Pennsylvania
In the past decade, no political party has been clearly dominant in Pennsylvania. This, combined with Pennsylvania's rank of 6th in the country in population, has made it one of the most important swing states. Democrats are strong in urban Philadelphia and the areas of Pittsburgh, Reading, Allentown, Erie, Johnstown, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Republicans are generally dominant in the vast rural areas that make up the balance of the Commonwealth. Traditionally, Republicans have also fared well in the densely populated and wealthy suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but in the 1990s and 2000s many of these suburbs began to associate more with the Democratic Party.
Since 1992, Pennsylvania has been trending Democratic in Presidential elections, voting for Bill Clinton twice by large margins, and slightly closer in 2000 for Al Gore. Most recently, in the 2004 Presidential Election, Senator John F. Kerry beat President George W. Bush in Pennsylvania 2,938,095 (50.92%) to 2,793,847 (48.42%).
Important cities and municipalities
Municipalities in Pennsylvania are incorporated as cities of several classes, as boroughs, as townships of several classes, or under home rule charters. A "village," often identified by a roadside sign, is unincorporated, and is merely a locale without distinct boundaries. There are 2,567 municipalities in the state.[35]
There is some confusion about the number of "towns" in Pennsylvania. In 1870, Bloomsburg, the county seat of Columbia County was incorporated as a town, and is recognized by state government publications as "the only incorporated town" in Pennsylvania.[80][81][82] However, in 1975, McCandless Township, in Allegheny County adopted a home rule charter under the name "Town of McCandless".[83][84]
The ten most populated cities in Pennsylvania, in order are: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Altoona, and Harrisburg.
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Recreation
Pennsylvania is home to the nation's first zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo. [2] Other notable zoos include the Allentown Zoo, Claws 'n Paws, Erie Zoo, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, and ZOOAMERICA. The Commonwealth boasts some of the finest museums in the country. One of the unique museums is the Houdini Museum [3] in Scranton, the only building in the world devoted to the legendary magician. It is also home to the National Aviary, located in Pittsburgh.
All 121 state parks in Pennsylvania feature free admission.
Pennsylvania offers a number of notable amusement parks, including Camel Beach, Conneaut Lake Park, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Dutch Wonderland, DelGrosso Amusement Park, Hershey Park, Idlewild Park, Kennywood, Knoebels, Lakemont Park, Sandcastle Waterpark, Sesame Place, Great Wolf Lodge and Waldameer Park. Pennsylvania also is home to the largest indoor waterpark resort on the East Coast, Splash Lagoon in Erie.
There are also notable music festivals that take place in Pennsylvania. These include Musikfest in Bethlehem (which featured the rock band The Black Crowes in 2007 and routinely draws major music acts), the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Creation Festival, the Great Allentown Fair (which lasts slightly longer than a week in Allentown annually in early September) and Purple Door.
There are nearly one million licensed hunters in Pennsylvania. Whitetail deer, cottontail rabbits, squirrel, turkey, and grouse are common game species. Pennsylvania is considered one of the finest wild turkey hunting states in the Union, alongside Texas and Alabama. Sport hunting in Pennsylvania is a massive boost for the Commonwealth's economy. A report from The Center for Rural Pennsylvania (A Legislative Agency of the Pennsylvania General Assembly) reported that hunting, fishing, and furtaking generated a total of $9.6 billion statewide.
The Boone and Crockett Club shows that five of the ten largest (skull size) black bear entries came from the state.[85] The state also has a tied record for the largest hunter shot black bear in the Boone & Crockett books at 733 lb (332 kg) and a skull of 23 3/16 tied with a bear shot in California in 1993.[85] The largest bear ever found dead was in Utah in 1975 and second largest was shot by a poacher in the state in 1987.[85] Pennsylvania holds the second most number of Boone & Crockett recorded record black bears at 183 second only to Wisconsin's 299.[85]
Transportation
There are 69 railroads in the state and 5,100 miles (8,200 km) of railways which is 5th in the nation.[35] There is 134 public-use airports and 6 international airports.[35] The port of Pittsburgh is the 2nd largest inland port in the United States.[35] There are 120,000 miles (190,000 km) of highways in the state.[33]
Sports
- Further information: List of people from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is home to many professional sports teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball, the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, and the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. Among them, these teams have accumulated 6 World Series Championships (Pirates 5, Phillies 1), 14 National League Pennants, 3 pre-Super Bowl era NFL Championships (Eagles), 5 Super Bowl Championships (Steelers), 2 NBA Championships (76ers), and 4 Stanley Cup winners (Flyers 2, Penguins 2).
