72-476: West Brunswick Township is a township located in Schuylkill County , Pennsylvania , United States. This township was formed in 1801 as one of the original townships of Schuylkill County, being named for Brunswick ( Braunschweig ), Germany . In 1835, Brunswick Township was divided into East and West Brunswick Townships. The village names in the township include Molino, Pinedale and Frisbie. According to
144-763: A humid continental climate ( Dfa/Dfb ) with four distinct seasons. The hardiness zone is 6b in most of the county, 7a in lowlands of the south-central and SW areas of the county and upriver to Pottsville and Minersville, and 6a in small higher northern areas. [1] Average monthly temperatures in the vicinity of downtown Pottsville range from 27.3 °F in January to 72.3 °F in July, while in Mahanoy City they range from 24.3 °F in January to 69.3 °F in July. Interstates, US Routes, and State Routes The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has designated Schuylkill County as
216-418: A Civil and Criminal Division. The Civil Division processes real estate and property paperwork, as well as issue firearms permits. The Criminal Division is responsible for the security of the courthouses, as well as the transportation of prisoners to and from court hearings and to other correctional facilities. The Sheriff's Department is also responsible for detecting and interdicting weapons before they can enter
288-541: A Democrat carried Berks in a Presidential election occurred in 2008, with Barack Obama receiving 53.9% of the vote to John McCain 's 44.7%. The other three statewide winners ( Rob McCord for treasurer, Jack Wagner for auditor general, and Tom Corbett for attorney general) also carried it. While Republicans have controlled the commissioner majority most of the time and continue to control most county row offices, Democrats have become more competitive in Berks in recent years. In
360-412: A core industry, fuel source, and employment sector in the county throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Schuylkill County was created via an Act of Assembly on March 1, 1811, from portions of Berks and Northampton counties. More land was added to the county in 1818, from Columbia and Luzerne counties. At the time of its creation, the county had a population of about 6,000. Orwigsburg
432-529: A fast-growing population and close proximity to the other communities. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 866 square miles (2,240 km ), 857 square miles (2,220 km ) of which is land and 9.2 square miles (24 km ) (1.1%) of which is water. Most of the county is drained by the Schuylkill River , but an area in the northeast is drained by the Lehigh River via
504-405: A female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. Out of all of the households that were documented, 21.4% were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was sixty-five years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.96. Within the township, the population was spread out, with 22.3% of residents who were under
576-603: A line of stagecoaches or transportation wagons. Railroads ultimately replaced the canals as the primary means of transporting coal to markets. Mining was taken over by major corporate business, especially after the Civil War . As a result, the Middle Coal Field was developed in the 1860s and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad created a subsidiary, Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company , to buy or lease, and develop
648-506: A median income of $ 39,886 compared with that of $ 22,398 for females. The per capita income for the township was $ 27,436. Approximately 4.7% of families and 5.4% of the population were living below the poverty line , including 2.8% of those who were under the age of eighteen and 9.9% of those who were aged sixty-five or older. Portions of the Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 106 and Number 110 , which carry
720-908: A parade marched through Kelayres in Kline Township . A crowd of Democratic Party supporters walked toward the home of Republican Party leader Joseph Bruno. Frustration with Bruno family's control of the school board and other local offices had been growing for years. Shots were fired from the Bruno home and yard located at Fourth and Centre Streets. Several people were killed and more than 20 marchers were injured. In 2016, Schuylkill County had six underground mines and 25 surface mines operating, producing 62,000 tons and 833,000 tons of coal, respectively. In 2024, Schuylkill County had four underground mines and 17 surface mines operating, producing 52,000 and 1,624,000 tons of coal, respectively Operators today are re-mining areas of anthracite that were previously mined. It
792-805: A population of 7,067,807. As of September 21, 2023, there were 253,186 registered voters in Berks County. Berks County leans Republican, but is still competitive, with the last Republican to carry the county by more than 10% being George H.W. Bush in 1988. As of 2023, the Republican Party maintained a total registration edge over Democrats in Berks County. At the top of the Pennsylvania ticket in November 2022, Berks County split its votes, supporting Democrat Josh Shapiro for governor and Republican Mehmet Oz for U.S. Senate . The first time since 1964 that
