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- source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
- source: Family History Library Catalog
- the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia
Schuylkill County is a county located in the Commonwealth (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 Northumberland Counties and named for the Schuylkill River. As of 2010, the population was 148,289. The Pottsville, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area makes up all of Schuylkill County. Pottsville is also the county seat.
Railroad history
- the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia
The Reading and Pennsylvania railroads: In the early 19th century southern Schuylkill County was served by the Union Canal out of Pine Grove with connections west, and the Schuylkill Canal southward from Port Carbon. Coal mined by Lehigh Coal and Navigation in the Tamaqua and Coaldale areas was often shipped down the Lehigh Canal from Jim Thorpe in neighboring Carbon County. 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 Philadelphia 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.
Timeline
Population History
- source: Source:Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990
| Census Year | Population
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| 1820 | 11,339
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| 1830 | 20,744
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| 1840 | 29,053
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| 1850 | 60,713
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| 1860 | 89,510
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| 1870 | 116,428
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| 1880 | 129,974
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| 1890 | 154,163
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| 1900 | 172,927
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| 1910 | 207,894
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| 1920 | 217,754
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| 1930 | 235,505
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| 1940 | 228,331
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| 1950 | 200,577
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| 1960 | 173,027
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| 1970 | 160,089
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| 1980 | 160,630
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| 1990 | 152,585
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Research Tips
External links
- Outstanding guide to Schuylkill County family history and genealogy resources (FamilySearch Research Wiki). Birth, marriage, and death records, censuses, wills, deeds, county histories, cemeteries, churches, newspapers, libraries, and genealogical societies.
- www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/
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