In baseball, the Phillies moved their Triple A-level team from Ottawa, Ontario, in Canada, to a newly-constructed stadium, Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, beginning with the 2008 season. Because the Lehigh Valley is a core fan base for both the Phillies and the Philadelphia Eagles (who conduct their pre-season training camp on the practice fields of Lehigh University), there are understandably lofty expectations that the new team, called the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (after pig iron, which is an instrumental part in the construction of steel which has been a large part of the local economy for decades), is likely to prove hugely popular among Allentown and Lehigh Valley Phillies fans. The Phillies' AA team is located in Reading, and one of their A-level affiliates is also located in Williamsport. The Pirates' AA team is located in Altoona, and the Nationals' AA affiliate is in the capital of Harrisburg. The Yankees' AAA team is also located in Scranton, in the northeastern part of the state. Two independent-league teams, the Lancaster Barnstormers and York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, are located in south-central Pennsylvania.
College football is also very popular in Pennsylvania. The Penn State University Nittany Lions are coached by Joe Paterno who led Penn State to two national championships (1982 & 1986) as well as five undefeated seasons (1968, 1969, 1973, 1986 and 1994). Penn State plays its home games in the second largest stadium in the United States, Beaver Stadium, that seats 107,282. In addition, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers have won nine national championships (1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937 and 1976) and have played eight undefeated seasons (1904, 1910, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1937 and 1976).[4] Pitt plays its home games at Heinz Field, a facility it shares with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Other Pennsylvania schools that have won national titles in football include Lafayette College (1896) and the University of Pennsylvania (1895, 1897, 1904 and 1908).[5]
College basketball is also popular in the state, especially in the Philadelphia area where five universities, collectively termed the Big Five, have a rich tradition in NCAA Division I basketball. National titles in college basketball have been won by the following Pennsylvania universities: La Salle University (1954), Temple University (1938), University of Pennsylvania (1920 and 1921), University of Pittsburgh (1928 and 1930) and Villanova University (1985).[6][7]
In motorsports, the Mario Andretti dynasty of race drivers is from Nazareth. Notable Racetracks in Pennsylvania include the Jennerstown Speedway in Jennerstown, the Lake Erie Speedway in North East, the Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, the Motordome Speedway in Smithton, the Mountain Speedway in St. Johns, the Nazareth Speedway in Nazareth; and the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, which is home both the Pennsylvania 500 and the Pocono 500.
Also, the Little League World Series is held in Williamsport, where it was founded. Also the first World Series between the Boston Pilgrims (now Boston Red Sox) and Pittsburgh Pirates was played in Pittsburgh.
There are also two motocross race tracks that host a round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championships in Pennsylvania. [High Point Raceway]High Point in located in Mt. Morris, PA, and Steel City is located in Delmont, PA.
Race courses for horses in Pennsylvania consist of The Meadows Racetrack, south of Pittsburgh, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, in Wilkes-Barre and Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack in Chester which offer harness racing, and Penn National Race Course in Grantville and Philadelphia Park, in Bensalem which offer thoroughbred racing. Smarty Jones, the 2004 Kentucky Derby winner, had Philadelphia Park as his home course.
Arnold Palmer, one of the leading 20th century pro golfers, comes from Latrobe, and Jim Furyk, one of the leading 21-century pro golfers, grew up near in Lancaster. PGA tournaments in Pennsylvania include the 84 Lumber Classic, played at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, in Farmington and the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic, played at Glenmaura National Golf Club, in Moosic.
Philadelphia is home to LOVE Park, once a skateboarding mecca, and across from City Hall, host to ESPN's X Games in 2001 and 2002.
