Editing Clearfield, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Clearfield, Pennsylvania
|other_name = 
|native_name = 
|nickname = 
|settlement_type = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
|motto = 
<!-- images and maps ----------->
|image_skyline = Clearfield, Pennsylvania April 2015.JPG
|imagesize = 
|image_caption = Clearfield, Pennsylvania, looking west
|image_flag = 
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|image_shield = 
|shield_size = 
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|blank_emblem_size = 
|image_map              = File:Clearfield County Pennsylvania Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Clearfield Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                = 
|map_caption            = Location of Clearfield in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.
|image_map1             = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Clearfield County.svg
|mapsize1               = 175px
|map_caption1           = Map showing Clearfield County in Pennsylvania
|image_dot_map = 
|dot_mapsize = 
|dot_map_caption = 
|dot_x = 
|dot_y = 
|pushpin_map = Pennsylvania#USA
|pushpin_label = Clearfield
|pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption = Pennsylvania
|pushpin_mapsize = 
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = Pennsylvania
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Clearfield County, Pennsylvania|Clearfield]]
|government_footnotes = 
|government_type = Borough Council
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Mason Strouse
|leader_title1 = 
|leader_name1 = 
|leader_title2 = 
|leader_name2 = 
|leader_title3 = 
|leader_name3 = 
|leader_title4 = 
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|established_title = Settled
|established_date = 1805
|established_title1 = Incorporated
|established_date1 = 1840
|area_magnitude = 
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2 = 4.87
|area_land_km2 = 4.67
|area_water_km2 = 0.20
|area_total_sq_mi = 1.88
|area_land_sq_mi = 1.80
|area_water_sq_mi = 0.08
|area_water_percent = 
|population_as_of = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_note = 
|population_total = 5962
|population_density_km2 = 1276.88
|population_density_sq_mi = 3306.71
|timezone = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = EDT
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|coordinates   = {{coord|41|01|21|N|78|26|25|W|region:US-PA|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes = 
|elevation_m = 
|elevation_ft = 1109
|postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code = 16830
|area_code = [[Area code 814|814]]
|website = {{URL|clearfieldboro.com}}
|footnotes = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info = 42-14064
}}
'''Clearfield''' is a [[borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] and the [[county seat]]<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> of [[Clearfield County, Pennsylvania]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]] the population was 5,962 people,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/all?q=Clearfield%20borough,%20Clearfield%20County,%20Pennsylvania | title=Explore Census Data }}</ref> making it the second most populous community in Clearfield County, behind [[DuBois, Pennsylvania|DuBois]]. The borough is part of the [[DuBois, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area]], as well as the larger [[State College-DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area]]. The settled area surrounding the borough consists of the nearby [[census-designated place]]s of [[Hyde, Pennsylvania|Hyde]] and [[Plymptonville, Pennsylvania|Plymptonville]], which combined with Clearfield have a population of approximately 8,237 people.

==Consolidation==
In October 2015, a Clearfield/Lawrence Township Consolidation Committee first convened to discuss a potential merger between [[Lawrence Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania|Lawrence Township]] and Clearfield.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://clearfieldboro.com/consolidation/ |title=Consolidation &#124; Clearfield, Pennsylvania |access-date=2016-01-23 |archive-date=2016-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129203151/http://clearfieldboro.com/consolidation/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gantdaily.com/2015/10/16/meeting-scheduled-to-discuss-clearfield-boroughlawrence-township-merger/|title = Meeting Scheduled to Discuss Clearfield Borough/Lawrence Township Consolidation|date = 16 October 2015}}</ref> However, on August 1, 2017, Lawrence Township supervisors voted 2 to 1 against consolidation with Clearfield.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gantdaily.com/2017/08/02/powell-and-mitchell-say-no-to-proposed-consolidation-of-lawrence-township-and-clearfield-borough/|title = Powell and Mitchell "Say No" to Proposed Consolidation of Lawrence Township and Clearfield Borough|date = 2 August 2017}}</ref> The population of the new municipality would have been approximately 13,800, surpassing DuBois as the most populous community in the county.

[[File:Clearfield Borough Lawrence Township Consolidation (cropped).jpg|200px|thumb|left|Location of the new municipality in Clearfield County if the vote passes in 2020.]]

==History==
There were many trade routes and paths for [[indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] living and passing through Clearfield County up to the 1600s. One major Indian path at the time was the [[Great Shamokin Path]], which started near the Indian village of [[Shamokin (village)|Shamokin]] (now [[Sunbury, Pennsylvania|Sunbury]]) on the [[Susquehanna River]] and continued west past [[Lock Haven, Pennsylvania|Lock Haven]], to [[Chinklacamoose]],<ref>[http://www.clearfield-county.com/History.htm History of Clearfield County, PA<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> now the borough of Clearfield. Finally the path ended at the village of [[Kittanning (village)|Kittanning]] on the [[Allegheny River]], which is now the modern town of the same name.