SECTION 10
#1732891169615864-536: A regular supply of anthracite coal ensured, the southern anthracite coal field in Schuylkill County attracted speculators and fortune hunters. They were inspired by dreams of becoming millionaires. This was the first speculative era of the Schuylkill coal trade. Pottsville became the center of the movement. The more successful explorers revealed numerous veins of coal, extending over a vast stretch of county and with
936-544: A seemingly inexhaustible quantity of coal. These discoveries brought excitement and speculation; lands were bought and sold; roads were laid out in the forest, mines were opened and railroads projected, and innumerable town plots planned. The demand for houses was so great that the lumber for many was framed in Philadelphia and sent by canal to the burgeoning coal region. At this stage, coal mining firms were predominantly small and family owned. The residents and entrepreneurs of
1008-733: A treaty executed August 22, 1749, with representatives of the Six Nations and the Delaware , Shamokin , and Shawnee tribes, who received 500 pounds in "lawful money of Pennsylvania". The acquired territory described included all of Schuylkill County except the northern part of Union Township , which was included in the purchase of 1768. In 1744, an early mill was built in the county by John Finscher, but it later burned down. In 1754, present-day Schuylkill, Berks , Dauphin , Lebanon , and Lehigh counties were settled by German immigrants. The earliest settlers in southeastern Schuylkill County, which
1080-505: Is approximately 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Allentown , the state's third-largest city, and 64 miles (103 km) northwest of Philadelphia , the state's largest city. The Schuylkill River , a 135-mile-long (217 km) tributary of the Delaware River , flows through Berks County. The county is part of the Reading, PA metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which in turn is part of
1152-545: Is approximately 47 miles (76 km) west of Allentown , the state's third-largest city, and 97 miles (156 km) northwest of Philadelphia , the state's largest city. The county was created on March 1, 1811, from parts of Berks and Northampton counties and named for the Schuylkill River , which originates in the county. On March 3, 1818, additional territory in its northeast was added from Columbia and Luzerne counties. The lands that constitute present-day Schuylkill County were acquired by William Penn 's proprietors in
1224-811: Is composed of four historic structures: White Horse Inn, George Douglass Mansion, Bridge keeper's House, and the Mouns Jones House, constructed in 1716, which is the oldest recorded building in the county. West Reading in home to the annual Art on the Avenue, which reached its 25th year in 2019. Berks County is home to several media outlets, including: Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities , boroughs , townships , and towns . The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Berks County: Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by
1296-546: Is estimated that 98 percent of the anthracite produced is from existing mines. Schuylkill County's history is not solely a story about coal mining and railroads. The first settlers were farmers or lumbermen. In the fertile agricultural valleys (not underlain with coal) between the Blue Mountain range in the south to near the Susquehanna River to the north, generations of farming families have helped feed their neighbors in
1368-404: The 2010 census , the county was 76.9% White non-Hispanic, 4.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, and 2.5% were two or more races. 16.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. Historically there is a large Pennsylvania Dutch population. It is known as part of Pennsylvania Dutch Country . More recently there is a large Puerto Rican population centered in
1440-472: The 2020 census , the county's population was 428,849. The county seat is Reading , the fourth-most populous city in the state. The county is part of the South Central Pennsylvania region of the state. The county borders Lehigh County to its north and its east, Schuylkill County to its north, Lebanon and Lancaster counties to its west, and Chester County to its south. The county
1512-579: The 2020 census , the population was 143,049. The county seat is Pottsville . The county is part of the Northeast Pennsylvania region of the state. The county is part of the Pottsville micropolitan statistical area , and borders eight counties: Berks and Lebanon counties to its south, Dauphin and Northumberland counties to its west, Columbia and Luzerne counties to its north, and Carbon and Lehigh counties to its east. The county
SECTION 20
#17328911696151584-568: The Appalachian National Scenic Trail , are located along the southern border of the township. 40°38′02″N 76°03′45″W / 40.63389°N 76.06250°W / 40.63389; -76.06250 Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Schuylkill County ( / ˈ s k uː l k ɪ l / , locally /- k əl / ; Pennsylvania Dutch : Schulkill Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . As of