Food
In his book Yo Mama Cooks Like a Yankee, author Sharon Hernes Silverman calls Pennsylvania the snack food capital of the world.[86] It leads all other states in the manufacture of pretzels and potato chips. The Sturgis Pretzel House introduced the pretzel to America, and companies like Anderson Bakery Company, Intercourse Pretzel Factory, and Snyder's of Hanover are leading manufacturers in the Commonwealth. The three companies that define the U.S. potato chip industry are Utz Quality Foods, Inc., which started making chips in Hanover, Pennsylvania in 1921, Wise Snack Foods which started making chips in Berwick in 1921, and Lay's Potato Chips, a Texas company. Other companies such as Herr Foods, Martin's Potato Chips, and Troyer Farms Potato Products are popular chip manufacturers. The U.S. chocolate industry is centered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, with Mars and Wilbur Chocolate Company nearby, and smaller manufacturers such as Asher's near Lansdale and Gertrude Hawk of Dunmore. Other notable companies include Just Born in Bethlehem, PA, makers of Hot Tamales, Mike and Ikes, and the Easter favorite marshmallow Peeps, Benzel's Pretzels and Boyer Candies of Altoona, PA, which is well known for its Mallow Cups. Auntie Anne's Pretzels originated in Gap, but their corporate headquarters is now located in Lancaster, PA. Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch foods include chicken potpie, schnitz un knepp (dried apples, hame, and dumplings), fasnachts (raised doughnuts), scrapple, pretzels, bologna, and chochow. Shoofly is another traditional Pennsylvanian Dutch food. Yuengling Brewery, America's Oldest Brewery, has been brewing beer in Pottsville, PA since 1829.
Among the regional foods associated with Pennsylvania are the pierogies, cheesesteak and the hoagie, the soft pretzel, the lemur on a stick, Italian water ice, scrapple, Tastykake, and the stromboli. In Pittsburgh, tomato ketchup was improved by Henry John Heinz from 1876 to the early 1900s. Famous to a lesser extent than Heinz ketchup are the Pittsburgh's Primanti Brothers Restaurant sandwiches. Outside the city of Scranton, in the Borough of Old Forge there are dozens of Italian restaurants specializing in pizza made unique by thick, light crust and American cheese. Sauerkraut along with pork and mashed potatoes is a common meal on New Year's Day in Pennsylvania.
Multi-ethnic cuisine is common[citation needed], especially in the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Coal Region areas. Amish, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Pakistani, Persian, Polish, Russian, Thai, Turkish cuisine and many others can be found not only in specialty restaurants but at hundreds of community or religious festivals.
State symbols
| State tree | Eastern Hemlock |
| State bird | Ruffed grouse[2] |
| State flower | Mountain laurel[2] |
| State insect | Photuris pennsylvanica (Pennsylvania Firefly)[2] |
| State animal | White-tailed deer[2] |
| State dog | Great Dane |
| State fish | Brook trout[2] |
| State fossil | the trilobite Phacops rana[2] |
| State beverage | Milk[2] |
| State capital | Harrisburg[87] |
| Union admission rank | 2nd |
| State song | Pennsylvania (Formerly Hail, Pennsylvania!, until 1990)[2] |
| State toy | Slinky[88] |
| State ship | United States Brig Niagara[2] |
| State electric locomotive | Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 #4849 Locomotive |
| State steam locomotive | Pennsylvania Railroad K4s Locomotive |
| State beautification plant | Crown vetch[2] |
| State soil | Hazleton[87] |
See also
References
- ^ a b Elevations and Distances in the United States. U.S Geological Survey (29 April 2005). Retrieved on 2006-11-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l PHMC: State Symbols
- ^ Lowell Tribune, March 26, 2002
- ^ Lancaster rifle
- ^ PHMC: Agriculture in Pennsylvania
- ^ The Quaker Province
- ^ William Penn, Quaker
- ^ Frame of Government
- ^ Pennsylvania translates to "Penn's Woods" and was named after the father of William Penn, the founder of the colony. Digital History: Persecution of the Quakers
- ^ The Quaker Province 1681–1776
- ^ National Parks Service: Our Fourth Shore
- ^ NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resources
- ^ Philadelphia Regional Port Authority: History. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
- ^ a b Pennsylvania geography
- ^ a b 2006 Statistical Abstract: Geography & Environment: Land and Land Use
- ^ 2006 Statistical Abstract: Geography & Environment:Extreme and Mean Elevations
- ^ Pennsylvania Time Zone
- ^ Penn's Charter
- ^ a b Cecil County, Maryland
- ^ Places Named: Philadelphia
- ^ Pennsylvania Indian tribes
- ^ Charter for the Province of Pennsylvania
- ^ a b Quakers and the political process
- ^ Library of Congress timeline 1764–1765
- ^ Dickinson Letters
- ^ Library of Congress timeline 1773–1774
- ^ Library of Congress: Primary documents — The Declaration of Independence
- ^ Nine Capitals of the United States
- ^ Pennsylvania ratifies the Constitution of 1787
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Pennsylvania's Capitals
- ^ James Buchanan White House biography
- ^ Battle of Gettysburg
- ^ a b Pennsylvania Facts. Pennsylvania State Data Center Penn State Harrisburg (2003). Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ Components of Population Change
- ^ a b c d e f g Pennsylvania Facts 2007. Pennsylvania State Data Center Penn State Harrisburg (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ Annual Estimates of the Population
- ^ FactFinder: Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights
- ^ American Community Survey 2003 Multi-Year Survey for Pennsylvania
- ^ The Works of Voltaire, volume 19
- ^ Religious diversity in Pennsylvania
- ^ The ARDA
- ^ These statistics are based on 7,116,348 of the estimated 8,448,193 religious adherents in Pennsylvania, and only the largest of 115 different faiths are reported here. Data excludes most of the historically African-American denominations. Public Law 94-521 prevents the Census Bureau from collecting better data, so this information comes from the Association of religion data archives at Penn State.) Terms used to describe organizations are ARDA's, and may not be the group's own preferred name.
