Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Schuylkill Haven is a borough in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....

, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, four miles (6 km) south of Pottsville
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Pottsville is the only city in and the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,549 at the 2000 census. The city lies along the west bank of the Schuylkill River, north-west of Philadelphia...

 and 89 miles (143.2 km) north-west of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The borough's population was 5,548 as of the 2000 census. Schuylkill Haven is situated along the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...

 for which it is named. Schuylkill Haven is a focal point of activity in southern Schuylkill County.

Early settlements

Before Europeans settled the land that is now part of Schuylkill Haven, the area was occupied by the Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...

 people, who were known as the Delaware Indians by the English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...

).

The earliest white settlers first arrived in the area in the 1730s, traveled north of the Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)
Blue Mountain is a ridge that forms the eastern edge of the Appalachian mountain range in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It cuts across the eastern half of the state from New Jersey to Maryland, providing a distinct boundary between a number of Pennsylvania's geographical and cultural regions...

 at the modern Berks
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...

-Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....

 line at that time. The first settler in Schuylkill Haven was John Fincher, a Quaker from Chester County, Pennsylvania
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...

. Fincher received a land grant of 225 acre (0.9105435 km²) on March 5, 1750, the day which Schuylkill Haven considers to be its unofficial founding. Fincher constructed a house and barn near the Schuylkill River, and called his small settlement "Fincher's Ford."

The next known settler of Schuylkill Haven was Martin Dreibelbis, a German who arrived in the Spring of 1775. Martin Dreibelbis constructed a house, saw mill, distillery, and a grist mill on the eastern bank of the Schuylkill River. He later built a log house near modern-day Main Street, giving Martin Dreibelbis the title of the first citizen of Schuylkill Haven. Martin Dreibelbis willed the original plot of the town to a son, Jacob. Another son, Daniel, received an area east of the original plot, and a third son, George, received an area outside of the present borough known as "Seven Stars" (located north of Schuylkill Haven on the Schuylkill River). The original plot of Schuylkill Haven shows that the borough stretched from the Schuylkill River on the west, to present-day Main Street on the north (then known as Front Street), to Saint Peter Street on the east (then known as Jacob Street), and Liberty Street on the south. Present-day Columbia Street was the main residential district.

Geography and climate

Schuylkill Haven was developed around the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...

. The river flows through the center of the borough, entering northwest of Island Park (near Fritz Reed Avenue) and exiting at the southeastern border. The elevation at the river in the borough is approximately 490 feet (149.4 m) above sea level. Farther from the river, the borough extends up numerous hills, reaching its highest elevation of about 700 feet (213.4 m) above sea level near the top of Avenue C.

Schuylkill Haven receives an average of 47 inches (1,193.8 mm) of rain each year. The warmest month is normally July with an average high temperature of 84 °F (28.9 °C), while the coolest month is typically January with an average high of 36 °F (2.2 °C).

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.

Borough services and facilities

Schuylkill Haven provides electric, water, sewer, and refuse services to the citizens of the borough. The Tumbling Run Reservoir, located about five miles (8 km) north of the borough, is the Schuylkill Haven's source of water. Storage tanks at Willow Lake at the northern edge of the borough are an additional part of the borough's water facilities. Schuylkill Haven's sewage treatment plant is located at the southern edge of town, on the western side of St. Charles Street.

Schuylkill Haven's borough hall is located on Main Street in the former Reading Railroad passenger station.

Schuylkill Haven is served by its own police force. The Schuylkill Haven Police Department consists of eight officers. The Police Department provides service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with at least two officers typically on duty at any given time.

Schuylkill Haven has a volunteer fire department that is one of the best in the area. The borough has three fire stations: The Rainbow Hose Co. (Station 1) located on Dock Street, the Schuylkill Hose Co. (Station 2) located at Union & St. Peter Streets, and the Liberty Fire Co. (Station 4) located at Columbia & St. James Streets.

Parks and recreation

Schuylkill Haven has numerous playgrounds and recreation areas.

Playgrounds in the borough include the "Green Goose" (located on Jackson street just west of Avenue A), the Saylor Street playground (in the western side of the borough), the Naffin Avenue playground (located on Naffin Avenue just northwest of the public school district's main athletic field), and the Willow Street playground (located in the northwestern corner of the borough). Other children's play areas are located on Garfield Avenue, North Berne Street, Williams Street, and Fritz Reed Avenue. Located on South Berne Street is an area known as "The Courts" which features a basketball court, picnic benches, and a gazebo.

