Industrial Development

Industrial Development. . By 1880 Punxsutawney had grown to a town of 674 residents. On September 3, 1883 the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad reached Punxsutawney., The Walston Mine had been opened in advance of the arrival of the railroad. Shown are #1 and #3 Shafts and on the hill is company housing for miners. In 1887 the Pennsylvania and Northwestern Railroad was open to serve mines at Horatio operated by Berwind White Company., Punxsutawney became the hub for industrialization, supporting the rise of banking, transportation, commercial development and health care., By 1916 Punxsutawney had a population of 10,000 in the borough and another 20,000 in coal towns within five miles which made it eligible for a federal post office building., With the growth of the coal industry the quality of life in Punxsutawney improved. The Public Square was turned into a central park, and physical fitness was promoted through the development of the YMCA., The Soldiers' Memorial Bandstand provided a place for entertainment. Local and famous musicians have performed concerts in the park. The Baptist Church was relocated to Union Street, in 1905., The Eagles Aerie #1231 was established on East Mahoning Street in 1937 when these buildings and the parking area were north of the public square. During Urban Renewal in the 1970s the parking area was transitioned to green space where a groundhog glockenspiel and fountain exist today., Coke ovens at Walston were at one time a major tourist attraction. They lit up the night and were compared to "Dante's Vision of Hades." In 1890 it was estimated there were 1700 coke ovens operating in the Punxsutawney Area., Miners, who worked underground, developed a symbiotic relationship with the Punxsutawney Groundhog. They both spent a great deal of time tunneling underground. These miners are in a coal seam at the Onandago Mine near Punxsutawney.