Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery
Photo added by Storres Myers

Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery

Also known as Shire of the Immaculate Conception Cemetery

Bitumen, Clinton County, Pennsylvania, USA

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  • Get directions Bitumen Mountain Road (Township Road T307)
    Bitumen, Pennsylvania 17778 United States
    Coordinates: 41.29931, -77.87978
  • Cemetery ID:

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Travel on PA Route 120 to the village of Westport near Renovo. At the bridge over Kettle Creek turn onto Bitumen Road. Travel up the mountain 2.5 miles to the village of Bitumen.

History of St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery

The coal boom at Bitumen, on the mountain above Kettle Creek in Noyes Township, caused a large community to spring up around the mines. Many of the settlers were immigrants from the present nation of Slovakia, formerly part of Austria-Hungary. A few ethnic Carpatho-Rusyns from eastern Slovakia also settled here. The First Catholic Slovak Union (Jednota) provided funds for the construction of a house of worship for these immigrants, and the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church was completed in 1897. A parochial school was also established, under the direction of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity. The parish cemetery was opened next to the church and was called St. Mary's. Wage conditions and strikes during and after World War I led to the demise of the Bitumen mining community. Immaculate Conception Church was made a mission of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Renovo, and was eventually closed. In 1969 it was converted to the status of a Shrine and is maintained by donations, with an annual homecoming service.

From The Clinton County Genealogical Society








Travel on PA Route 120 to the village of Westport near Renovo. At the bridge over Kettle Creek turn onto Bitumen Road. Travel up the mountain 2.5 miles to the village of Bitumen.

History of St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery

The coal boom at Bitumen, on the mountain above Kettle Creek in Noyes Township, caused a large community to spring up around the mines. Many of the settlers were immigrants from the present nation of Slovakia, formerly part of Austria-Hungary. A few ethnic Carpatho-Rusyns from eastern Slovakia also settled here. The First Catholic Slovak Union (Jednota) provided funds for the construction of a house of worship for these immigrants, and the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church was completed in 1897. A parochial school was also established, under the direction of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity. The parish cemetery was opened next to the church and was called St. Mary's. Wage conditions and strikes during and after World War I led to the demise of the Bitumen mining community. Immaculate Conception Church was made a mission of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Renovo, and was eventually closed. In 1969 it was converted to the status of a Shrine and is maintained by donations, with an annual homecoming service.

From The Clinton County Genealogical Society








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  • Added: 29 Mar 2010
  • Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2348071