Craigsville, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Craigsville, Pennsylvania
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Unincorporated community
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 Craigsville, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Armstrong |
| Township | West Franklin |
| Elevation | 1,010 ft (310 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 724 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1172609 |
Craigsville is a small community in West Franklin Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's an "unincorporated community," which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Craigsville is located about 7 miles (11 km) west-northwest of Kittanning, the county seat.
Contents
Discovering Craigsville's Past
Craigsville has a long and interesting history, starting way back in the late 1700s. It grew from a small settlement into a busy industrial area.
How Craigsville Began
In 1793, two men named William Stephenson and Aaron Wor were among the first to settle this area. They chose a spot near where the Big and Little Buffalo Creeks meet.
The land was owned by John Craig. In 1805, his son Samuel Craig started a special mill on Buffalo Creek. This mill was called a "fulling mill," and it helped make wool fabric thicker and stronger. Later, in 1814, he added a "carding roll" to prepare wool for spinning.
By 1835, Samuel, his brother John, and Robert Cooper teamed up. They began making blankets, flannels, and other woolen goods. Even after a fire destroyed their building in 1843, they quickly rebuilt it.
Growing Up in Craigsville
Before 1843, the community was known as Craigtown. After the fire and rebuilding, it became known as Craigsville. The first baby born here arrived on March 30, 1809.
In 1849, a flour mill was built near the woolen factory. This mill helped process grain into flour. However, in 1905, the flour mill closed. Its building was then used by the woolen mill for expansion.
The Craigsville post office opened on November 23, 1869. William F. Rumberger was the first postmaster. The post office served the community until 1986. It later joined with the Worthington post office.
Around 1884, the Craigsville Elementary School was built. This shows how the community was growing and developing.
Community Life and Industry
In 1860, a store opened near the mills, selling goods to the local residents. This store changed owners over the years.
The Craigsville United Methodist Church was built in 1884. Before that, its congregation met in Worthington. The church has been an important part of the community for many years. As of 2021, it had about 60 members.
By 1913, Craigsville had grown to about 280 people. Most people worked at the woolen mills. The village had about 35 houses, a school, a church, and two stores.
Big industries came to Craigsville in the early 1900s. In 1913, the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad (which later became the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad) extended its tracks. This allowed the Pittsburgh Limestone Corporation to open a large limestone mine. This mine produced thousands of tons of limestone daily. The limestone was used in steel factories and for building roads.
In 1924, the Graff-Kittanning Clay Products Company started building its plant in Craigsville. They began making products like sewer pipes and clay tiles in 1925. This company employed many people in the area. They even had another plant nearby in Worthington. Their products were sold in many states in the northeastern U.S.
A Big Event in 1990
On April 23, 1990, a train carrying oil and a chemical derailed. This happened in a steep valley along Buffalo Creek. Some of the train cars released their contents. About 200 people living nearby had to leave their homes for safety. This event happened on Earth Day.
Craigsville Today
Today, Craigsville is part of the larger Worthington-West Franklin Township. Many of the old businesses have closed down. However, the United Methodist Church is still active. Also, the Allegheny Mineral Corporation continues to operate a limestone mine where the old Graff-Kittanning Clay Products Company used to be.
Craigsville P.O. was shown on an old map of Armstrong County from 1876.
