Curwensville, Pennsylvania

Curwensville is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States, 45 miles (72 km) north of Altoona on the West Branch Susquehanna River. Coal mining, tanning, and the manufacture of fire bricks were the industries at the turn of the 20th century. In 1900, 1,937 people lived in the borough, and in 1910, 2,549 lived there. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the borough had a population of 2,542.[3] The population of the borough at its highest was 3,422 in 1940.

Curwensville, Pennsylvania
Borough
Location of Curwensville in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.
Map showing Clearfield County in Pennsylvania
Curwensville Location in Pennsylvania
Coordinates: 40°58′27″N 78°31′26″W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Clearfield
Settled	1799
Incorporated	1851
Government
• Type	Borough Council
• Mayor	John Adams Jr.
Area [1]
• Total	2.33 sq mi (6.04 km^2)
• Land	2.23 sq mi (5.77 km^2)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.27 km^2)
Elevation	1,161 ft (354 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	2,542
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	2,385
• Density	1,070.47/sq mi (413.30/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	16833
Area code(s)	814
FIPS code	42-17840
Website	curwensvilleborough.com

History

Curwensville was named for John Curwen in 1799.[4] Curwensville became the second borough of Clearfield County in 1851.

View of Curwensville looking northwest

Industry

North American Refractories Company (NARCO) was a brick plant in Curwensville. The "Brick Yard" as most called it in the community made many different types of brick. Seneca, acid, and cardic brick were all manufactured in NARCO. They were also noted for hot gun models and specialty shapes.

The sandstone quarry owned by Russell Stone Products, Inc. in Curwensville, PA, is a valued asset. Although the site had remained dormant for a lengthy period of time in the 1900s, today it is a viable source that has extensively supplied material for many prominent projects nationwide.

Geography

Curwensville is located near the center of Clearfield County at 40°58′24″N 78°31′20″W (40.973408, -78.522318),[5] along the banks of the West Branch Susquehanna River. Curwensville Lake on the West Branch is impounded 2 miles (3 km) south of the borough and extends 6 miles (10 km) southwest to Lumber City. Pennsylvania Route 879 passes through Curwensville, leading northeast (downstream) 6 miles (10 km) to Clearfield, the county seat, and west 5 miles (8 km) to Grampian.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Curwensville has a total area of 2.33 square miles (6.04 km²), of which 2.23 square miles (5.77 km²) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.27 km²), or 4.49%, is water.[3]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	455		—
1870	556		22.2%
1880	706		27.0%
1890	1,664		135.7%
1900	1,937		16.4%
1910	2,549		31.6%
1920	2,973		16.6%
1930	3,140		5.6%
1940	3,422		9.0%
1950	3,332		−2.6%
1960	3,231		−3.0%
1970	3,189		−1.3%
1980	3,116		−2.3%
1990	2,924		−6.2%
2000	2,650		−9.4%
2010	2,542		−4.1%
Est. 2019	2,385	[2]	−6.2%
Sources:[6][7][8]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 2,650 people, 1,144 households, and 758 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,178.4 people per square mile (454.7/km²). There were 1,254 housing units at an average density of 557.7 per square mile (215.2/km²). The ethnic composition of the borough was 99.02% White, 0.34% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.04% from other races, and 0.30% from two or more races. 0.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,144 households of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were not nuclear families. 30.6% of all households were made up of solitary dwellers of varying ages with 15.9% of those being a person who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 people and the average family size was 2.84 people.

The ages of persons living in the Curwensville borough were widely varied with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $27,281, and the median income for a family was $36,197. Males had a median income of $28,145 versus $18,598 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $14,829. 16.0% of the population and 12.8% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 29.0% of those under the age of 18 and 12.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Notable people

• Charles Emory Patton (1859–1937), Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1911 to 1915
• John Patton (January 6, 1823 – December 23, 1897) was a U.S. Representative from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
• John Patton Jr. (October 30, 1850 – May 24, 1907) was a U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.
• Charles Wall (c. 1903-1995), resident superintendent of George Washington's estate at Mount Vernon for 39 years, starting in 1937[9]

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Curwensville borough, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 98.
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
6. "Census of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
7. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
8. "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
9. Thomas, Robert McG., Jr. "Charles Wall, 91, Long Director of George Washington's Home", The New York Times, May 5, 1995. Accessed July 23, 2010.

External links

• Curwensville Borough official website
• Curwensville Development Corporation
• Curwensville Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)