Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania
Borough
A Schuylkill Haven church in May 2012
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  "The Little Town That Could"
Location of Schuylkill Haven in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (left) and of Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania (right)
Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Schuylkill
Settled	1750
Incorporated	June 11, 1840
Government
• Type	Mayor and Borough Council
Area
• Total	1.40 sq mi (3.64 km2)
• Land	1.40 sq mi (3.62 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	526 ft (160 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,236
• Density	3,745.35/sq mi (1,446.03/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip Code	17972
Area code(s)	570 and 272
FIPS code	42-68312
Website	http://www.schuylkillhaven.org

Schuylkill Haven is a small town, called a borough, in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It's located right next to the Schuylkill River, which is where it gets its name! In 2020, about 5,253 people lived here. Schuylkill Haven is a busy spot in the southern part of Schuylkill County.

The town is about 43 miles (70 km) west of Allentown. It's also about 93 miles (149 km) northwest of Philadelphia. And it's about 131 miles (211 km) west of New York City.

History of Schuylkill Haven

Aerial view of Schuylkill Haven and nearby areas in June 2023.

Long before Europeans came, the land where Schuylkill Haven now stands was home to the Lenape Indian tribe. The British called them the Delaware Indians.

The first European settlers arrived in the 1730s. They traveled north of Blue Mountain. This was near where Berks and Schuylkill County meet today.

Early Settlers

The very first settler in Schuylkill Haven was John Fincher. He was a Quaker from Chester County, Pennsylvania. On March 5, 1750, he got a land grant for 225 acres (0.91 km2). This date is considered the unofficial founding day of Schuylkill Haven. John Fincher built a house and barn near the Schuylkill River. He named his small settlement "Fincher's Ford."

Another early settler was Martin Dreibelbis, who was German. He arrived in the spring of 1775. Martin Dreibelbis built a house, a saw mill, a distillery, and a grist mill. These were all on the eastern side of the Schuylkill River. He later built a log house near what is now Main Street. Because of this, Martin Dreibelbis is known as Schuylkill Haven's "first resident."

Where is Schuylkill Haven?

Schuylkill Haven grew up around the Schuylkill River. The river flows right through the town. It enters near Island Park and leaves at the southeastern edge. The lowest point in town, by the river, is about 490 feet (149 m) above sea level. The town also has many hills. The highest point is about 700 feet (213 m) above sea level near Avenue C.

Weather in Schuylkill Haven

Schuylkill Haven gets about 47 inches (1,194 mm) of rain each year. July is usually the warmest month. The average high temperature is about 84°F (29°C). January is typically the coolest month. The average high temperature is about 36°F (2°C).

Town Services

Schuylkill Haven provides important services for its citizens. These include electricity, water, sewer, and trash collection. The town has its own system for distributing electricity. It buys power from other companies.

The main source of water for Schuylkill Haven is the Tumbling Run Reservoir. This reservoir is about five miles (8 km) north of town. There are also storage tanks at Willow Lake. These tanks are at the northern edge of the borough. The town also owns another water supply area called the Panther Valley dam. This water is not used anymore, but the dam is still there.

The town's sewage treatment plant is located at the southern edge of town. It is on the western side of St. Charles Street.

The Schuylkill Haven borough hall used to be in the old train station on Main Street. But in July 2015, it moved to 333 Centre Avenue, which is on PA Route 61.

Police and Fire Departments

Schuylkill Haven has its own police force. The Schuylkill Haven Police Department has eight officers. They work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Usually, at least two officers are on duty at all times. The police station is on Parkway.

The town also has a volunteer fire department. There are three fire stations in the borough. These are the Rainbow Hose Co. on Dock Street, the Schuylkill Hose Co. at Union and St. Peter Streets, and the Liberty Fire Co. at Columbia and St. James Streets.

Fun Places to Visit

The Schuylkill Haven Fire Department in May 2012.

Schuylkill Haven has many playgrounds and places for fun. Some of these include Green Goose on Jackson Street and Saylor Street playground. There's also Naffin Avenue playground and Willow Street playground. Other play areas are on Garfield Avenue, North Berne Street, Williams Street, and Fritz Reed Avenue.

"The Courts" on South Berne Street has a basketball court, picnic tables, and a gazebo.

Bubeck Park is south of Columbia Street. It has two covered areas, a bandstand, and a gazebo. The park also has a dam with many ducks, geese, and swans. Water for the dam comes from Long Run Creek.

