On Location: 3904 - Burnham, Pa.

Heritage: Mifflin & Centre County Railroad

CT 1000, 1945: Eastern Region, Eastern Pennsylvania Division, Middle Division, Milroy Branch

Middle Division ETT, 1954: Eastern Region, Middle Division, Milroy Secondary

Incorporated in 1910, this community was built around Freedom Iron and Steel. Originally called Logan, when a post office was to be opened there, the government found there was already a Logan, Pennsylvania. In 1887, the name was changed to Burnham, for William Burnham, an official at the Standard Steel Works.

Two early views of the Standard Steel plant from Burnham.

NOTE: Standard Steel is not covered on this page. Though there were two early tracks into the plant from Burnham proper, they were removed long before the era being depicted. For information on The Standard, please reference the Yeagertown article.

Valuation Maps

Sanborn Maps (1923)

J. H. Miller

2.3 miles from the Lewistown passenger station.

Miller was a sand provider. Narrow gauge "donkey tracks" led up the mountain to the quarry. John Snyder recalls there actually being an electric "lokie" with overhead wire. Paul Fagley recalls there being a "covered bridge" on the donkey tram above a scale just west of the creek.

The July 20, 1914, issue of the Altoona Tribune announced the formation of the John H. Miller Sand Company.

Below -- Topographic map indicates route of the donkey tracks relative to the plant and the topography. Railroad valuation maps current to 1955 indicate two spurs with a suggestion of a third that was removed. The red highlighting on the valuation map indicates track removed in 1971.

Visible in the 1957 Penn Pilot photo; remnants may be found via Google Maps, including the bridge piers. 

Penn Pilot, 1938:

Penn Pilot, 1957:

Penn Pilot, 1971:

2014:

November 2014:

Passing Siding

2.3 miles from the Lewistown passenger station.

JM Block Station

JM block station is indicated on the 1919 track chart.

It does not appear in the April 1928 Middle Division employee timetable. The September 1933 Middle Division employee timetable shows a BR block station; November 1936 shows HM; and April 1939 it is referenced as BURN block station.

Per Susan Yoesten, "JM Tower/Block Station, an 8'x8' 2-story frame bldg at Burnham. Abandoned the signal equipment 11/7/27."

JM block station, 1917.

Stations

2.6 miles from the Lewistown passenger station.

There were separate freight and passenger stations located at Burnham. The passenger station was (railroad) west of the freight station and closest to Freedom Avenue.

Passenger service ceased in 1941. At some point the freight station was razed and freight services moved to the passenger depot. This occured no later than the 1949 valuation map. The remaining structure was boarded up no later than 1964.

With regard to the original freight station, Susan Yoesten came across a document that stated "It would cost $1,087 in repairs to repair the Burnham Freight Station (40x80' frame) well enough to rent it out. , including 'something to keep rain and water from running over floor' 6/18/43."

Listed in 1923 and 1945 CT1000's.

In the photo at right, the passenger station is in the foreground with the freight station behind.

1910 Sanborn map:	Valuation map, corrected to 1955:  The red highlighting on the valuation map indicates track removed in 1971. There are indications of earlier trackage that no longer remained.
North and west facades, passenger station (foreground) and freight station (background):	Freight station, east facade, 1917:

1970ish photographs of the passenger station from the collection of Robert Johnson; used with permission.   

Logan Iron & Steel Co. No. 1 (Kovalchick Salvage Company)
Logan Iron & Steel Co. No. 1 (Kovalchick Salvage Company)

2.8 and 3.1 miles from the Lewistown passenger station, respectively.

Lewistown and the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRRT&HS) documents (p.54) that this entity (Logan Iron and Steel) went bankrupt in May 1946. The property was purchased by the Kovalchick Salvage Company. A portion was developed as a shopping mall and the remainder survives as a salvage yard.

Below: Three images from the 1910 series Sanborn maps.

1905 map of proposed siding. Courtesy of Susan Yoesten.
Undated map. We know it is post 1905 because the above changes have been made. Courtesy of Susan Yoesten.
Undated map. Courtesy of Susan Yoesten.

Suburban Atlantic States Gas Company

611 N Logan Blvd.

According to a Golden Jubilee booklet published in 1961, the "Atlantic States Gas Company began operation in April, 1936, in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. The office was located at 137 Market Street and the bulk plant was located on South Dorcas Street, Lewistown. In 1947, the company moved from Lewistown to Burnham where a new bulk plant was built on North Logan Blvd."

It remains unclear if the company had any relation to the Suburban Propane Gas Corporation, which was formed in 1945.

Landmark: Wilson Gas & Oil

This Gulf dealer is located just (railroad) east of Suburban Atlantic States Gas Company. It is unknown if it was ever served by rail.

Burnham Photo Scrapbook