Regions
Cities
Other destinations
Understand
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a geographically diverse state with a Great Lake on one shore and a major seaport on the other. The climate of Pennsylvania is pleasant, with cold, often snowy winters, mild to hot, humid summers, and gorgeous green springtimes, and most notably, spectacular displays of colorful autumn foliage.
Pennsylvania hosts a number of vital cities, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. The city of Philadelphia houses the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, two major national historical landmarks. The interior of the state has a number of subcultures worth exploring, including the famous Amish countryside, a religious community based in Christian Anabaptist dogma.
Pennsylvania is also home to a diverse group of people, with ethnic enclaves of black, Hispanic, and Southeast Asian populations in its major cities.
Talk
Most Pennsylvanians speak American English, although many subtle regional accents and 'dialects' do exist. There are large Latino, Spanish-speaking populations in Reading, Allentown, and Philadelphia, and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have their share of Asian, European, and other languages. There will be no problem communicating with people who live in Pennsylvania, except, of course, if they resort to the famous Pennsylvania Dutch "Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch" dialect of German. Although widescale non-Amish use of the language faded circa 1950, there are pockets of young people who are learning the language as a way to preserve their heratige.
Get in
By car
Interstate highways lead most traffic into the state. Clockwise from east:
Also, U.S. Routes 219, 15, and 220 (soon to be I-99) all enter the state at alternative points from both the north and south.
State-operated Welcome Centers and Comfort Facilities are located just inside the borders at all major crossings into Pennsylvania.
By train
Amtrak serves Pennsylvania with major stops at Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh. Philadelphia is a stop on the Northeast Corridor.
By air
The two major airports in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia International (booking code PHL) and Pittsburgh International (booking code PIT). Philadelphia is a major hub for US Airways and Pittsburgh is an large focus city for the same carrier. Both are served by all major carriers and have low fare service by Southwest and AirTran Airways. Philadelphia is also one of the Northeast's major international termini.
Regional airports in Pennsylvania include Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. All of these airports are served by US Airways, US Airways Express, Delta, Northwest and Continental. Erie is slightly bigger. Lehigh Valley has low-fare service by Lehigh Valley Air and TMA, and Harrisburg has service by TMA as well(TMA suspended flights in 2005).
Get around
By car
In addition to the Interstate highways that enter Pennsylvania and travel throughout:
There also exists a wide network of state highways and municipal roads that reach into the mostly forested and farmed rural areas. The more mountainous of these areas should be traversed with caution by visitors as they can be drastically winding, narrow, or steep (or all three!) in parts.
Speed limit signs are almost exclusively posted in miles per hour, "mph". Seatbelts use is mandatory, and a second ticket and fine will be issued to those who are pulled over for speeding, etc. if not worn. Pennsylvania has not yet enacted a ban on hand-held cell phone usage while driving, as some neighboring states have.
As conditions go, Pennsylvania has two seasons according to an old joke: winter and construction. In the rural majority of the state, large snowfalls render the most minor of roads impassable, but the major thoroughfares like Interstates are comparatively well plowed and salted. Still, car travel anywhere should be done with extreme care in the winter, especially by those unfamiliar with the visited area.
Likewise, the jest rings true in the remainder of the year. Look out for occasional paving, line painting, or road widening projects on freeways that restrict travel to a single lane. Bridge repair or any major redesign may force detours that are typically marked clearly. Speed limits in work zones are always reduced and State Police will impose double fines for breaking them. Proceed carefully around PennDOT (state transportation department) crews, who are easily visible in fluorescent yellow attire.
These online Pennsylvania Maps include a detailed road map which can be viewed and printed in sections.
Eat
A cheesesteak, this well-known American food found its roots in Philadelphia.
A weber (like a cheesesteak, but may be made with ground chicken, and is topped with hoagie fixins).
Any sandwich (topped with fries and cole slaw) from Primanti's (around Pittsburgh).
PA Dutch Whoopie Pies or apple butter
Teaberry icecream
Birch beer or sasparilla soda
Drink
However, Pennsylvania is home to many other beers. It is birth place of Rolling Rock - "#33". Serious beer drinkers probably know Pennsylvania for its wide selection craft breweries. Hundreds of fine ales are produced each year. Some great labels that every visitor should try include Yards, Sly Fox, Victory, Lancaster, Troegs, and Stoudts.
Stay safe
As with most locations in the United States, a major cause of injury and death in Pennsylvania comes from automobile accidents. Drivers can be down-right hostile on some of the more notorious urban freeways, such as the Schuykill Expressway in Philadelphia, the 376 in Pittsburgh and on the Interstate 95 corridor in the southeast section of the state.
Road rage can be a problem during rush hour, so if you aren't familiar with the highway system, stay out of the left hand lane. The key to safe driving is to stay defensive, you are in unfamiliar areas and while you may feel wronged, it may be the norm.
During periods of hunting season, persons entering the woods are advised by the PA Game Commission to wear "blaze orange".
Get out
Pennsylvania has many great rivers and streams that are perfect for fly fishing. From large western style rivers such as the Lehigh River to challenging spring creeks like the Letort, the visting angler can find a variety of fishing opportunities depending on the season. Great Lakes tributaries provide awesome steelheading in the fall, and the famed Delaware river compares to any famous western river in the spring.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (IPA: /ˌpɛn.səlˈveɪ.njə]]/) is a state located in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States of America.
