West Decatur, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
West Decatur is an unincorporated community
in Boggs Township
, Clearfield County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along Blue Ball Road just south of U.S. Route 322 between Wallaceton
and Philipsburg
. It was also known as Blue Ball, for the nearby blue ball clay
deposits, but the local post office
received the name West Decatur.
West Decatur lies along the old Philipsburg and Susquehanna Turnpike, which was part of a through route between Philadelphia and Erie
, and is thus now called Old Erie Pike. The community was also on the Clearfield Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad
, opened by the Tyrone and Clearfield Railway in mid-1868 from Philipsburg to Blue Ball, and extended to Clearfield
in 1869. Successor Conrail sold it to R.J. Corman Railroad/Pennsylvania Lines
in 1996, but it has since been abandoned.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Boggs Township
Boggs Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Boggs Township is a township in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,837 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
, Clearfield County
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Clearfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 81,642.Clearfield County was created on March 26, 1804, from parts of Huntingdon and Lycoming Counties but was administered as part of Centre County until 1812...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along Blue Ball Road just south of U.S. Route 322 between Wallaceton
Wallaceton, Pennsylvania
Wallaceton is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 350 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wallaceton is located at ....
and Philipsburg
Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
There are three places named Philipsburg in the state of Pennsylvania:*Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania*Philipsburg, Fayette County, Pennsylvania*Philipsburg, Washington County, PennsylvaniaAlso, Phillipsburg in the state of Pennsylvania:...
. It was also known as Blue Ball, for the nearby blue ball clay
Ball clay
Ball clays are kaolinitic sedimentary clays, that commonly consist of 20-80% kaolinite, 10-25% mica, 6-65% quartz. Localized seams in the same deposit have variations in composition, including the quantity of the major minerals, accessory minerals and carbonaceous materials such as lignite...
deposits, but the local post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
received the name West Decatur.
West Decatur lies along the old Philipsburg and Susquehanna Turnpike, which was part of a through route between Philadelphia and Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, and is thus now called Old Erie Pike. The community was also on the Clearfield Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, opened by the Tyrone and Clearfield Railway in mid-1868 from Philipsburg to Blue Ball, and extended to Clearfield
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,631 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clearfield County.-Geography:Clearfield is located at ....
in 1869. Successor Conrail sold it to R.J. Corman Railroad/Pennsylvania Lines
R.J. Corman Railroad/Pennsylvania Lines
R.J. Corman Railroad/Pennsylvania Lines is a railroad in the R.J. Corman Railroad Group, operating a number of lines in central Pennsylvania. It primarily carries coal between mines and Norfolk Southern Railway connections at Cresson and Keating...
in 1996, but it has since been abandoned.