Robertsdale, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robertsdale, Pennsylvania
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 Robertsdale, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Robertsdale, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Huntingdon |
| Township | Wood |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Zip code |
16674
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| Area code(s) | 814 |
| Local phone exchanges: 635 | |
Robertsdale is a small, unincorporated community in Wood Township, Pennsylvania. It is located in the southern part of Huntingdon County. The community sits on Broad Top Mountain, near its eastern side.
Contents
A Look at Robertsdale's Past
Robertsdale was founded in 1872. It was built because of the East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company. This company needed a main spot for its trains and coal mines. The Rockhill Iron and Coal Company, which owned the railroad, created the town. They ran most of the coal mines in the Broad Top Coal field.
Early Mining Days
The first big mine was the Houck Mine. It was later called Rockhill Iron and Coal Mine #1. This mine was there before the town, but it was much smaller then. Later, Mine #5 became a very busy coal producer. Other mines, like #2, #3, and #4, were in Robertsdale too. However, they were not as big and only worked for a short time.
The railroad eventually stretched to other places like Woodvale and Alvan. This happened as new coal areas were found. But Robertsdale stayed the main office for all the mining operations. It was a typical coal town. Many houses, a store, and even the water and power systems were owned by the mining company. Most people in Robertsdale worked in coal mining or related jobs.
Changes in Coal Mining
After World War II, people needed less coal from deep underground mines. It became cheaper to dig coal from the surface, which is called strip mining. Because of this, the deep mines in Robertsdale started to close. The last one, Mine #1, closed in 1951.
As the demand for coal kept going down, the Rockhill Iron and Coal Company shut down in 1956. The East Broad Top Railroad also stopped running. Both were sold to a company that buys old equipment and materials. Some smaller mining continued, but not on the same large scale.
Robertsdale Today
Even though the railroad stopped running in 1956, its tracks and buildings are still in Robertsdale. The old train station is now a museum. It is run by the Friends of the East Broad Top. They also own the old post office building.
The Reality theater, built in 1948, and the former United Methodist Church are now part of the Broad Top Coal Miners Museum and Entertainment Center. This center is owned by the Broad Top Coal Miners Historical Society. After the big mining company left, many miners bought their homes. The old water system, run by the railroad, was replaced by a new town system in the 1990s.
The whole area of Robertsdale is important for its history. The Robertsdale Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it's a special place that should be protected.
Places to Visit
If you visit Robertsdale, you can learn a lot about its past.
- Friends of the East Broad Top Museum: Here you can see old train items and learn about the railroad.
- Broad Top Coal Miners Museum and Entertainment Center: This museum teaches you about the lives of coal miners.
