Schellsburg, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Schellsburg, Pennsylvania
Borough
Pitt Street on the borough's east side
Location of Schellsburg in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.
Schellsburg, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Bedford
Settled	1808
Incorporated	1838
Government
• Type	Borough Council
Area
• Total	0.25 sq mi (0.66 km2)
• Land	0.25 sq mi (0.66 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,168 ft (356 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	330
• Estimate  (2021)	327
• Density	1,251.97/sq mi (483.88/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	15559
Area code(s)	814
FIPS code	42-68152

Schellsburg is a small town, called a borough, located in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States. In 2020, about 330 people lived there.

History of Schellsburg

Schellsburg is named after John Schell, who founded the community. His family came to America from a region in Germany called the Palatinate. They arrived in the early 1700s.

The Schell Family's Journey

In 1732, John Schell's grandfather, Michael Schell, bought a large piece of land. This land was in what is now Montgomery County. John Schell Jr., born in 1725, later inherited land from his father.

John Schell Jr. served in the Revolutionary War. After the war, he traveled a lot for business. He explored western Pennsylvania and Kentucky. He liked Kentucky's climate and fertile soil. He planned to move his family there and start his own community.

In the spring of 1800, John Schell, his wife, eight children, and his widowed mother began their journey west. When they reached the Ohio River, they found it unsafe to cross due to Native American activity. So, they decided to return to Bedford County. They chose to settle in the area where Schellsburg is today.

Founding the Town

On May 1, 1800, John Schell bought over 1,500 acres (6.1 km²) of land. He divided this land into farms for his sons. He also gave land and money to his daughters. His own home was built just outside the town.

John Schell was very generous. He donated land for schools, churches, and town lots. In 1808, he planned out the town lots. He helped develop the community and was the first president of the nearby turnpike (a type of toll road). Many of his relatives and neighbors from Montgomery County followed him and settled in the area.

Schellsburg officially became a borough in 1838. It was the second borough in Bedford County.

Historic Buildings and Churches

In 2001, Schellsburg was recognized as the Schellsburg Historic District. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This was because of its many old buildings made of log and stone from the 1800s.

The first church in Schellsburg was Union Church. It was built in 1806. This makes it the oldest church building in Bedford County. John Schell died in 1825 and his wife in 1842. They are buried next to each other in the cemetery around the church. Many of their family members are also buried there.

Today, this church is known as the Old Log Church. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. It is officially called the Chestnut Ridge and Schellsburg Union Church and Cemetery. In 2006, a special stone was placed at John Schell's grave. It honors him as the town's founder and for his service in the Revolutionary War.

Notable People and Events

John A. Snively, a famous citrus businessman, was born in Schellsburg in 1889.

In 1964, Schellsburg made national news. Four different church groups in the town decided to merge. These were the Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, and United Church of Christ members. They all held services together as the United Church of Schellsburg. This was a unique event in the history of religion in the United States.

Geography of Schellsburg

Schellsburg is located in the western part of Bedford County. It sits at the southern end of the Allegheny Front. To the south, it borders Shawnee State Park.

Roads and Travel

U.S. Route 30, also known as the Lincoln Highway, runs through Schellsburg. This road goes east about 9 miles (14 km) to Bedford, which is the county seat. It goes west about 86 miles (138 km) to Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania Route 96 also crosses Route 30 in the middle of town. Route 96 goes north to New Paris and Pleasantville. It goes south through Shawnee State Park to Manns Choice.

The United States Census Bureau says that Schellsburg covers a total area of 0.25 square miles (0.66 km²). All of this area is land.

Local Geology

Schellsburg is on the southeast side of Allegheny Mountain. The rocks here gently slope to the southeast.

Population and People

According to the census from 2000, there were 316 people living in Schellsburg. These people lived in 129 households, and 91 of these were families. The town had about 794 people per square mile (307 people per km²).

Most of the people in Schellsburg were White (98.42%). A small number were Native American or from two or more races. About 0.32% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In the households, 27.1% had children under 18 living with them. Most households (65.1%) were married couples living together. About 24.8% of households had just one person living there. The average household had 2.45 people, and the average family had 2.86 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 21.5% were under 18 years old.
• 8.2% were between 18 and 24.
• 28.5% were between 25 and 44.
• 22.8% were between 45 and 64.
• 19.0% were 65 years or older.

The average age in the borough was 39 years.

See also

• In Spanish: Schellsburg para niños