Island Park is a newer park in Schuylkill Haven. It's located between the Schuylkill River and the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad. Island Park is where fireworks shows happen in the town. It also has two baseball fields, several soccer fields, and a large covered area. It's also the starting point for the "Schuylkill County Sojourn." This is a kayaking trip down the Schuylkill River all the way to Philadelphia.

The Community Center is at 340 Haven Street. It's also called the Recreation Center or Senior Center. Older adults have events here. There's also biddy basketball and internet access. You can rent the gym and two rooms for meetings or parties. The center is easy to access for people with disabilities.

The Walk In Art Center in Schuylkill Haven is a great place for art. It has 15 artists working there and three art galleries. They also offer art classes and community events.

Places of Worship

Schuylkill Haven has many churches and a Hindu temple. There are ten Protestant churches, one Catholic Church, and the Vraj Hindu Temple.

Some of the churches include:

• Bible Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, 35 South Margaretta Street
• Calvary United Pentecostal Church, 21 Dock Street
• Church of the Nazarene, 220 West Main Street
• Covenant United Methodist Church, 215 East Main Street
• First United Church of Christ, 110 Route 61 South (Center Avenue)
• First United Methodist Church, 420 Saylor Street
• Grace Evangelical Congregational Church, 15 Earl Stoyer Drive
• Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 252 Dock Street
• St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, 201 Randel Street
• St. James Episcopal Church, 100 Dock Street
• St. John's United Church of Christ, 121 East Main Street

Learning and Schools

Primary and Secondary Education

Schuylkill Haven is part of the Schuylkill Haven Area School District. Students in grades eight through twelve go to Schuylkill Haven High School. The school district also has a middle school and an elementary school.

Colleges and Libraries

Entrance to Penn State Schuylkill in Schuylkill Haven in August 2018.

Penn State Schuylkill is a college campus. It's part of the Pennsylvania State University system. It's located right outside the borough, northeast of town, off PA Route 61. Students can earn two-year degrees here. They can also complete their first two years of many different four-year degrees. After two years, they can transfer to the main Penn State campus.

The Schuylkill Haven Free Public Library is at 104 St. John Street. It opened on June 26, 1966. The library is open Monday through Saturday.

Getting Around Town

Roads and Highways

Two main state highways serve Schuylkill Haven. These are Pennsylvania Route 61 and Pennsylvania Route 443.

PA Route 61 goes north and south through the northern part of town. In Schuylkill Haven, it's called "Center Avenue." This road goes north to Pottsville. It ends in Sunbury. If you go south, it enters Berks County, Pennsylvania. It ends in Reading.

PA Route 443 enters Schuylkill Haven from the west. It's known as Columbia Street there. It then goes along Parkway to Main Street, and then to Dock Street. PA Route 443 leaves town with PA Route 61 on the northeastern side. It continues east towards Orwigsburg. To the west, it goes towards Pine Grove.

You can get to Interstate 81 from PA Route 443 near Pine Grove. You can also reach Interstate 78 nearby. This is at Hamburg in Berks County from PA Route 61.

Trains and Canals

The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad has commercial train service through the borough. It uses a single track with three crossings. These are at Williams Street, Union Street, and Main Street.

Passenger train service used to be available. You could travel between Schuylkill Haven, Reading, and Philadelphia. This service stopped on July 1, 1981. The Schuylkill Haven station is now owned by the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad.

The Schuylkill Canal was an important part of transportation in Schuylkill Haven. It was built in 1825. The canal was on the Schuylkill River. It was used to transport coal from Port Carbon to Philadelphia. This canal helped towns like Reading, Norristown, and Pottsville grow into manufacturing centers.

Later, railroads became more popular for moving coal. By 1845, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad was moving much more coal than the canal. In 1869, floods damaged the canals. Their use started to decline. Eventually, railroads took over as the main way to transport coal. In 1979, the canals were filled in.

Famous People from Schuylkill Haven

• Allen Moyer, a set designer for Broadway shows.
• Ralph Peters, an author who writes non-fiction books.
• Elsie Singmaster, an author who wrote books for children and young adults.
• Mike Tobash, a former representative in the Pennsylvania State government.

In 2010, there were 5,437 people living in Schuylkill Haven. Most people (94.5%) were White. About 2.5% were Black or African American. About 2.1% were of Hispanic or Latino background. In 2020, the population was 5,253 people.

See also

In Spanish: Schuylkill Haven para niños