The earliest European settlers arrived in the area of present-day Schuylkill Haven in the 1730s.

They traveled north of Blue Mountain at the present-day Berks-Schuylkill County line at that time.

The first settler in Schuylkill Haven was John Fincher, a Quaker from Chester County, Pennsylvania, who received a land grant of 225 acres (0.91 km2) on March 5, 1750, the day Schuylkill Haven considers its unofficial founding.

He later built a log house near present-day Main Street, giving Dreibelbis the title as Schuylkill Haven's "first resident".

Farther from the river, the borough extends up numerous hills, reaching its highest elevation at approximately 700 feet (210 m) above sea level near the top of Avenue C. Schuylkill Haven receives an average of 47 inches (1,200 mm) of rain annually.

[1] The borough has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and average monthly temperatures range from 28.1 °F in January to 73.1 °F in July.

Schuylkill Haven provides electric, water, sewer, and refuse services to citizens of the borough.

[6] The Tumbling Run Reservoir, located approximately five miles (8 km) north of the borough, is the Schuylkill Haven's primary source of water.

Schuylkill Haven's sewage treatment plant is located at the southern edge of town, on the western side of St. Charles Street.

Situated at the eastern edge of Bubeck Park is Stoyer's Dam, a man-made damn dedicated on May 20, 1984, and used for fishing and ice skating.

Island Park, located south of Fritz Reed Avenue between the Schuylkill River and the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, is the latest addition to Schuylkill Haven's park system.

Senior citizen events, biddy basketball, and internet access are available at the center.

The churches include: As of the 2010 census, there were 5,437 people, 2,330 Households, and 1,417 families residing in the borough.

Students in grades eight through twelve attend Schuylkill Haven High School.

PA Route 443 enters Schuylkill Haven at the western end of the borough, where it is known as Columbia Street.

Interstate 78 is accessinble nearby at Hamburg in Berks County from PA Route 61, which recently underwent a $65 million widening project.

Passenger train service by SEPTA was available between Schuylkill Haven, Reading, and Philadelphia[11] until July 1, 1981, when PennDOT withdrew its financial support for the project.

Schuylkill Haven station is now owned and operated by Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad.

The canal was built on the Schuylkill River as a means to transport anthracite coal and traveled from Philadelphia to Port Carbon.

The Schuylkill Navigation Company expanded their canals to accommodate for larger boats.