Clearfield Coalfield - Mining History

Mining History

The entrance of the Pennsylvania Railroad's extension from Tyrone, northwest to Philipsburg and Clearfield opened much of the field to coal mining. Later the New York Central (NYC) built their Beech Creek Extension from Jersey Shore up Beech Creek and entered Clearfield from the northeast. This line bypassed Clearfield and extended south to Mahaffey and eventually into Indiana County. Other rail lines included the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad's extension down Anderson Creek to Clearfield, NYC's extension to Clearfield and down the Susquehanna River to Keating, and the Bell's Gap Railroad, which ran through the southern part of the county through Mahaffey. Each railroad opened numerous coal company towns such as Surveyor, Croft, Karthus and Bald Hill on NYC's Susquehanna River line. Numerous other towns were built such as Gaazam, Glen Richey, Peale, Winburne (Summerville), Hawk Run, Morrisdale and Irvona.

The active mining of these fields has been greatly reduced since the 1970s. Some coal is obtained via strip-mining for the power plant at Shawville and other private enterprises. There are no active underground mines in Clearfield County as of 2007.