==National Register of Historic Places==
Clearfield is home to four of Clearfield County's list of twenty [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania|National Registered Historic Places]].
*[[Clearfield County Courthouse]]
*[[Dimeling Hotel]]
*[[Old Town Historic District (Clearfield, Pennsylvania)|Old Town Historic District]]
*[[Thomas Murray House (Clearfield, Pennsylvania)|Thomas Murray House]]
[[File:Clearfield County Courthouse Jun 09.JPG|200px|thumbnail|right|Clearfield County Courthouse]]
[[File:Dimeling Hotel Jun 09.JPG|200px|thumbnail|right|Dimeling Hotel]]
[[File:Clearfield, Pennsylvania (6937436046).jpg|200px|thumbnail|left|Downtown center Clearfield South 2nd Street and Market Street]]

==All-America City==

In 1966, Clearfield was one of the winners of the [[All-America City Award]], given annually to the top ten cities in the United States. The other nine cities included in the top ten list in 1966 were [[Pinellas County, Florida]]; [[Malden, Massachusetts]]; [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]]; [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]; [[Cohoes, New York]]; [[Greensboro, North Carolina]]; [[Richmond, Virginia]]; and [[Seattle, Washington]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/america-city-award/past-winners/|title = Past Winners}}</ref>

==Geography==

Clearfield is located near the center of Clearfield County along the [[West Branch Susquehanna River|West Branch of the Susquehanna River]]. [[Clearfield Creek]] joins the West Branch {{convert|2|mi|0}} to the east (downstream) of town.

[[U.S. Route 322]] passes through the borough, and [[Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania|Interstate 80]] passes just to the north, with access from Exit 120 ([[Pennsylvania Route 879]]). Via US-322 and I-80, it is {{convert|22|mi}} northwest to the city of [[DuBois, Pennsylvania|DuBois]]. US-322 leads southeast {{convert|40|mi}} to [[State College, Pennsylvania|State College]].

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Elk County, Pennsylvania|Elk County]] (North)
*[[Cameron County, Pennsylvania|Cameron County]] (Northeast)
*[[Clinton County, Pennsylvania|Clinton County]] (Northeast)
*[[Cambria County, Pennsylvania|Cambria County]] (South)
*[[Blair County, Pennsylvania|Blair County]] (Southeast)
*[[Indiana County, Pennsylvania|Indiana County]] (Southwest)
*[[Centre County, Pennsylvania|Centre County]] (East)
*[[Jefferson County, Pennsylvania|Jefferson County]] (West)

==Neighborhoods==

* '''East End''' is a neighborhood within the borough of Clearfield. The area is located in the northeastern portion of the borough. The northern portion of East End is [[U.S. Route 322 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 322]]. The southern part is made up of Woodland Road and Cemetery Road ending at the old Hillcrest Cemetery.<ref>[http://www.hillcrestcemetery.com/ index<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The former Bionol [[ethanol]] plant, now a grain processing plant, is in the East End. Just to the north of the plant is the Pennsylvania Lines Headquarters of the [[R.J. Corman Railroad/Pennsylvania Lines|R.J. Corman Railroad]].<ref>[http://www.rjcorman.com/ R. J. Corman Railroad Group<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* '''Golden Rod''', sometimes referred to as '''Golden Rod Farms''', is located along U.S. 322 to the east about a mile from Clearfield and very close to [[Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania]] Clearfield Campus, and is not with the borough boundary. The neighborhood is near the confluence of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and [[Clearfield Creek]]. Clearfield Square is located between East End and Golden Rod.
* '''Hillsdale''' is located to the east of Clearfield, just outside the borough limits. The neighborhood is on a hill overlooking the borough. The boundary for this area is roughly from High Street (the borough boundary) to the west, to the Hillcrest Cemetery to the north, to [[Pennsylvania Route 879]] to the east. [[Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania|Lock Haven University's]]<ref>[http://www.lhup.edu/clearfield/ LHU Clearfield Campus<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Clearfield branch campus was once located in Hillsdale, but relocated to its current location along U.S. Route 322, about {{convert|2|mi|0}} east of downtown.
* '''Kerr''' or more commonly known as '''Kerr Addition''' is located outside the borough limits on the north side of the [[West Branch Susquehanna River]] when the river makes a turn to the east. It is across the river from the East End neighborhood. The Clearfield County Career and Technology Center is located in Kerr Addition as well as major retail businesses. Kerr Addition is east of the [[census-designated place]] of [[Plymptonville, Pennsylvania|Plymptonville]].
* '''South Park''' or sometimes '''South Side''' is located mainly in the southern portion of the borough of Clearfield. It covers an area from the east bank of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River to Pennsylvania Route 879 to the south and east, and to [[Pennsylvania Route 153]] to the north. Many old smaller [[mansion]]-style houses are located in the neighborhood which overlooks the river.
* '''West Side''' is located inside the borough boundary to the west of the [[West Branch Susquehanna River]], north to U.S. Route 322. It is made up of many mid 19th-century homes, and it is the location of many businesses and churches, some of which use "West Side" in their names. One of the bigger churches, West Side [[United Methodist Church]]<ref>[http://www.westsideumc.com/ Home of West Side United Methodist Church, Clearfield PA 16830<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> is located in the neighborhood. Clearfield Hospital is in the West Side near the northern boundary of the borough. The Clearfield County Fair occurs at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds, located in this area within the borough limits.
{{Clear}}

