Snow Shoe township was erected out of Boggs township January 27, 1840. Surveys were made in this township as early as 1773 known as the "Snow Shoe Camp Surveys." The remainder of the lands were not appropriated until 1792 and 1793. The first perma nent settler waas John Bechdol in May, 1818. The wild lands were principally owned by the Gratz's, subsequently by the Snow Shoe Land Association. Moshannon village was laid out in 1849 by James Gilliland. Snow Shoe village is a noted summer resor t and was laid out in 1858. It is 850 feet above Bellefonte and about 2000 feet above guide water. The township is remarkable for the amount of coal contained within its limits. Its outlets are the Snow Shoe railroad to Bellefonte and the Vanderbi lt road.
(SOURCE: Eleventh Census of the Population of the United States Published by Boroughs and Townships, in Connection with a Business Directory of the Same, Bellefonte, Pa., 1890.)
SNOW SHOE CENSUS RECORDS
1850--432 1860--505 1870--1,162 1880--1,410 1890--2,396 1900--2,397 1910--2,166 1920--2,895 1930--2,050 1940--2,146 1950--1,984 1960--1,877 1970--1,710 1980--1,878 1990--1,756 2000--1,760
(SOURCE: U.S. Census of Population, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.)
TOWNS & VILLAGES
Villages and towns in Snow Shoe Township include Clarence, Gillentown, Moshannon, Butts, Fountain, Pancake, Poormanside, Shuttleton, Mine No. 26, Kato, Panther, Sunday Corners, Scotchtown, Gorton and Sugar Camp. For a discussion of these, see Paul M . Dubbs, Where to Go and Place-Names of Centre County, 1961.
TAX ASSESSMENT RECORDS
Tax assessment records for Snow Shoe Township from 1841 forward can be found in the basement of the Centre County Library and Historical Museum in Bellefonte. Persons wishing to use these records must first sign the Guest Researcher register in the Pennsylvania Room.