Rose Point, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rose Point, Pennsylvania
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The actual Rose Point at the center of the community
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Location of Rose Point, Pennsylvania
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Map of Rose Point in 1872
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lawrence |
| Township | Slippery Rock |
| Elevation | 1,106 ft (337 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1185451 |
Rose Point is a small community in Pennsylvania, USA. It's located in Lawrence County, near the border with Butler County. This area is mostly rural, with fields and hills, but it used to have some industries. Rose Point was founded about 200 years ago.
Contents
Exploring Rose Point's Location
Rose Point is about 1,106 feet (337 meters) above sea level. You can find it on the north side of U.S. Route 422, where it meets Rose Point Road. The community is right along the deep valley of the Slippery Rock Creek.
Where is Rose Point?
Rose Point is located east of New Castle, which is the main city of Lawrence County. It sits almost exactly halfway between New Castle and Butler. The community is also close to two important highways:
- U.S. Route 19 is about 1 mile (1.6 km) away.
- Interstate 79 is about 3 miles (4.8 km) away.
Nearby State Parks
If you love nature, there are two state parks close to Rose Point:
- Moraine State Park is to the east, just past Interstate 79. It has a big lake called Lake Arthur.
- McConnells Mill State Park is on the other side of U.S. Route 422.
Understanding Rose Point's Geology
The ground around Rose Point is mostly made of a soft rock called Vanport Limestone. This rock is 93.6% calcium carbonate, which is the same stuff found in seashells. It has very little magnesium or silica.
Underground Resources
In the past, the area around Rose Point had lots of natural resources:
- There were many good quality coal beds.
- People drilled oil wells, hoping to find oil from the nearby oil fields of Venango County.
Caves and Karst Landscape
The area around Rose Point has a special type of landscape called karst topography. You can see this clearly in the deep valley of the Slippery Rock Creek. This kind of land often has caves, and Rose Point is no exception!
Famous Caves Nearby
- The Harlansburg Cave is Pennsylvania's longest cave. Some reports say it stretches all the way from Harlansburg (about eleven miles away) to Rose Point.
- Smaller caves, like the Rose Point Cave, are also in the area. They run parallel to the Harlansburg Cave.
- Scientists believe these caves formed when stream water was forced underground during rainy seasons. This created their maze-like passages instead of straight tunnels.
The History of Rose Point
The first people to settle near Rose Point were Abraham Wigle and Samuel Stickle. They came from Westmoreland County in 1804.
Early Mills and Businesses
Abraham Wigle was one of the first to use the power of the Slippery Rock Creek. Around 1825, he built a gristmill (for grinding grain) and a sawmill (for cutting wood) on its banks.
- Wigle's mill was later destroyed by water.
- Another mill was built before 1850, but it was later abandoned.
- The well-known McConnells Mill, which is still preserved today, is only 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream.
Many businesses started in Rose Point, including:
- A hotel
- Blacksmiths' shops (where metal is shaped)
- Cobblers' shops (where shoes are made and repaired)
- Several stores
Churches and Industry
Two churches were built in the community:
- A Reformed Presbyterian church, which is still there today.
- A Roman Catholic church.
Rose Point also used its natural resources for industry. People built furnaces to make iron using local iron ore, coal, and limestone.
- One of these, the Willie Roy or Wilroy Furnace, was built in 1854. It is now recognized as a historic site in Pennsylvania.
Public Services and Name Changes
Public services also came to Rose Point:
- A post office opened in the 1850s. It operated until 1933.
- A village school was started in the early 1860s.
Today, mail for Rose Point is delivered using the New Castle ZIP code, 16101. While the community has been known as Rose Point for a long time, it was also called "Stonetown" for a while in its early days. However, the post office was always named Rose Point.
