Heckscherville, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heckscherville
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St. Kierans Church in Heckscherville
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 Heckscherville
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Schuylkill |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.33 sq mi (0.86 km2) |
| • Land | 0.33 sq mi (0.86 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 196 |
| • Density | 590.36/sq mi (228.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
17901
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| FIPS code | 42-33528 |
Heckscherville is a small community located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is known as a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's a special area defined for collecting population information. In 2020, about 196 people lived there.
Contents
Heckscherville Geography
Heckscherville is found in a beautiful area known as the Heckscherville Valley. This valley is surrounded by mountains. It covers about 0.86 square kilometers (0.33 square miles) of land.
Heckscherville Valley Villages
The Heckscherville Valley includes several smaller villages. These include Greenbury, Coal Castle, and Cherry Valley. Some settlements that once existed in the valley have now disappeared. This happened to make way for more advanced coal production.
Heckscherville Population
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 196 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 76 households in Heckscherville. The people living there were mostly White. The community had a mix of ages, with some younger people and many older adults. The average household had about two people.
Heckscherville History
Heckscherville has an interesting past, especially because of coal mining.
Early Names of the Valley
Back in 1831, the valley was called "Chapmanville." This name came from the owners of the coal mines at that time. Later, in 1843, George and William Payne took over the coal businesses. So, the valley's name changed again to "Payne's Patch."
Irish Immigrants Arrive
The Payne brothers needed more workers for their growing coal mines. They heard about the famine in Ireland in 1845. They traveled to Ireland to convince families to move to America. The brothers promised transportation, jobs, and homes.
Before this, most people in the valley were Welsh. But when the Irish immigrants arrived, many Welsh families moved away. Soon, almost everyone in the valley was Irish or of Irish descent. Because of this, the small valley became known as the "Irish Valley."
Heckscherville's New Name
Years later, the August Heckscher family from New York bought the Payne brothers' coal businesses. They changed the name of the valley to Heckscherville.
Growing Diversity
Over time, the population changed again. Coal companies needed more workers. They brought laborers from many different countries in Europe. These included people from Poland, Lithuania, and Greece. Today, you can find people from almost every background living in the Heckscherville Valley.
Heckscherville Irish Festival
Heckscherville used to host a yearly "Irish Festival." It started in 1987 and ran until 2010. This festival celebrated the community's Irish heritage. It was also the main way to raise money for the village's Clover Fire Company.
Festival Highlights
The festival was sometimes called "Irish Weekend." It showed off many parts of Irish culture, from food to family fun. There were many food vendors selling Irish comfort foods. You could find Irish stew, potato pancakes, and soda bread.
Irish music was a big part of the festival too. Many bands performed, including Blackthorne, The Molly Wogs, and The Martin Family. Besides music, there was storytelling, Irish plays, and Irish dancing. People came from all over to enjoy this popular event.
Saint Kierans Church
Saint Kierans is a Roman Catholic church in Heckscherville. It is the only church in the town. Irish miners built it in the 1850s. John Neumann, who later became a saint, personally oversaw its construction. He visited the valley three times to check on the work.
Church Design and Name
The church's design was inspired by a small country church in Knock, Ireland. That church became famous for an apparition in 1879. Saint Kieran's was named after a parish in Kilkenny, Ireland. This was the home country of many of the church's first members.
Preserving the Church
Saint Kieran's Church closed in June 2008. This happened because many Roman Catholic churches in America were being reorganized. Today, a group called "The Friends of St. Kierans" is working to preserve the church.
See also
In Spanish: Heckscherville para niños