Bubeck Park is located south of Columbia street near the Columbia Heights section of the borough. The park includes two pavilions, a bandstand, and a gazebo. Situated at the eastern edge of Bubeck Park is Stoyer's Dam. Officially dedicated on May 20, 1984, this man-made dam is the site of fishing and iceskating, as well as the home of numerous ducks, geese, and swans. The source of water for the dam is Long Run Creek, which enters on the western side of the dam after traveling along Pennsylvania Route 443
Pennsylvania Route 443
Pennsylvania Route 443 is a long east–west state highway in the US state of Pennsylvania. Unlike other state highways, PA 443 terminates at not a traffic route at its west end, but at Front Street, formerly U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 322 and presently Quadrant Route 3009, in the...

 from the Friedensburg, Pennsylvania
Friedensburg, Pennsylvania
Friedensburg is a census-designated place in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 828 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Friedensburg is located at ....

 area.

Island Park is the newest addition to Schuylkill Haven's park system. It is located south of Fritz Reed Avenue between the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...

 to the north, east, and south, and the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad tracks to the west. Island park is currently the site of fireworks displays in the borough and is expected to feature a skate park, pavilions, and other opportunities for recreation once development is completed.

The Community Center (also known as the "Recreation Center" or the "Senior Center") is located at 340 Haven Street. Senior citizen events, biddy basketball, council chambers, and internet access are found at the center. A gym and two rooms are available to rent for meetings, showers, and small parties. The center is handicap accessible and has handicap accessible bathrooms.

Churches

Schuylkill Haven has one Catholic church and ten Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...

 churches within the borough limits. The churches include (in alphabetical order):
  • Bible Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, 35 South Margaretta Street
  • Calvary United Pentecostal Church, 21 Dock Street
  • Church of the Nazarene, 220 West Main Street
  • Covenant United Methodist Church, 215 East Main Street
  • First United Church of Christ, 110 Route 61 South (Center Avenue)
  • First United Methodist Church, 420 Saylor Street
  • Grace Evangelical Congregational Church, 15 Earl Stoyer Drive
  • Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 252 Dock Street
  • St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, 201 Randel Street
  • St. James Episcopal Church, 100 Dock Street
  • St. John's United Church of Christ, 121 East Main Street

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 5,548 people, 2,393 households, and 1,536 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 3,908.2 people per square mile (1,508.5/km²). There were 2,551 housing units at an average density of 1,797.0 per square mile (693.6/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.22% White, 0.76% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.

There were 2,393 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $32,442, and the median income for a family was $41,286. Males had a median income of $33,047 versus $20,582 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the borough was $16,804. About 7.1% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Schuylkill Haven is governed by a borough council and a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

. There are seven borough council members, each elected to a four-year term. The mayor is also elected to a four-year term, with the next mayoral election in November, 2013. The current mayor is Gary Hess (D). There are no term limits for borough council members or the mayor. Borough council meetings are typically held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month in the borough's recreation center located on Haven Street. In addition to council and the mayor, a borough administrator leads the municipality's daily operations.

Schuylkill Haven is in the 17th United States Congressional District. Its current US Congressman is Tim Holden
Tim Holden
Thomas Timothy "Tim" Holden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...

 (D).

Schuylkill Haven is in the 29th Pennsylvania Senate District. Its current state Senator is Dave Argall
Dave Argall
David G. Argall, Ph.D. is a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, elected in a special election on March 3, 2009 following the death of fellow Republican James J. Rhoades. He was previously a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives where he was first elected to the House in 1984 and...

 (R).

Schuylkill Haven is in the 125th Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....

 District. Its current state Representative is Mike Tobash
Mike Tobash
Mike Tobash is a politician from the U.S. State of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Republican Party and is the member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 125th district. He was elected on November 2, 2010....

 (R).

Education

The borough of Schuylkill Haven lies within Schuylkill Haven Area School District
Schuylkill Haven Area School District
The Schuylkill Haven School District is a public school district in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It serves the municipalties of Port Clinton, Landingville, Schuylkill Haven, and South Manheim Township. Schuylkill Haven Area encompasses approximately 55 square miles. According to 2000 federal...