1656-758: The British Isles and Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. As mines became more numerous (by 1846 there were 110 operators in the region and 142 collieries in Schuylkill County) and more complex (in 1846 there were 35 collieries below water level), mechanical breakers, steam locomotive, it became more labor-intensive both for accomplishing mining tasks and supporting mining's peripheral industries. Such industries included manufacturing of explosives, metal screens, pump components, piping, and timber for support. This led to an influx of population into Schuylkill and other anthracite counties to fill these jobs. Beginning with
1728-522: The Delaware River . The Schuylkill drains the majority of the county while some western and northern areas of the county are drained by the Susquehanna River . The Swatara Creek , Wiconisco Creek , Mahantango Creek , Mahanoy Creek , and Catawissa Creek all start in Schuylkill County and are tributaries of the Susquehanna. Areas of the eastern portion of the county drain into the Lehigh River via
1800-542: The Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area known as the Philadelphia -Reading- Camden , PA- NJ - DE - MD combined statistical area (CSA). Reading developed during the 1740s when inhabitants of northern Lancaster County sent several petitions requesting that a separate county be established. With the help of German immigrant Conrad Weiser , the county was formed on March 11, 1752, from parts of Chester County , Lancaster County , and Philadelphia County . It
1872-622: The Little Lehigh Creek and areas are drained by the Susquehanna River via the Swatara Creek in the northwest and the Conestoga River , which starts in Berks County between Morgantown and Elverson in the county's extreme south. It has a humid continental climate ( Dfa except for some Dfb on Blue Mountain at the northern boundary.) The hardiness zone is mostly 7a with 6b in some higher northern and eastern areas. [1] As of
1944-717: The Mahanoy Valley . Several railroads were founded in the late 1820s and early 1830s north of the Schuylkill Canal to enable the transport of coal to the canal terminus in Philadelphia and other markets, including: Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven , 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
2016-542: The Pocono Mountains . As a result, like other portions of the Poconos, eastern Schuylkill has experienced an influx of people from New York City and New Jersey who commute into Manhattan each day. The commute can take up to two hours each way due to distance and traffic. Far western areas of the county are located near Harrisburg and are sometimes considered to be located in South Central Pennsylvania . The county has
2088-672: The Pottsville, PA micropolitan statistical area (μSA) . As of the 2010 U.S. Census the micropolitan area ranked the number 1 most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 5th most populous in the United States with a population of 148,289. The Schuylkill County Sheriff's Department consists of the Sheriff's Office and operates the Central Booking unit. The Sheriff's Office is composed of
2160-675: The Quakake Creek , Nesquehoning Creek , Mahoning Creek, and Lizard Creek , all of which also start in the county. To the south, southern Schuylkill county is home to Blue Mountain and the Appalachian Trail . Broad Mountain crosses the county from northeast to southwest. Schuylkill County is located in northeastern Pennsylvania's Coal Region . It is located just north of the Lehigh Valley and Reading metropolitan areas. Portions of eastern Schuylkill County around Tamaqua are located in
2232-517: The Reading, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) . As of the 2010 U.S. census the metropolitan area is the 10th-most populous in Pennsylvania and the 128th-most populous in the U.S. with a population of 413,491. Berks County is part of the larger Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area (CSA) , the largest in Pennsylvania and eighth-most populous in the nation with
West Brunswick Township, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue
2304-558: The Schuylkill Canal southward from Port Carbon to Philadelphia . Coal mined by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company in the Tamaqua and Coaldale areas was often shipped down the Lehigh Canal from Jim Thorpe in neighboring Carbon County . To the north, mountain and ridges were a natural barrier to navigation. Other means were required to transport coal out of the rich basin of
2376-407: The U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Schuylkill County. † county seat Berks County, Pennsylvania Berks County ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Barricks Kaundi ) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . As of
2448-507: The U.S. Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 30.5 square miles (79.1 km), of which 30.3 square miles (78.6 km) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.5 km; 0.66%) is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,428 people, 1,323 households, and 998 families living in the township. The population density was 113.0 inhabitants per square mile (43.6/km). There were 1,402 housing units at an average density of 46.2 per square mile (17.8/km). The racial makeup of