==Schools==
*[[Clearfield Area School District]]
**Clearfield Area Elementary School
**[[Clearfield Area Junior/Senior High School]]
**
*[[Clearfield Alliance Christian School]]
*St. Francis School

==Library==

*Joseph and Elizabeth Shaw Public Library, founded in 1940.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 503
|1860= 757
|1870= 1361
|1880= 1809
|1890= 2248
|1900= 5081
|1910= 6851
|1920= 8529
|1930= 9221
|1940= 9372
|1950= 9357
|1960= 9270
|1970= 8176
|1980= 7580
|1990= 6633
|2000= 6631
|2010= 6215
|2020= 5962
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="USDecennialCensus">{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=11 December 2013}}</ref><ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref><ref name=CensusPopEst>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=11 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=11 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2010, there were 6,215 people, a drop of 6.3% from the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]].3,070 households, and 1,740 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|3,649.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,326 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,830.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the borough was 93.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.08% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.6% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 3,070 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $27,414, and the median income for a family was $40,095. Males had a median income of $29,972 versus $22,607 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $17,374. About 8.3% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 15.4% of those age 65 or over.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough has a total area of {{convert|1.9|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|1.8|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} of it (3.70%) is water.

==Notable people==

* [[Willie Adams (1910s pitcher)|Willie Adams]], major league baseball pitcher (1912-1919)
* [[Howie Bedell]], major league baseball player
* [[William Bigler]] (January 1, 1814 – August 9, 1880), American politician, 12th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1852 to 1855, later U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania from 1856 until 1861
* [[Earl Caldwell (journalist)|Earl Caldwell]], former reporter and columnist for ''[[The New York Times]]''; first African-American to have a regular column in a major national newspaper; central figure in a major Supreme Court case about the protection of journalists' sources, hosts Pacifica's [[WBAI]] radio (New York City)
* [[Skip Cleaver]], New Hampshire state legislator
* [[Otto Eppers]], cartoonist/illustrator who as part of a stunt successfully jumped off the [[Brooklyn Bridge]] at 17 years of age
* [[Howard Fargo]], former member of the [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives]] (1981-2000)
* [[Anthony A. Mitchell]], clarinetist, composer and conductor; led the [[United States Navy Band]] from 1962-1968
* [[Rembrandt C. Robinson|Rembrandt Cecil Robinson]] (1924-1972) was a United States Navy officer (Rear admiral)<ref>{{cite web|title=Rear Admiral R.C. Robinson|url=http://www.rear-admiral-rc-robinson.com/radmrobinson.html|access-date=2014-04-21}}</ref>
* [[Edward Scofield]], [[List of Governors of Wisconsin|governor of Wisconsin (1897–1901)]]
* [[William Irvin Swoope]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] member of the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] (1923–27)
* [[William A. Wallace]], [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] [[United States Senate|U.S. senator]] who served from 1875–81
* [[Powell Weaver]], composer and organist

==Media==
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2024}}

===Television===
Clearfield receives television programming from the [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania|Johnstown]]-[[Altoona, Pennsylvania|Altoona]]-[[State College, Pennsylvania]] media market. Public television station [[WPSU-TV]] is [[city of license|licensed to]] Clearfield.

===Movies===
Three feature films were shot on location in Clearfield County and downtown Clearfield by native [[Spencer Folmar]]. First in 2009 for the feature film, "Guilt & Sentence" (2010), and again in 2016 for the feature film [["Generational Sins" (2017)]] starring the Australian actor, [[Daniel MacPherson]]. Recently the film [[Shooting Heroin]] also made by Folmar debuted and is a film inspired by true events about the opioid epidemic.

==Newspaper==
Clearfield is covered by ''The Progress'', published daily since 1913, and ''Gant Daily'', published online since 2006.

== Radio ==
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2022}}
* [[WOKW]] 102.9&nbsp;MHz in [[Curwensville|Curwensville, PA]] with Offices located in Clearfield, PA
* [[WPQP]]
* [[WIFT]]
* [[WCPA (AM)|WCPA-AM]] 900&nbsp;kHz
* [[WQQP]] 95.9&nbsp;MHz

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{wikivoyage inline|Clearfield (Pennsylvania)|Clearfield, Pennsylvania}}
* [http://clearfieldboro.com Clearfield Borough official website]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/pa/clear-b-clearfield.htm History of Borough of Clearfield]

{{Clearfield County, Pennsylvania}}
{{County Seats of Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:County seats in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1805]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1840 establishments in Pennsylvania]]