Pottsville, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pottsville
City
Pottsville skyline in May 2019
Flag Seal
Location of Pottsville in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pottsville Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Pottsville Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Schuylkill
Mayor	Dave Clews
Incorporated as a Borough	February 19, 1828
Chartered as a City	March 22, 1911
Area
• Total	4.17 sq mi (10.79 km2)
• Land	4.17 sq mi (10.79 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	659 ft (200.9 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	13,346
• Density	3,203.55/sq mi (1,237.01/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	17901
Area codes	570 and 272
FIPS code	42-62432

Pottsville is a city in Pennsylvania, USA. It's also the main city, or county seat, of Schuylkill County. In 2020, about 13,346 people lived there.

The city is located along the west side of the Schuylkill River. It is about 52 miles (84 km) south of Wilkes-Barre. Pottsville is in an area of Pennsylvania known for its coal mining history.

Pottsville is about 47.4 miles (76.3 km) west of Allentown. It is also 96.6 miles (155.5 km) northwest of Philadelphia. New York City is about 135 miles (217 km) west of Pottsville.

History of Pottsville

Early Days: 18th Century

The land where Pottsville now stands was given to William Penn by King Charles II. This was a very large area of land. At first, Pottsville was part of Chester County. Later, it became part of Lancaster County in 1729. Then, in 1752, it became part of Berks County.

The history of anthracite coal in Pottsville began in 1790. A hunter named Necho Allen found a coal seam. The story says he fell asleep near Broad Mountain. When he woke up, his campfire had set fire to a piece of coal sticking out of the ground. By 1795, a special factory that used anthracite coal was built on the Schuylkill River.

Growth and Industry: 19th Century

An illustration of Pottsville in 1854

An 1833 portrait of Pottsville by John Rowson Smith

In 1806, John Pott bought the factory. He is known as the founder of Pottsville. In 1811, Pottsville became part of the new Schuylkill County. The town was officially planned out in 1816 by Henry Donnell. Pottsville started as a village in 1819. It became an official borough on February 19, 1828.

In 1829, D.G. Yuengling & Son started a brewery. It is now the oldest brewery in the United States. In 1851, Pottsville became the main city of Schuylkill County. It took over from Orwigsburg.

The Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company bought a lot of coal land. This company became very important in the coal industry. However, the anthracite coal industry declined after World War II.

Pottsville also developed a small textile industry. This was because of its location along the Schuylkill River. The Phillips Van Heusen company started here in 1881. Moses Phillips and his wife began sewing shirts by hand. They sold them to local coal miners. Many textile companies left the area in the late 1970s. This was mainly due to competition from other countries.

Modern Times: 20th and 21st Centuries

During the Prohibition period in the United States, Yuengling stopped making regular beer. Instead, they made "near beer" and other products. They also made a small amount of porter beer for medicinal purposes. The Yuengling Dairy was also opened. It made ice cream and other dairy products. These businesses helped the company survive this time.

When Prohibition ended, Yuengling started making alcoholic beverages again. They even sent a truckload of beer to the White House. This was to thank President Franklin D. Roosevelt for ending Prohibition. Yuengling is still a family-owned business today. It is the second largest American-owned brewery.

Pottsville officially became a city on March 22, 1911.

Pottsville had a National Football League team from 1925 to 1928. They were called the Pottsville Maroons. They played in nearby Minersville. The Maroons had some very good seasons. They even claimed the 1925 NFL championship. However, due to a disagreement, the title was given to another team. The Maroons later moved to Boston.

In the middle of the 20th century, Pottsville was a popular place for performers. The 1929 film Berth Marks shows Laurel and Hardy trying to get to Pottsville for a show.

The Patterson Building served as the Pottsville Area High School from 1916 to 1933.

Cloud Home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2007, the city finished a project to improve Centre Street. In 2011, Pottsville became the main transportation center for the county. This was with the opening of the Union Station Intermodal Transit Center. This center helps people travel by bus throughout the county. It also serves major bus companies like Trailways and Greyhound.

Several important buildings in Pottsville are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Pottsville Downtown Historic District, Cloud Home, and the D.G. Yuengling and Son Brewing Complex.

