Bradenville, Pennsylvania Explained

Bradenville, Pennsylvania
Settlement Type:Census-designated place
Pushpin Map:USA Pennsylvania#USA
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within the state of Pennsylvania
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Pennsylvania
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Westmoreland
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:487
Population Density Km2:459.56
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:1099
Coordinates:40.3214°N -79.34°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Postal Code:15620
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:42-08024
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1170128
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:1.06
Area Total Sq Mi:0.41
Area Land Km2:1.06
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Land Sq Mi:0.41
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population Density Sq Mi:1190.71

Bradenville is a census-designated place and coal town in Derry Township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The community is located within two miles of the city of Latrobe and is three miles from the borough of Derry.

It has a total area of 0.4 square mile.[2] Bradenville has its own post office, with zip code 15620.[3]

Demographics

According to 2018 estimates, Bradenville has 396 residents. The estimated median household income is $38,551, compared to the national average of $61,937.

The estimated poverty rate is 26.3%, compared to the national average of 13.1%. 100% of Bradenville residents are white, and 85.6% are high school graduates or higher.[4]

History

The town was originally called St. Clair City. Served by the Pennsylvania Railroad, it supported coal mining and coking operations beginning in 1886, operated under the names St. Clair Mine & Coke Works, Bradenville Mine & Coke Works and Duquesne Mine & Coke Works.[5]

Mathias W. Saxman's Bradenville Mine & Coke Works built about 40 company houses and a store in the town around 1914. By 1915, its Bradenville Mine employed 195 persons, produced over 110,000 tons of coal and operated 194 beehive coke ovens. The Bradenville Mine ceased operations in 1951.

Researchers in 1994 found that while the store (see Gallery section) and company houses survived, no mine structures remained.[6]

Mine subsidence

There were 17 mine subsidence events in Bradenville over the approximately 20 years prior to 2018. Mine subsidence can occur when the ground above an underground (often abandoned) mine collapses into the mine cavity below. This creates the potential for structural damage to surface infrastructure such as homes, buildings and roads.

Bradenville's subsidence problems are believed to be related to the Derry No. 1 Deep Mine[7] owned by Marcus W. Saxman's[8] Latrobe-Connellsville Coal & Coke Company, which mined the area beneath the town. In 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection began a $5.8 million project to stabilize about 150 homes in the town affected by this problem.[9] [10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. October 12, 2022.
  2. Web site: Bradenville CDP, Pennsylvania . United States Census Bureau . March 7, 2020.
  3. Web site: PO Locator . US Postal Service . March 8, 2020.
  4. Web site: 2018 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates . United States Census Bureau . March 7, 2020.
  5. Web site: Washlaski . Raymond A. . DERRY TWP. MINES. History of the Coal Mines & Coke Works of Derry Township, Westmoreland County, PA . March 7, 2020 . 15–16.
  6. Web site: Muller, Edward K. and Carlisle, Ronald C. . WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service . 1994 . U.S. Department of the Interior . March 7, 2020 . 31–34.
  7. Web site: Huba, Stephen . Plan is aimed at stopping Bradenville mine subsidence . Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . 7 March 2020 . July 7, 2018.
  8. Web site: The Book of Prominent Pennsylvanians . Leader Publishing Company . March 8, 2020 . 5 . 1913.
  9. News: Cammuso . Nick . Bradenville mine subsidence project underway; may take up to a year . March 5, 2020.
  10. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2001&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=0401&pn=4714&mobile_choice=suppress THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL No. 401 Session of 2001
    SENATOR THOMPSON, APPROPRIATIONS, IN SENATE, RE-REPORTED AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 26, 2002