Scotia, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Scotia was once a small village in Pennsylvania, located in Centre County. It was known for its iron ore mines. Even though the village was called Scotia, its local post office had a different name: Benore. The word "Ben" comes from Gaelic and means "mountain."

History of Scotia

How Scotia Started

The village of Scotia began because of iron ore. A famous businessman named Andrew Carnegie was interested in the iron ore found here. Through his company, the Edgar Thomson Steel Company, he rented large areas of land in the township. People had been mining here in a small way since the late 1700s. But Carnegie started a much bigger mining operation in 1880. Workers dug the ore from a large open pit. They then washed the ore to separate it from clay and loaded it onto trains.

Trains and Iron Ore

Trains were very important for Scotia. In 1881, the Pennsylvania Railroad built a special line to the village. This allowed them to carry the iron ore to steel factories in Pittsburgh. Inside the mining pits, there were also smaller, narrow-gauge trains. These trains moved the ore to the washing areas. The village also had wells and a reservoir to provide water for washing the ore.

Changes and Challenges

In 1899, Andrew Carnegie sold the iron ore mines to the Bellefonte Furnace Company. He felt it was no longer profitable to mine the ore and ship it all the way to Pittsburgh. Right after this sale, the Bellefonte Central Railroad built a new train line to Scotia. This new line allowed the ore to go directly to the Bellefonte Furnace Company's own factories. This was a much shorter route than using the Pennsylvania Railroad.

The End of Mining

Around 1913, the mining in Scotia stopped. The next year, in 1914, all the property of the Bellefonte Furnace Company was sold. The Bellefonte Central Railroad then stopped using its line to Scotia in 1915. The Pennsylvania Railroad also stopped using its line in 1927. The village itself was completely empty by 1922 or 1923.

A Short Comeback

There was a brief attempt to start mining again in Scotia during World War II. The Bellefonte Central Railroad received money to build a new train line to Scotia. However, the mine only operated for a short time before the war ended. It soon closed down permanently. Today, the area where Scotia once stood is part of Pennsylvania State Game Lands No. 176.

Images for kids

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  Poe Valley State Park, Centre County, Pennsylvania (near Scotia)