Geography and Climate

Land Features

Pottsville is located at 40.685058 degrees North latitude and -76.202747 degrees West longitude.

The city covers about 4.20 square miles (10.79 square kilometers) of land. There are no large lakes in the city. However, several streams flow through it. The Schuylkill River flows through the southern part of the city. The West Branch of the Schuylkill River forms most of the city's western border. Norwegian Creek also flows through the city, mostly underground. It empties into the Schuylkill River.

Like the ancient city of Rome, Pottsville is built on seven hills. These hills are Lawton's Hill, Greenwood Hill, Bunker Hill (Sharp Mountain), Guinea Hill, Forest Hills, Cottage Hill, and Mount Hope.

A special type of rock formation is named after the town. It is called the Pottsville Formation. This rock complex includes coal, sandstone, and coarse conglomerate. It runs along the Appalachian Mountains.

Weather in Pottsville

Pottsville has a climate that experiences all four seasons. Summers are warm and humid. Winters are cold. The highest temperature ever recorded was 104°F (40°C) in 2011. The lowest temperature was -19°F (-28°C) in 1994.

Average monthly temperatures range from about 27.3°F (-2.6°C) in January to 72.3°F (22.4°C) in July.

People of Pottsville

In 2000, there were 15,549 people living in Pottsville. Most of the people were White (95.73%). About 2.26% were African American. About 1.22% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the city was 40 years old. About 22.6% of the population was under 18 years old.

City Layout and Neighborhoods

The city uses Norwegian and Centre Streets to divide its directions. Norwegian Street divides North and South. Centre Street divides East and West. Pottsville has several main roads, including Route 209 and Route 61.

Neighborhoods in Pottsville

• Center City (Downtown): This is the main area around Centre Street and Market Street.
• Yorkville: Located on the west side of the city. It used to be a separate borough.
• Quinntown: Found along West Market Street.
• Lawton's Hill: East of Route 61.
• Greenwood Hill: East of Route 61, south of East Norwegian Street.
• The Island: An area near Washington Street and Route 61.
• Jalappa: North of Route 61 and east of Centre Street.
• Fishbach: West of Jalappa, between Centre Street and Peacock Street.
• Russelville: Along West Market Street, north and west of Garfield Square.
• Forest Hills: A living area south of Mount Carbon.
• Bunker Hill: South of Mahantongo Street.
• Morrisville: South Centre Street, near the border with Mount Carbon.
• Guinea Hill: A living area extending north of West Arch Street.
• Cottage Hill: North of West End Avenue. It has West and East sections.
• Hillside: Along Cressona Road.
• York Farm: North of First Avenue.
• Mount Hope: North of Laurel Boulevard.
• Yorktowne: East of Westwood Road.

Parks and Fun Places

Pottsville has many parks and recreation areas for people to enjoy:

• Rotary Park: A large park with a Little League baseball field and a basketball court. It also has playground equipment.
• Railway Park: Located in the Yorkville area. It is home to Railway Park Little League. This team was the U.S. Eastern Region Champions in 1997.
• General George Joulwan East Side Park: Built on a hillside. It has a skate park, basketball courts, and playground equipment.
• Henry Clay Park: A small park on South Second Street. It has the Henry Clay Monument and offers a nice view of the city.
• John F. Kennedy Memorial Recreation Complex: The city's main park. It has basketball courts, tennis courts, and a volleyball court. It also has the JFK Memorial Pool and a walking path.
• Yuengling Park: Located at South Tenth and Mahantongo Streets. It has natural fountains, grass, flowers, and benches.
• Bunker Hill Playground: A relaxing area with updated playground equipment.
• Barefield Outdoor Recreation Complex: A 3-acre (1.2 hectare) complex with a basketball court, horseshoe pits, and a sand volleyball court. It is free to use.
• Other Playgrounds: Many other playgrounds are located throughout the city.