2520-429: The 19th century, the largest railyard and roundhouse in the world was located at Mill Creek between Pottsville and St. Clair . Since the early 21st century, Schuylkill County has decreased its use of coal power and become a major producer of renewable energy. Twenty-five percent of the county's electrical production currently comes from renewable energy sources. Wind power is the largest producer, accounting for 80% of
2592-461: The 2012 Presidential election, Mitt Romney carried the county by approximately a one-percent margin, 49.6% to 48.6%, however, in 2016, Donald Trump carried Berks by a much larger margin of 52.9% to 42.7%. Chart of Voter Registration School districts include: Reading Public Museum in Reading is an art, science, and history museum. The Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps are an all-age drum corps based in Berks County. Founded in 1957,
2664-570: The Gordon Planes. Construction on the Little Schuylkill Railroad began in 1829. It ran from Port Clinton northward to Mahanoy Junction above Tamaqua . It would become the keystone of the Philadelphia and Reading system, serving as a gauntlet for its eastern and western branches. Connecting with it were four important lines. The 146 miles (235 km) Catawissa Railroad operated from Mahanoy Junction to West Milton, providing access to
2736-658: The Irish immigration in the 1840s, which was fueled by the Great Famine and followed the end of the Civil War, immigrants from Eastern Europe , including Poles, Hungarians, Lithuanians, Slovaks, Rusyns, Ukrainians, and Belarusians (which were usually known as Ruthenians), often from the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, settled in Schuylkill County and labored in the county coal mines. By the 1880s and 1890s, thousands of Italians immigrated to
2808-672: The Mahanoy region by joining the northern terminus of the Little Schuylkill with connections to New York City , Scranton and also points west. 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 (1,600 km) of railroad track in Schuylkill County. At one point in
2880-586: The Republican Party has been historically dominant in Schuylkill County politics, Democrats became dominant at the county level after the 2007 elections. John McCain received 53.6% of the vote to 44.9% for Barack Obama in November 2008. In the state row offices of the same election, each statewide winner carried the county. In 2006 Democrat Tim Seip won the heavily Republican 125th House district and Bob Casey Jr. carried Schuylkill when he unseated incumbent Republican US Senator Rick Santorum . For many years,
2952-405: The Schuylkill region opposed the entry here of incorporated coal companies. In these years, coal mining operations in the Schuylkill region were conducted with economy, and relatively little capital was required. As the workings were all above the water level, no machinery was required for water drainage or for hoisting coal to the surface. Coal breakers and other expensive fixtures and appliances for
West Brunswick Township, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue
3024-440: The Sheriff's Department performs patrol duties in various communities within Schuylkill county and provides support to other Police agencies during major incidents, search warrant executions, arrest warrant operations, special events and in various other capacities. As of November 2008 , there were 94,110 registered voters in Schuylkill County. As of January 2023 , there were 88,642 registered voters in Schuylkill County. While
3096-410: The United States by 1940. Women's clothing became the state's fastest growing product. The dominance of the industry in Schuylkill County lasted until the last decade of the 20th century, when it was clear that the garment manufacturing industry was leaving Schuylkill County and other regions of the U.S. and moving to foreign countries. By 2011, only six manufacturers employing 341 people remained in
3168-423: The age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under
3240-415: The age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every one hundred females, there were 99.5 males. For every one hundred females who were aged eighteen or older, there were 95.5 males. The median income for a household in the township was $ 47,091, and the median income for a family was $ 51,292. Males had
3312-527: The age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males. Berks County is home to an Old Order Mennonite community consisting of about 160 families, located in the East Penn Valley near Kutztown and Fleetwood . The Old Order Mennonites first bought land in
3384-642: The area in 1949. In 2012, Old Order Mennonites bought two large farms in the Oley Valley . The Old Order Mennonites in the area belong to the Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church and use the horse and buggy as transportation. There are several farms in the area belonging to the Old Order Mennonite community and meetinghouses are located near Kutztown and Fleetwood. The Office of Management and Budget has designated Berks County as
3456-448: The city of Reading. There were 411,442 people, 154,356 households, and 106,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 479 inhabitants per square mile (185/km ). There were 164,827 housing units at an average density of 191.9 per square mile (74.1/km ). According to Muninet Guide's 2010 analysis, the median household income for Berks County is $ 54,105. There were 154,356 households, out of which 33.1% had children under