- ^ The Amish and the Plain People of Lancaster County, PA
- ^ a b Bureau of Economic Analysis
- ^ Appeals court races wrap up with focus on voter mobilization
- ^ a b c Fortune 500
- ^ Philadelphia stock exchange
- ^ Tragedy of 9/11 pummels insurance industry
- ^ a b c Northeast-Midwest Institute calculations based on data from the BEA
- ^ Agricultural Census 2002
- ^ a b c PA Wine facts. Pennsylvania Wine & Wineries (2003). Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Poverty levels
- ^ IRS: Tax Guide for farmers
- ^ Center for Rural Pennsylvania
- ^ Mid-Atlantic Farm Policy Leadership Forum
- ^ Philadelphia tourism
- ^ Poconos tourism
- ^ Delaware Water Gap
- ^ [http://www.tfhrc.gov/structur/pubs/04098/index.htm FHWA Covered Bridge Manual
- ^ Pa. gaming board awards 5 slots licenses - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
- ^ VisitPA
- ^ AAA: Favorite vacation spots
- ^ Page 10, The Riddle of Amish Culture, 2001. ISBN 0-8018-6772-X
- ^ Definition of "dutch"
- ^ a b 23 Pennsylvania Law Weekly 324 (March 27, 2000)
- ^ bio of Ed Rendell
- ^ State Elected Officials
- ^ Pennsylvania State Archives
- ^ Pennsylvania Senators
- ^ Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- ^ Pennsylvania Senate
- ^ David Brightbill
- ^ Robert Mellow
- ^ John Perzel
- ^ Samuel Smith
- ^ William DeWeese
- ^ a b c d e f Judicial districts
- ^ Revenue Department Releases August Collections (09/01/2006) http://www.revenue.state.pa.us/revenue/CWP/view.asp?Q=261929&A=208 Retrieved 25 September 2006.
- ^ Congressional Directory Online
- ^ Pennsylvania Manual 117
- ^ Pennsylvania Local Government Fact Sheet, 2005
- ^ "Local Government Entities in Pennsylvania" and "Municipal Statistics" in Legislator’s Municipal Deskbook for Pennsylvania
- ^ Bloomsburg
- ^ McCandless
- ^ a b c d Reilly, P. (2007-11-15). Bear facts favor Pennsylvania State remains home to North America’s biggest black bears. Intelligencer Journal. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Pa. knack for snacks a Farm Show feature - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
- ^ a b State Symbols
- ^ Slinky history
External links
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Dictionary definitions |
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Quotations |
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Images and media |
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News stories |
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Learning resources |
- Gov. Andrew Curtin's Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps, Civil War 1861–1864
- Official state government site
- Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
- USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania State Facts
- Official state tourism site
- Biography of William Penn from 1829
- A History of Pennsylvania from 1905
- Free Original Documents Online: Pennsylvania State Archives 1600s to 1800s
- Miller, Randall M. and William Pencak, Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth
- Interactive Pennsylvania for Kids
- Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
- National Association of Counties (information on each Pennsylvania County)
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| Preceded by Delaware |
List of U.S. states by date of statehood Ratified Constitution on December 12, 1787 (2nd) |
Succeeded by New Jersey |
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