Clearfield County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clearfield County
U.S. county
Clearfield County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	January 29, 1822
Seat	Clearfield
Largest city	DuBois
Area
• Total	1,154 sq mi (2,990 km2)
• Land	1,145 sq mi (2,970 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	80,562
• Density	69.811/sq mi (26.954/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	15th
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
Designated:	September 17, 1982

Clearfield County is a county in the state of Pennsylvania. In 2020, about 80,562 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Clearfield. The biggest city is DuBois.

The county was first created in 1804 and officially started in 1822. Clearfield County is part of the DuBois, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. This area is also included in the larger State College–DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area. The county is located in the north-central part of Pennsylvania.

History of Clearfield County

Clearfield, the main town in the county.

Clearfield County was officially formed on March 26, 1804. This happened thanks to an "Act of Assembly" (a special law) signed by Thomas McKean, who was the second Governor of Pennsylvania at that time. The county was made from parts of two older counties: Huntingdon and Lycoming.

The name "Clearfield" likely comes from the many open, cleared areas in the valleys. These clearings were made by large herds of bison and also by old corn fields used by Native American tribes long ago. These fields were found near Clearfield Creek and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

Early Industries in Clearfield County

From the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, the two main industries in Clearfield County were lumber and coal. People used to float logs down the West Branch of the Susquehanna River until 1917. Even today, coal mining is still a very important industry in the county. For example, the Hepburnia Coal Company, started in 1955, mines and ships coal.

Workers' Rights and Law Changes

A very important event in Clearfield County's history involved workers who were trying to get fair treatment. In 1875, many miners from the Houtzdale region were involved in a large court case. They were accused of working together to organize strikes.

Even though they seemed to be protesting peacefully, many were found responsible. Some were sent to prison, while others had their sentences paused. This case was very important for workers' groups across the United States.

Later, two union leaders, John Siney and Xingo Parks, also faced trials. Siney was the President of the Miners' National Association (MNA). He had spoken in Houtzdale to support the strike and was arrested. Parks was also a strong organizer for the MNA. A famous senator, Matthew H. Carpenter, helped defend them. Siney was found not responsible. Parks was found responsible for encouraging an unlawful gathering and was sentenced to prison, but he was pardoned very quickly.

Because of these important cases, Pennsylvania changed its laws the next year. The new law made it clear that only using "force, threat, or harm to people or property" would be considered illegal during protests. This was a big step for workers' rights.

Geography of Clearfield County

Clearfield County covers about 1,154 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,145 square miles, is land. The rest is water. It is the third-largest county in Pennsylvania by land area.

The West Branch Susquehanna River flows right through the county. It even divides the main town, Clearfield, into two parts. Clearfield County is one of the many counties helped by the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The county has many mountains, which made it hard for early settlers to travel. Native American paths and trails were used by settlers and even by escaped slaves traveling north on the Underground Railroad. A special place called Bilger's rocks in Bloom Township shows amazing examples of sandstone bedrock. These rocks were formed when the Appalachian Mountains were created.

It's interesting to note that the shape of Clearfield County looks a lot like the shape of the state of Arkansas!

Main Roads

Neighboring Counties

Weather in Clearfield County

Clearfield County has a climate with warm summers. The average monthly temperatures in DuBois range from about 24.6 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 68.6 degrees Fahrenheit in July. In Clearfield borough, temperatures range from 23.8 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 69.3 degrees Fahrenheit in July.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 83,382 people living in Clearfield County. Most people (97.40%) were White. About 1.49% were Black or African American, and smaller percentages were Native American, Asian, or from other backgrounds. About 0.56% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The county's population was spread out by age. About 22.70% were under 18 years old. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were about 99.50 males.

2020 Census Details

Statistical Areas

Map of the State College-DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), composed of the following parts:      State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area      DuBois, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area

The U.S. government has named Clearfield County the DuBois, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA). In 2010, this area was the sixth most populated in Pennsylvania and the 65th most populated in the United States, with 81,642 people.

Clearfield County is also part of a larger area called the State College–DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA). This area includes both Clearfield and Centre Counties, along with the State College area. This combined area was the ninth most populated in Pennsylvania and the 125th most populated in the U.S., with 235,632 people.

