Woolrich, Pennsylvania

Woolrich, Pennsylvania
Unincorporated community
Woolrich
Coordinates: 41°11′41″N 77°22′35″W / 41.19472°N 77.37639°WCoordinates: 41°11′41″N 77°22′35″W / 41.19472°N 77.37639°W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Clinton
Township	Pine Creek
Established	1834
Elevation[1]	725 ft (221 m)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP	17779
Area code(s)	570
GNIS feature ID	1191785 [1]

Woolrich is an unincorporated community in Pine Creek Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its elevation is 725 feet (221 m), and it is located at 41°12′28″N 77°22′19″W / 41.20778°N 77.37194°W (41.1911819, -77.3720595).^[1]

Woolrich is a company town, the home of Woolrich, Inc., a family-owned clothing company. The company was founded in 1830 by John Rich and Daniel McCormick, and originally located at a mill on Little Plum Run in nearby Dunnstable Township. By 1834, Rich and McCormick decided to move their operations to a location with a better water supply at Chatham's Run in Pine Creek Township. They bought 300 acres and first built a sawmill; around 1845 the company (by then solely owned by John Rich) relocated to a new mill at the Chatham's Run location. This 1845 mill no longer exists in its original configuration, but its location remains the site of Woolrich's main operations and its surrounding community. The town was first called Factoryville, later Richville, and after 1888 was named Woolrich.^[2][3]

John Rich began his business by selling wool to lumberjacks and their families that were located in the mountains of central Pennsylvania.^[4] The wool was used to make clothing and socks for the lumber jacks. Lumber was the primary source of income for most people who lived in this region. Hence the lumber barons major homes in Williamsport, PA called Millionaires row. The woolen mill that was started was one of the businesses that sprang up to support the lumber industry. His determination to provide this service to those people began an industry that survives today. Woolrich Inc. though it does not make its clothes in the local factory they still manufacture blankets and fabric. The blankets that are used in the military are made in the Woolrich Factory, in Woolrich, PA.

Recently Woolrich Inc. partnered with a Pennsylvania brewery to manufacture beer cozy's made from the black and red checkered pattern that is one of Woolrich's signature patterns.

Notable people

Robert F. Rich, who headed the Woolrich company for many years and was also a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 18 years between 1931 and 1951, was born in Woolrich.^[5][6]

References

1. "Woolrich". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. August 2, 1979. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
2. Megan E. Baker and Alan Jalowitz, "Rich in Tradition", Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Fall 2010/Spring 2011.
3. Russell E. Eshleman Jr., "Firm Roots Unbroken By Growth", The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 21, 1988.
4. Truax, Doug (2005). Woolrich 175 Years of Excellence. South Boardman, Michigan: Crofton Creek Press. p. 1. ISBN 0-9767268-0-7.
5. "Robert Rich, Industrialist", Associated Press in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 30, 1968.
6. Robert F. Rich at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.