Brookville is a borough in Jefferson County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Founded in 1830, it is the county seat of Jefferson County.
The area was initially settled in the late 1790s upon the arrival of brothers Joseph and Andrew Barnett,
as well as their brother-in-law Samuel Scott, who
together established the first settlement at the
confluence of the Sandy Lick and Mill Creeks in the area
now known as Port Barnett
The first non-Native American settler of the land within the eventual town limits was Moses Knapp, who built a log house at the confluence of North Fork Redbank Creek and Sandy Lick creeks (which form Redbank Creek) in 1801.
Brookville's main source of economic development
throughout the 19th century was the lumber industry.
Brookville's many streams and its connection to larger
rivers (the Clarion and later, the Allegheny) allowed
for extensive construction of lumber mills along the
watersheds and the floating of timber to markets in
Pittsburgh. The town enjoyed great economic success
during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, serving
as home to several factories, breweries, an important
railroad stop for local coal and timber, and briefly the
Twyford Motor Car Company, which operated from 1905 to
1907 and produced the world's first 4-wheel drive
automobile. |
