Tarrs, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tarrs
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PA 31 eastbound in Tarrs
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 Tarrs
Location in Pennsylvania
Tarrs
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Westmoreland |
| Elevation | 1,158 ft (353 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
15688
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| GNIS feature ID | 1189287 |
Tarrs is a small, unincorporated community located in East Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's managed by the larger township or county. Tarrs was also once known as a "coal town," which means many people there worked in the coal mining industry.
Tarrs is found along Pennsylvania Route 31. It is about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Mt. Pleasant. This community is special because it's the only place in Pennsylvania with an active ACA Allertor 125 Civil Defense warning siren. This type of siren is used to warn people during emergencies.
A Look Back: History of Tarrs
Tarrs has its own post office, which helps people send and receive mail. The post office has a special code, 15688, called a ZIP code. It was first opened a very long time ago, in April 1828.
The town became important because of its coal mine. This mine was started in 1873 by a company called D.A. Dillinger and Brothers. Later, another company, Southwest Coal and Coke Company, took over the mine. They called it the "No. 3" mine. Over time, about 250 "coke ovens" were built there. Coke ovens are special furnaces that heat coal to make a fuel called coke, which was used in steelmaking.
In 1906, a historian named John Newton Boucher wrote about Tarrs. He said it was located along a railroad line called "the South-West Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad." This railroad connected Tarrs with other places like Ruffs Dale and Alverton. There was also a place called Tarr Station, which was likely a stop on this railroad.
By 1910, about 500 people lived in Tarrs. However, the coal mine and coke works eventually closed down in 1923.
