Sipesville is an unincorporated community that is located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located on Pennsylvania Route 985, north of the Borough of Somerset.
History Sipesville is named for Michael Sipe, who opened a mercantile business in 1843.
Sipesville has a post office, with ZIP code 15561, which opened on April 9, 1851; Levi Hoffman was the first postmaster. On July 15, 1853, Peter Sipe was appointed as Hoffman's successor; he went on to hold the position of U.S. Postmaster until July 1, 1882."Neighborhood News." Altoona, Pennsylvania: The Altoona Tribune, August 3, 1882, p. 2 (subscription required).
1860-1899 By early 1860, under the leadership of Postmaster Peter Sipe, mail between Somerset and Johnstown was being delivered three times per week through Sipesville."United States Mails." Bedford, Pennsylvania: Bedford Gazette, February 3, 1860, p. 1 (subscription required).
During the summer of 1866, Sipesville resident Aaron Casebeer was awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent Office for improvements made to a machine for jointing staves.""United States Patent Office." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 13, 1866, p. 2 (subscription required). The next year, Henry Sipes was awarded a patent for sleigh brakes."Patents," in "Town and Country." Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Daily Telegraph, May 27, 1867, p. 3 (subscription required).
By 1877, The Somerset Herald was describing the town as a "peaceful hamlet" and "city set on a hill, where dogs never fight, street cars never collide, thieves do not break through and stear, and people never dye" [sic]. The newspaper also noted that "the large store of P.A. Sipe ... supplies this vicinity with everything a first-class merchant deals in," that "Michael Sipe ... survived the exciting campaign of '76," that the town now had its own public school, that the Casebeer Church, which was located roughly two miles south of the community, was being improved at a cost of $1,000, that multiple new houses were being built, and that chestnut harvests were plentiful that year."Sipesville Items." Somerset, Pennsylvania: The Somerset Herald, November 7, 1877, p. 3 (subscription required).
By the beginning of the 1880s, the population of the town was forty."Echoes of Sipesville." Somerset, Pennsylvania: The Somerset Herald, January 14, 1880, p. 3 (subscription required). On January 29, 1884, four workers were injured during an explosion at Pile's lime quarry in Sipesville.""Epitomized by Telegraph." Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Daily Independent, January 31, 1884, p. 1 (subscription required). In September 1884, Gabriel Christner was appointed as the new U.S. Postmaster of Sipesville."Pennsylvania Postoffice [sic] News." Altoona, Pennsylvania: The Times, September 20, 1884, p. 4 (subscription required).
On April 1, 1885, the Sipesville School reported an average monthly attendance of roughly between twenty-seven and thirty-four students."Following is the report of the Sipesville School." Somerset, Pennsylvania: The Somerset Herald, April 1, 1885, p. 3 (subscription required). A week later, Somerset Township's school board announced its search for a contractor to build a new school in the community."Notice to Contractors." Somerset, Pennsylvania: The Somerset Herald, April 8, 1885, p. 4 (subscription required).
In 1893, John Sipe was appointed as the U.S. Postmaster for Sipesville."Friday, October 6, 1893." Canonsburg, Pennsylvania: The Canonsburg Notes, October 6, 1893, p. 2 (subscription required). In 1898, longtime Sipesville merchant Peter Sipe was appointed as Somerset County's auditor."Peter Sipe of Sipesville." Somerset, Pennsylvania: The Daily American, October 13, 1904, p. 1 (subscription required).
1900s In April 1900, the Somerset Town Council adopted an ordinance that gave the Lincoln Mutual Telephone Company the authority to erect a new phone line between Somerset and Sipesville to improve phone connections between those communities and the county's seat of government. Council members also proposed a tax of $1.00 on each of the affected telegraph, telephone and light poles and a tax of $1.50 per mile on "every mile of wire used by such companies in the borough.""Town Council Proceedings." Somerset, Pennsylvania: The Somerset Herald, May 2, 1900, p. 4 (subscription required).
Geography This community is located on Pennsylvania Route 985, north of Somerset.
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