Hastings: Nature and Industrial History

If you are looking for a hotel in Hastings, two different interests can help guide your choice of destination: nature and outdoor activity around Brubaker Creek and the Hastings Outback Nature and Recreational Trail, or the history of coal transportation and local events. The creek and trail describe the area in different ways; the historical themes, meanwhile, range from a coal shipment in 1888 to the UMWA District 2 Labor Chautauquas of the 1920s. You can first think of Hastings in terms of whether you are more interested in a trail and a stream or in the town’s historical development.

Stream and Trail Route

Brubaker Creek is a tributary of Chest Creek. It rises in the southwestern part of Elder Township and flows through present-day Hastings. The Hastings Outback Nature and Recreational Trail was established in 2001 and is a public recreational facility. It follows an old railroad right-of-way from Station Street in Hastings to Pine Street in Elder Township. The two locations at either end provide a concrete sense of place: the description names a street in Hastings as well as one in Elder Township. The creek is described in terms of its source and course; the trail, in terms of its named endpoints and former railroad route.

Coal Transportation to Hastings

The coal history of Hastings has a specific transportation connection. The Pennsylvania Railroad was extended from LaJose to Hastings to carry coal to markets. In July 1888, the Chest Creek Coal and Coke Company shipped its first load of coal from Hastings. The railroad extension and the first shipment illustrate two different aspects of this topic: the route to market and the shipment from Hastings. This provides two ways to understand the industrial history: through the connection and through a dated event.

Events and Local History

Another historical theme is the Hastings UMWA District 2 Labor Chautauquas, held from 1924 to 1926. They featured nationally known speakers and educators as well as local entertainers. In 1925, the series recorded its highest attendance in Hastings. This chapter therefore includes educational and speaking programs as well as local entertainment. In contrast to the 1888 coal transportation story, the focus here is an event series, not a transportation link. These two topics offer different points of reference in time and subject matter for Hastings’ history.

Coal History in the Wider Area

The wider area also contributes to the coal history. As coal mining developed in the Hastings area, the Chest Creek Coal and Coke Company built coke ovens. The company’s coke product won an award for best coke at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. These details add processing and product recognition to the transportation story. This broadens the perspective from the railroad extension and shipment from Hastings to a regional view of coke and its production.

Explore more destinations: Loretto, South Fork, Spring Hill, Carrolltown, Cresson, Johnstown, Ebensburg, Northern Cambria

For the broader travel overview: Cambria County.