3528-399: The coal, intending to encourage individuals to find ways to use it. Most of the experiments failed, and Shoemaker was nearly run out of town and called an imposter but Mellon and Bishop of Delaware County successfully used it in their rolling mill . When other rolling mills also adopted the use of coal as fuel, a large industrial market and demand developed. The Schuylkill Navigation Company
3600-564: The corps is a charter member Drum Corps Associates and an 11-time DCA World Champion. Reading is home to Berks Opera Company, founded in 2007 as Berks Opera Workshop. There are two Pennsylvania state parks and one natural area in Berks County. There are two Pennsylvania Historic Sites in Berks County. The Old Morlatton Village in Douglassville is maintained by the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County. The village
3672-476: The county in pursuit of mining jobs. The anthracite mining industry peaked in production in 1917 and subsequently declined with the exception of periods during World War I and World War II . In the 1950s and 1960s, underground mining operations closed in Schuylkill County and throughout the Coal Region and surface mining became predominate. On November 5, 1934, the eve of the 1934 United States elections ,
SECTION 50
#17328911696153744-532: The county was represented in the United States House of Representatives by conservative Democrat Tim Holden of St. Clair . Former State Representative Dave Argall won the special election of March 3 to succeed the late State Senator Jim Rhoades and was sworn in on March 17. Jerry Knowles won the special election for Argall's seat in the 124th House district on May 19. In 2010, the GOP regained ground when Seip
3816-496: The county. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 783 square miles (2,030 km ), of which 779 square miles (2,020 km ) is land and 4.2 square miles (11 km ) (0.5%) 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
3888-579: The courthouse and making criminal arrests of persons when weapons are found. The Sheriff's Department provides all facets of security for the County courthouse and makes arrests inside the courthouse for various offenses including possession of weapons and controlled substances as well as the arrest of disorderly persons and other violations of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code Title 18. All Deputy Sheriffs are sworn law enforcement officers who must attend
3960-552: The estimated value of agricultural products in Schuylkill County sold was $ 165,853,000, ranking 9th in the State and 704th in the US (counties). The county ranks in the top 100 in the US counties for nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod products and cut Christmas trees and short rotation woody crops. In the early 19th century, southern Schuylkill County was served by the Union Canal out of Pine Grove Township with connections west, and
4032-430: The expanding industrial coal trade. Consumption of coal along the Schuylkill above Philadelphia in 1839 was 30,290 tons when Pottsville, the first anthracite furnace in the United States, became operational. By 1849, consumption had increased to 239,290 tons, to 554,774 tons in 1859, and to 1,787,205 tons in 1873. The numerous jobs in the mining industry comprised a catalyst for mass immigration to Schuylkill County from
4104-463: The mines, on the rails, on the canals, and in the towns within and surrounding the county. After settlement of the farms, came a period of diversified, small scale production that lasted until about the late 19th century. After then, more highly mechanized small farms combined livestock and crop production for new, mainly local and regional markets. Then the system re-oriented to add orchard products, trees and plant products and poultry farming. In 2012,
4176-491: The preparation of coal had not then been introduced. Numerous operators produced from five to six thousand tons for market annually, which was then considered a respectable business, who had never committed thousands of dollars to their enterprises, including their first land purchases of coal mines. Coal land could be bought and mines opened for less capital than the purchase and stocking of a decent farm, and coal mines could be worked for less capital than that required to establish
4248-514: The project did not count upon the coal trade to promote the success of the undertaking. They looked forward mainly to transporting the agricultural products being produced below the mountains, the lumber of Schuylkill County, and the grain and other products of the counties between the Susquehanna and Schuylkill rivers. In 1822, in the first shipment of coal on the line, 1,480 tons of coal were transported from present-day Schuylkill County. With
4320-538: The renewable energy output, while solar and biomass account for 20%. The Locust Ridge wind turbines in the north of the county produce enough electricity for 37,500 homes, equivalent to the 48 MW of electricity generated by the Wheelabrator Frackville's waste coal plant. Textile manufacturing evolved as a major industry in the county near the beginning of the 20th Century. Phillips & Jones Co., Now known as Phillips Van Heusen, began in Pottsville , and
