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Quick answers
How Morrisdale began
When was Morrisdale founded?
1840
The Morrisdale post office opened in 1840, the earliest record of the town by name.
2020 census: 684186 years
Founding year: the first Morrisdale post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).
What stands out about Morrisdale’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Morrisdale. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1922Philipsburg sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Morrisdale.
The story so far
Morrisdale, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Morrisdale yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Morrisdale is a census-designated place located in Morris Township, Clearfield County, in the state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 684. Its location is approximately 5 miles (8 km) north of Philipsburg on Pennsylvania Route 53. Notable People - Levi Jones from the American EDM pop duo O.D.L (Our Dysfunctional Life). He was formerly a member of the American pop band The Tide.
Its first post office opened in 1840. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 754 to 684 (-9%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Morrisdale, 1887–1911
Passages that mention Morrisdale, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania1911 · page 249Read the page →
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Morrisdale Coal Co., The, Philadelphia, operates Morrisdale shafts Nos. i, 2 and 3 at Morrisdale mines. Vein "B." Thickness 4 ft.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania1887 · page 610Read the page →
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township in 1830. He lived with his father until he arrived at manhood, and while at home he received a good common school education. He taught school for a number of years ; then worked at the carpenter's trade. After that he was employed as clerk by Joseph C. Brenner, at the village of Morrisdale, in this township, where Mr. Brenner carried on the mercantile business for a number of years. He also started a branch store at Kylertown, and James Thompson took charge of the store and carried on the business for a time.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Twentieth century history of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania1911 · page 301Read the page →
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number of years; then worked at the carpenter's trade. After that he was employed as clerk by Joseph C. Brenner, at the village of Morrisdale, in this township, where Mr. Brenner carried on the mercantile business for a number of years. He also started a branch store at Kylertown, and James Thompson took charge of the store and carried on the bus-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania1887 · page 205Read the page →
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at the Mapleton Branch Railroad, re-crossing again into Clearfield county near the schutes of the Atalanta No. 3 colliery, crossing back into Centre county below the town of Phillipsburg, and again crossing into Clearfield county at the m.outh of Emigh Run, where it gradually rises until near Morrisdale, when it "spoons" out. But still the basin can be distinctly traced north through Kylertown, when it deflects towards the east and passes over into Centre county.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
