Blossburg, Pennsylvania
| Blossburg, Pennsylvania | |
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| Borough | |
Blossburg's "castle"
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 Blossburg, Pennsylvania
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| Coordinates: 41°40′43″N 77°03′48″W / 41.67861°N 77.06333°WCoordinates: 41°40′43″N 77°03′48″W / 41.67861°N 77.06333°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Tioga |
| Settled | 1802 |
| Incorporated (borough) | 1871 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.8 sq mi (12.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,342 ft (409 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,480 |
| • Density | 311.8/sq mi (120.3/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC) |
| Zip | 16912 |
| Area code(s) | 570 |
| Website | Blossburg Community Website |
Blossburg is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2000 census.
In 1792 a party of immigrants who were building the Williamson Road from Williamsport, in Lycoming County, to Painted Post in New York under the leadership of Robert and Benjamin Patterson discovered coal within the present town limits of Blossburg. When the group reached the Tioga River, they established a supply camp upon its banks.
In 1801, Aaron Bloss moved to Tioga County and in 1802, moved to the area known as "Peter’s Camp". He is considered the first settler of Blossburg. Sometime between 1818 and 1820, Aaron Bloss made the first attempt to found a town by changing the name of Peter’s Camp to Blossburg. Blossburg was finally recognized and incorporated a borough in August 1871.
The real mining history of Blossburg Coal began shortly after 1810 when David Clemens made the first effort to mine and market coal. Clemens opened a mine on Bear Run between 1812 and 1815, serving only the Painted Post area. Around the same time a lower vein was opened on Bear Run by Aaron Bloss. This vein is known as the Bloss Vein but was used only to satisfy local demands.
The first efforts of coal shipping were on a small scale due to the poor road conditions and the poor navigating ability along the Tioga River. In 1817, a coalition of Bloss and the other miners asked the legislature for funds to improve these routes. In the meantime, Blossburg Coal was being shipped to Painted Post, Elmira, and Corning.
More important than the local runs, Blossburg Coal was being shipped to Albany where it influenced railroad and canal navigation legislation, and also to Philadelphia where it attracted the enterprising businessmen.
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