4392-681: The state Sheriff Academy in State College to be certified as a Deputy Sheriff. The Sheriff Academy is a paramilitary Sheriff academy that consists of 6 months of intense training in all facets of criminal and civil law of Pennsylvania as well as physical training, self defense training, weapons certification and training, as well as tactical training, training in handcuffing and restraint, courtroom and courthouse security, and conducting security assessments of Courthouse and courtroom facilities. Central Booking processes fingerprints and photographs of arrested individuals. When requested by other police agencies,
SECTION 60
#17328911696154464-501: The textile industry, which employed significant numbers of women, began to rival the coal mining industry in size, especially after the end of World War II , when that industry began to collapse. As a consequence of the Great Depression, garment manufacturers began to look for people willing to work at lower wages outside of New York City , the center of the industry. Pennsylvania became the third-highest ranked apparel manufacturer in
4536-401: The township was 96.65% White , 0.23% African American , 0.06% Native American , 2.22% Asian , 0.12% from other races , and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.26% of the population. There were 1,323 households, out of which 31.2% had children who were under the age of eighteen living with them, 67.2% were married couples living together, 5.4% had
4608-593: The vote in his triumph in 2024, making it the best performance for a Republican in the county in presidential history, and the first Republican presidential candidate to crack 70% of the vote in the county. Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities , boroughs , townships , and, in at most two cases, towns . The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Schuylkill County: Census-designated places are unincorporated communities designated by
4680-475: Was approved by Governor Francis R. Shunk on March 13, submitting the question to the voters. The change was desired principally because the railroad and canal connections with Orwigsburg were problematic while Pottsville had facilities and was within easy access from all parts of the county. In 1812, George Shoemaker and Necho Allen discovered stone coal at Centerville in Schuylkill County, and personally delivered some of it to Philadelphia . He gave away most of
4752-717: Was chartered in 1815 to build a series of navigation improvements in the Schuylkill River during a period when the much larger Erie Canal along the Mohawk River in New York state had already been developed and was well ahead of other key canals fueling the American Industrial Revolution , including the Delaware and Hudson , the Lehigh , the Chesapeake and Ohio , Delaware and Raritan , and Morris canals. The originators of
4824-429: Was defeated for reelection by Republican Mike Tobash . In 2011, the GOP reclaimed the county government. This GOP resurgence has been followed by the subsequent election of Donald Trump in 2016, where he received 69% of the area's popular vote to Hillary Clinton 's 26.7%. Trump received the highest percentage of the vote of any Republican presidential candidate in the county's history. He subsequently received 70.6% of
4896-485: Was discovered near present-day Pottsville by Necho Allen. In 1795, a blacksmith based in Schuylkill County known as Whetstone resolved the question of how to use anthracite successfully for blacksmithing purposes. In 1806, additional sources of coal were found as the tailrace was cut on the Schuylkill River . Daniel Berlin, another blacksmith, used it successfully, and blacksmiths in the county and surrounding Coal Region ultimately adopted its use, which represented
4968-538: Was named after the English county in which William Penn 's family home lay, Berkshire , which is often abbreviated to Berks. Berks County began much larger than it is today. The northwestern parts of the county went to the founding of Northumberland County in 1772 and Schuylkill County in 1811, when it reached its current size. In 2005, Berks County was added to the Delaware Valley Planning Area due to
5040-409: Was once Schuylkill County's largest employer. Another textile giant, John E. Morgan Knitting Mills, began manufacturing in 1945 in Tamaqua , eventually becoming the largest employer in the county in the between 1970 and 1980. In addition there were numerous smaller shops all over the county, doing subcontract work for major manufacturers all over the nation. In the latter half of the 20th century,
5112-430: Was the first organized community in Schuylkill County. During the county's early years, there was an attempt to make McKeansburg the county seat ; Orwigsburg was also a contender. Orwigsburg was selected as the county seat because it was deemed to be better suited for industries. Beginning in 1831, support for moving the county seat to Pottsville began gaining traction. In 1846, the state legislature passed an Act that
5184-496: Was then part of Northampton County , were primarily Moravian Palatines from the Saxony region of Germany . In 1755, the first log church was built in the county. Native American massacres were commonplace in Schuylkill County between 1755 and 1765. Warrant for tracts of land in the vicinity of McKeansburg were established as early as 1750. In 1790, anthracite , a highly efficient form of coal then known as stone coal,
#614385