. The district's three schools are joined through a small system of roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks. The current middle school (formerly the high school) was built in 1938, the current high school was built in 1967, and the current elementary center was constructed in 1991 and combined the borough's three smaller elementary schools (the North Ward, the East Ward, and the South Ward). The school district is small compared with many urban and suburban school districts, graduating 102 seniors in 2009, and ranking as a PIAA Class "A" district for athletic activities. Recent upgrades within the school district include an addition of classrooms to the elementary center, a new auditorium and an eighth-grade wing for the high school, and artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...

 for the athletic field, known as "Rotary Field," which serves as the district's main athletic complex for sports and marching band activities. Schuylkill Haven High School athletic teams are known as the "Hurricanes."

In addition to the public school district, St. Ambrose School is on the eastern side of the borough and is a private, co-educational school for kindergarten through eighth grades.

Penn State Schuylkill
Penn State Schuylkill
Penn State Schuylkill is a Commonwealth Campus of the Pennsylvania State University. It is located in Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania....

 is part of the Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...

 system and is located along Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61 is an -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is signed on a north–south direction, from U.S. Route 222 Business in Reading to U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Shamokin Dam. PA 61 meets up with Pennsylvania Route 54 in Ashland and these...

 immediately northeast of the borough. This public college currently offers five associate degrees, along with the opportunity to complete the first two years of 160 majors from Penn State.

Also within the borough is the Schuylkill Haven Free Public Library. Dedicated on June 26, 1966, the library is located at 104 St. John Street, at the intersection of St. John Street and Union Street. The library is open Monday through Saturday, and proudly serves the citizens of the Schuylkill Haven Area School District.

Transportation

Schuylkill Haven is served by two state highways, Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61 is an -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is signed on a north–south direction, from U.S. Route 222 Business in Reading to U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Shamokin Dam. PA 61 meets up with Pennsylvania Route 54 in Ashland and these...

 and Pennsylvania Route 443
Pennsylvania Route 443
Pennsylvania Route 443 is a long east–west state highway in the US state of Pennsylvania. Unlike other state highways, PA 443 terminates at not a traffic route at its west end, but at Front Street, formerly U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 322 and presently Quadrant Route 3009, in the...

. PA Route 61 (a north-south highway) travels through the northern part of the borough. PA Route 61 is known as "Center Avenue" in Schuylkill Haven. The road continues north to Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Pottsville is the only city in and the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,549 at the 2000 census. The city lies along the west bank of the Schuylkill River, north-west of Philadelphia...

 and ends in Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census...

, and south into Berks County, Pennsylvania
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...

 where it ends in the city of Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...

. PA Route 443 enters Schuylkill Haven at the western end of the borough where it is known as "Columbia Street." It continues on "Parkway" to "Main Street" until it enters "Dock Street." PA Route 443 exits the town along with PA Route 61 on the northeastern side of the borough. PA Route 443 continues east toward Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania
Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania
Orwigsburg is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. Named for its founder, Peter Orwig, from West Brunswick Township in 1823. The population was 3,106 at the 2000 census...

, and west toward Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 2,154.-Geography:Pine Grove is located at ....

.

Schuylkill Haven is not directly served by any interstate highways. Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...

 can be accessed from PA Route 443 near Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 2,154.-Geography:Pine Grove is located at ....

, whereas Interstate 78
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 is an Interstate Highway in the Northeast United States, running 144 miles from Interstate 81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown, Pennsylvania, and western and northern New Jersey to the Holland Tunnel and Lower Manhattan in New York City.I-78 is a major road...

 can be accessed near Hamburg, Pennsylvania
Hamburg, Pennsylvania
Hamburg is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,114 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Hamburg, Germany.-Geography:Hamburg is located at ....

 in Berks County, Pennsylvania
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...

 from PA Route 61.

The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad traverses the center of the borough on a single-track line with grade crossings on Williams Street, Union Street, and Main Street. This line was once part of the Reading Railroad. There is currently no passenger service in the borough, although the Reading Railroad's passenger station remains as the borough hall (and formerly the police station until 2008).

External links

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