Education in Clearfield County

There are many schools and colleges in Clearfield County.

Colleges and Universities

• Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania at Clearfield, Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania State University at DuBois

Map of Public School Districts in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

Technical and Community Colleges

• Clearfield County Career and Technology Center
• Triangle Tech

Public School Districts

• Clearfield Area School District
• Curwensville Area School District
• DuBois Area School District (also in Jefferson County)
• Glendale School District (also in Cambria County)
• Harmony Area School District (also in Indiana County)
• Moshannon Valley School District
• Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District (also in Centre County)
• Purchase Line School District (also in Indiana County)
• West Branch Area School District (also in Clinton County)

Other School Organizations

• Central IU 10 – West Decatur

Private Schools

• Butchers Run Amish School
• Clearfield Alliance Christian School
• DuBois Area Catholic Elementary School
• DuBois Area Catholic High School
• DuBois Christian Schools
• Golden Yoke School
• Milestones Achievement Center
• Mount Calvary Christian Academy
• New Story (DuBois)
• Otterbein Christian Academy
• Paint & Play School (DuBois)
• Scenic View School
• St Francis Grade School
• Weber Road School

Libraries

• Clearfield County Public Library – Curwensville
• Curwensville Public Library
• DuBois Public Library –
• Glendale Public Library – Coalport
• Joseph and Elizabeth Shaw Public Library – Clearfield
• Hiller Family Memorial Library - Houtzdale

Fun and Recreation

Clearfield County has two Pennsylvania state parks where you can enjoy nature:

• Parker Dam State Park
• S. B. Elliott State Park

The county is also home to the largest wild area in Pennsylvania, called the Quehanna Wild Area. You can also visit Bilger's rocks, which are huge sandstone rocks that are very interesting to see.

Camping Spots

Lodging/Camping

Hunting and Fishing

Hunting Areas

Fishing Spots

Sports and Golf

Golf Courses

Interesting Places to Visit

• Bilger's Rocks
• Clearfield Armory
• Dimeling Hotel
• McGees Mills Covered Bridge
• St. Severin's Old Log Church

Communities in Clearfield County

Map of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, showing cities, boroughs, townships, and census-designated places.

In Pennsylvania, there are different types of towns and areas. Here are the cities, boroughs, and townships in Clearfield County:

City

• DuBois

Boroughs

Townships

Census-Designated Places

These are special areas defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for collecting population data. They are not official towns or cities.

Unincorporated Communities

These are areas of land that are not part of any official city, borough, or town.

• Helvetia
• Lumber City
• New Castle (Clearfield County) – in Decatur Township
• Sylvan Grove
• Viola

Population Ranking of Communities

This table shows the population of communities in Clearfield County based on the 2010 census.

† main town

Famous People from Clearfield County

• Mary Elizabeth Willson (1842–1906), a gospel singer, composer, and evangelist.
• Willie Adams, a major league baseball pitcher from 1912 to 1919.
• Howie Bedell, a major league baseball player.
• William Bigler (1814–1880), a politician who was the 12th Governor of Pennsylvania and later a U.S. Senator.
• Earl Caldwell, a former reporter and columnist for The New York Times. He was the first African-American to have a regular column in a major national newspaper.
• Otto Eppers, a cartoonist and illustrator who famously jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge at age 17 as part of a stunt.
• Howard Fargo, a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1981–2000).
• Anthony A. Mitchell, a clarinet player, composer, and conductor. He led the United States Navy Band from 1962 to 1968.
• Rembrandt Cecil Robinson (1924–1972), a United States Navy officer who became a Rear Admiral.
• Edward Scofield, governor of Wisconsin from 1897 to 1901.
• William Irvin Swoope, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1923–27).
• William A. Wallace, a Democratic U.S. senator who served from 1875 to 1881.
• Powell Weaver, a composer and organist.
• Zenas Leonard (1809–1857), an American mountain man, explorer, and trader known for his journal.

Images for kids

• 

  Seal of Clearfield County

• 

  Flag of Clearfield County

• 

  Clearfield County Courthouse

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Clearfield para niños