Spangler, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spangler
Unincorporated area
Spangler Location in Pennsylvania
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Cambria
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)

Spangler, Pennsylvania was once a small town. It was located in the northwest part of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The town sat in a valley next to the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. It was surrounded by hills that are part of the Appalachian Mountains.

History of Spangler, Pennsylvania

This area was first settled by people from Europe in the early to mid-1800s. The West Branch of the Susquehanna River was important. It helped loggers move the wood they cut down the river.

Later, small farms started to appear. The town of Spangler officially began in 1893. This happened when mining became the main industry. There were many large bituminous coal fields in the area. Mining companies needed skilled workers. Many of these workers came from Great Britain and Eastern Europe.

Railroad lines were built to carry the coal away. The town grew bigger because of all this new business.

The 1922 Mining Disaster

A terrible mining accident happened on November 6, 1922. It was at the Reilly No. 1 Mine. Seventy-nine miners died in an explosion. The blast happened at 7:20 a.m. after 112 men had started their work day.

The explosion damaged parts of the mine. It blew out walls of the fan housing. Help was called from other mines. The Bureau of Mines in Pittsburgh also sent aid.

Workers quickly fixed the fan housing. The fan was started, pulling fresh air into the mine. Rescue teams went in. They found one man making his way out to fresh air. They brought him and four other workers out. All of them were badly affected by mine gases. Eighteen rescuers also felt sick from the gases.

More rescue teams with special equipment went in. They saved 22 more survivors. Five other miners managed to get out on their own. Seventy-six bodies were found. Sadly, three of the rescued men later passed away.

Investigators later looked into the accident. The mine had been called "gaseous" in 1918. This meant it had dangerous gases. But new owners insisted it be called "non-gaseous." A fireboss was hired to check for gas. However, inspections were often missed or not done well. Miners were burned by gas at least four times before the explosion.

Before the November 1922 accident, gas built up in parts of the mine. This happened because doors were left open and air flow was poor. Miners' open lights then set the gas on fire. The presence of coal dust also helped the explosion spread. A monument stands in a park in the town center. It honors those who died in this disaster.

1971 Fire: Firefighters Lost Their Lives

On January 1, 1971, a big fire broke out. It happened at Weaver's Variety Shop. A winter storm was happening at the same time. Eleven inches of snow fell, and temperatures dropped close to zero degrees.

More than 100 volunteer firefighters fought the blaze. They came from Spangler and nearby towns. They worked in very difficult weather. A wall collapsed during the fire. It killed two firefighters: Frank Kinkead, 47, and John DeDea, 32. Both were from nearby Patton, Pennsylvania. Other firefighters were also hurt. The fire destroyed three buildings. This included the old Spangler Theater on the main street, Bigler Avenue.

Town Layout and Merger

Spangler was designed with only one main street. This street was close to the Susquehanna River. There were only one to three parallel streets. Because of the long main street, Bigler Avenue, the town had a special saying: "The Longest Little Town in the World."

Spangler existed from 1893 until January 1, 2000. On that day, it joined with the nearby town of Barnesboro. Together, they formed a new town called the Borough of Northern Cambria.

The local public school district is the Northern Cambria School District. Their sports teams are called the "Colts." Their school colors are black and gold. The current zip code for Northern Cambria is 15714. Spangler is located at 40°39'21" North, 78°46'46" West.

Famous People from Spangler

• Frank Brazill: A baseball player who was born in Spangler.
• Chris Columbus: A famous director. He directed movies like Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the first two Harry Potter movies. He was born in Spangler.
• George Magulick: A football player who played in the National Football League in 1944. He was born in Spangler.
• Cheryl Strayed: A writer of memoirs, novels, and essays. She was played by Reese Witherspoon in the movie Wild. Cheryl Strayed was born in Spangler.