Why was the archaeological investigation conducted?
The Philipsburg Tannery was identified during background research for the U. S. Route 322 Bypass Project around Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania. This project was executed in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT), District 2-0, and Herbert, Rowland and Grubic, Inc (HRG, Inc.) acting as the primary engineering consultant. The current route of S.R. 0322 travels through the center of downtown Philipsburg and is having a negative effect on the historic district. The purpose of the bypass is to alleviate congestion in the downtown area, which is unable to accommodate heavy truck traffic. The proposed route will be placed north of the town, directly over the tannery site. This investigation was conducted to preserve significant historical information.
