Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania
Borough
Gazebo on Church Street, November 2016
Location of Beaver Meadows in Carbon County
Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Carbon
Area
• Total	0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)
• Land	0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,598 ft (487 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	897
• Density	3,476.74/sq mi (1,341.57/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	18216
Area code(s)	570
FIPS code	42-04816
Website	beavermeadowspa

Beaver Meadows is a small town, called a borough, located in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is part of the larger Northeastern Pennsylvania region. In 2020, about 897 people lived there.

Exploring Beaver Meadows: Location and Landscape

Beaver Meadows is found in the northwestern part of Carbon County. It sits in a valley along Beaver Creek. This area was once a major travel route for Native Americans.

The Great Swamp and Its Surroundings

Long ago, this wilderness was known as "The Great Swamp." Native Americans called it "Towamensing," which means "wilderness." It was a huge forest with many pine trees and swampy valleys. These valleys were fed by springs and mountain creeks like Quakake Creek and Hazel Creek. The Native Americans used this area for hunting.

Elevation and Size

Beaver Meadows is about 1,598 feet (487 meters) above sea level. It is located north of Spring Mountain, which is part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. The borough is quite small, covering only about 0.26 square miles (0.67 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the borough.

A Look Back: The History of Beaver Meadows

Beaver Meadows started as a natural landmark. It was a meadow where beavers built dams. This spot was along an important Native American trail called the "Warriors' Path." Later, it became a rest stop on the Lehigh and Susquehanna Turnpike. This turnpike was a road for horses and wagons, built in 1804.

Early Discoveries and Settlements

In the 1790s, some farmhouses began to appear in the valley. A big discovery happened in 1812 when anthracite coal was found nearby. This type of coal is very hard and burns cleanly.

In 1752, the land where Beaver Meadows is now was part of Northampton County. This county was very large, almost the size of New Jersey! The Warriors' Path was made wider in the 1790s to become a cart road. This helped people travel more easily.

In 1804, a new road, the Lehigh and Susquehanna Turnpike, was built. This road helped transport timber. Today, Pennsylvania Route 93 follows much of this old turnpike through Beaver Meadows. It connects the borough to Hazleton to the northwest and Nesquehoning to the southeast.

The Rise of Coal and Railroads

In 1812, Nathan Beach found coal in the area. He opened a mine in 1813. At first, the coal was shipped by wagon. Later, it could be sent to Lausanne Landing. From there, it traveled on special boats called arks down the Lehigh River to Philadelphia.

By 1817, improvements were made to the Lehigh Navigations. This made it safer to transport coal downstream. By 1820, a record amount of coal was shipped to Philadelphia. The success of the canal helped the area grow.

In 1826, Colonel William H. Wilson built a tavern in the town. In 1831, James Lamison opened another tavern. The Beaver Meadow Railroad and Coal Company was formed around this time. This company was a big part of the industrial revolution in the area.

The company started building a railway in 1833. This railway helped transport coal more efficiently. In 1835, they brought in the first steam locomotives to operate in the region. The Beaver Meadow Railroad was a big success. It showed that railroads could be built through mountains.

By 1846, investors started the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad Company. This company wanted to connect New York Harbor to the Susquehanna River. The Beaver Meadow Railroad became part of this larger system in 1866. This new railroad became known as the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

The earliest settlement in Banks Township [of 1886] was made in that portion which was in 1897 set off to form the borough of Beaver Meadow. The township was contained within the territory of Lausanne until January, 1842, when it was separately organized, being named in honor of Judge Banks, then on the bench of Northampton county, of which Carbon formed a part until 1843.

—Brenckman

Population Changes in Beaver Meadows

The population of Beaver Meadows has changed over the years. In 1880, there were 502 people. The population grew steadily until 1940, when it reached its highest point of 2,030 people. Since then, the population has slowly decreased. In 2020, there were 897 residents.

Getting Around: Transportation in Beaver Meadows

PA Route 93 northbound in Beaver Meadows

As of 2013, Beaver Meadows had about 3.63 miles of public roads. Some of these roads are kept up by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The rest are maintained by the borough itself.

The main highway serving Beaver Meadows is Pennsylvania Route 93. This road runs through the western and southern parts of the borough. It follows what are known as Berwick Street and Broad Street.

Learning in Beaver Meadows: Education

Beaver Meadows is part of the Hazleton Area School District. Students in the borough attend public schools within this district. The local high school for students is Hazleton Area High School, which is located in Hazle Township.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Beaver Meadows

• Norm Larker was a professional baseball player who came from Beaver Meadows.