image by author Remaining slate dump at the site of Morrisdale Coal Company's No. 3 shaft. In the background is a vestige of a village known as Pardee, probably named for lessor Pardee and Ashman that leased the mineral rights to Morrisdale.
March 2024 image by author In the 21st Century strip mining is the main method of extracting the coal in the Clearfield/Moshannon Coalfield.
March 2024 image by author Equipment at the strip mine. This small mine appeared to be in compliance with all environmental laws.
March 2024 image by author An old Manitowoc dragline.
March 2024 image by author Junior Coal Company's prep plant in the heart of the Moshannon district. The retaining wall is made from old rail cars.
March 2024 image by author House coal for sale near Osceola Mills, Pa.
A stockpile of tires used in strip mining coal.
March 2024 image by author