Interesting Places to Visit

Yuengling Brewery as seen from Mahantongo Street in 2016

Pottsville has several interesting places to visit:

• Schuylkill County Courthouse: Located at North Second Street and West Laurel Boulevard. Tours are available.
• Pottsville City Hall: Found at 401 North Centre Street.
• Henry Clay Monument: On South 2nd Street.
• Garfield Square Monuments: At North Fifth and West Market Streets.
• D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery: You can take tours here. It's at South 5th and Mahantongo Streets.
• Jerry's Classic Cars Museum: On South Centre Street.
• Yuengling Mansion, Schuylkill County Council for the Arts: At South 15th and Mahantongo Streets.
• Schuylkill County Historical Society: At North Centre Street and West Race Street.
• Jewish Museum of Eastern Pennsylvania: Located at 2501 West End Avenue.
• Garfield Diner: At North Fourth and West Market Streets.
• Veterans' Memorial Stadium: Home of the Pottsville Crimson Tide Football team. It's behind Pottsville Area High School.
• John O'Hara Monument: At South Centre Street and West Howard Avenue.
• John O'Hara House: Located at 606 Mahantongo Street.
• Pottsville Skatepark: At East Norwegian and Anderson Streets.
• JFK Memorial Pool: On York Farm Road.
• Sovereign Majestic Theater: A place for performing arts on North Centre Street.
• World War I Monument: At West Arch and North 11th Streets.
• Pilger Ruh Brewing: At 213 North Centre Street.
• Pressed Coffee and Books: At 123 Mahantongo Street. This was also the birthplace of author John O'Hara.

Sports in Pottsville

Pottsville had a professional football team called the Pottsville Maroons. They played in the National Football League from 1925 to 1929.

The city also has a strong tradition in Little League Baseball. The local leagues have now combined to form Pottsville Area Little League. In 1997, the Railway Park Little League team represented the U.S. Eastern Region in the Little League World Series.

Media and Communication

Local News

The Republican Herald is the daily newspaper for Pottsville.

Radio and TV

Local television stations from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area serve Pottsville. These include WNEP-TV (ABC), WYOU-TV (CBS), WBRE-TV (NBC), WVIA-TV (PBS), and WOLF-TV (FOX). Two radio stations broadcast from Pottsville: WAVT-FM (101.9-FM) and WPPA (1360-AM and 105.9-FM).

Telephone Service

Dial telephone service came to Pottsville on August 30, 1956. The first call was made by Mayor George Heffner.

Getting Around Pottsville

Map of the Eastern Pennsylvania Railways Company around 1912

Union Station Intermodal Transit Center

Pottsville has a small airport for general aviation called Schuylkill County Airport (ZER).

Since 2011, public bus service is available at the Union Station Intermodal Transit Center. This center is at 300 South Centre Street. The Schuylkill Transportation System provides bus services throughout the county. Major bus companies like Greyhound and Trailways also use this station.

Two main highways meet in Pottsville: Pennsylvania Route 61 and U.S. Route 209.

Passenger train service used to connect Pottsville to Reading and Philadelphia. This service stopped on July 29, 1981. The old train station has been replaced by a parking lot.

Healthcare in Pottsville

Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill provides healthcare services in Pottsville. It was formed by combining two local hospitals. These were Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic. This medical center is a Level III Trauma center. This means it can provide advanced care for serious injuries. In 2016, Schuylkill Health became part of the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Schools and Learning

Public and Private Schools

• Pottsville Area School District: This includes Pottsville Area High School, D.H.H. Lengel Middle School, and John S. Clarke Elementary Center.
• Assumption BVM: A school that is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown.
• Gillingham Charter School: A public charter school.
• Literacy Council for Schuylkill County: Helps people with reading and writing.
• Joseph F McCloskey School of Nursing at Schuylkill Health: A nursing school.
• Nativity BVM High School: Also part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown.
• Perception Training Center: Offers training programs.
• Pottsville Free Public Library: The local public library.

Colleges and Universities

• Alvernia University Schuylkill Satellite Campus
• Penn State Schuylkill: Located in nearby Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania.

Notable People from Pottsville

Pottsville Area High School in 1932 after its completion at its current site

St. John the Baptist Church in Pottsville

See also

In Spanish: Pottsville (Pensilvania) para niños