One of Pennsylvania's nicknames is the Quaker State; in colonial times, it was known officially as the Quaker Province, in recognition of Quaker William Penn's First Frame of Government constitution for Pennsylvania that guaranteed liberty of conscience. Penn knew of the hostility Quakers faced when they opposed rituals, oaths, violence, and ostentatious frippery.
Pennsylvania has also been known as the Keystone State since 1802, It was also a keystone state economically, having both the industry common to the North, making such wares as Conestoga wagons and rifles, and the agriculture common to the South, producing feed, fiber, food, and tobacco.
Pennsylvania has of coastline along Lake Erie and of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary. Philadelphia is Pennsylvania's largest city and is home to a major seaport and shipyards on the Delaware River.
Geography
Pennsylvania is north to south and east to west. The highest point of above sea level is at Mount Davis, which was named for its owner, John Davis, a schoolteacher who fought for the Union Army at the Battle of Gettysburg. The lowest point is at sea level on the Delaware River, and the approximate mean elevation is. Pennsylvania is in the Eastern time zone.
The original southern boundary of Pennsylvania was supposed to be at 40° North latitude, but as a result of a bad faith compromise by Lord Baltimore during Cresap's War, the king's courts moved the boundary south The city of Philadelphia, at 40°0'N 75°8'W,
History
Before the state was settled, the area was home to the Delaware (also known as Lenni Lenape), Susquehannock, Iroquois, Eriez, Shawnee, and other Native American tribes.
In 1681, Charles II granted a land charter to William Penn, to repay a large debt owed to William's father, Admiral Penn. This was one of the largest land grants to an individual in history. The land included present-day Delaware and Pennsylvania. It was called Pennsylvania, meaning "Penn's Woods", in honor of Admiral Penn.
Penn established a government with two innovations that were much copied in the New World: the county commission, and freedom of religious conviction. Writer Murray Rothbard in his four-volume history of the U.S., Conceived in Liberty, refers to the years of 1681–90 as "Pennsylvania's Anarchist Experiment."
Between 1723 and when it was shut down by Parliament with the Currency Act of 1764, the Pennsylvania Colony made its own paper money to account for the shortage of actual gold and silver. The paper money was called Colonial Scrip. It is generally regarded as the most successful currency experiment by any government that ever existed. The Colony issued "bills of credit" which were as good as gold or silver coins because of their legal tender status. Since they were issued by the government and not a banking institution, it was an interest-free proposition, largely defraying the expense of the government and therefore taxation of the people. It also promoted generally employment and prosperity since the Government used discretion and did not issue too much to inflate the currency. Benjamin Franklin had a hand in creating this currency, of which he said its utility was never to be disputed and it also received the high praise of Adam Smith.
After the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, Delegate John Dickinson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. The Congress was the first meeting of the thirteen colonies, called at the request of the Massachusetts Assembly, but only nine colonies sent delegates. Dickinson then wrote Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies, which were published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle between December 2, 1767, and February 15, 1768.
When the Founding Fathers of the United States were to convene in Philadelphia in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress. The First Continental Congress drew up and signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, but when that city was captured by the British, the Continental Congress escaped westward, meeting at the Lancaster courthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and then to York. There they drew up the Articles of Confederation that formed 13 independent colonies into a new nation. Later, the Constitution was written, and Philadelphia was once again chosen to be cradle to the new American Nation.
Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 12, 1787, five days after Delaware became the first.
For half a century, the state legislature met at various places in the general Philadelphia area before starting to meet regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years. and finally in 1812 to Harrisburg. The legislature met in the old Dauphin County Court House until December 1821, when the Redbrick Capitol was finished. It burned down in 1897, presumably due to a faulty flue. The legislature met at Grace Methodist Church on State Street (still standing), until the present capitol was finished in 1907.
The new state Capitol drew rave reviews. Its dome was inspired by the domes of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the United States Capitol. President Theodore Roosevelt called it the "the most beautiful state Capitol in the nation", and said "It's the handsomest building I ever saw" at the dedication. In 1989, the New York Times praised it as "grand, even awesome at moments, but it is also a working building, accessible to citizens ... a building that connects with the reality of daily life."
James Buchanan, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the only bachelor President of the United States. The Battle of Gettysburg — the major turning point of the Civil War — took place near Gettysburg.
Demographics
The center of population of Pennsylvania is located in Perry County, in the borough of Duncannon [1].
As of 2006, Pennsylvania has an estimated population of 12,440,621, which is an increase of 35,273 from the previous year, and an increase of 159,567 since the year 2000. Net migration from other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718, and immigration from other countries resulted in an increase of 126,007. Net migration to the state was 98,289. Migration of native Pennsylvanians resulted in a decrease of 100,000 people. In 2006, 5.00% of Pennsylvanians were foreign born (621,480 people).
Foreign-born Pennsylvanians are largely from Asia (36.0%), Europe (35.9%), Latin America (30.6%), 5% coming from Africa, 3.1% coming from North America, and 0.4% coming from Oceania.
Pennsylvania's reported population of Hispanics, especially among the Asian, Hawaiian and White races, has markedly increased in the last years. It is not clear how much of this change reflects a changing population, and how much reflects increased willingness to self-identify minority status.
Pennsylvania's population was reported as 5.9% under 5 and 23.8% under 18, with 15.6% were 65 or older. Females made up 51.7% of the population.
The five largest ancestry groups self-reported in Pennsylvania are: German (27.66%), Irish (17.66%), Italian (12.82%), English (8.89%) and Polish (7.23%).
Religion
Of all the colonies, only in Rhode Island was religious freedom so secure as in Pennsylvania - and one result was an incredible religious diversity, one which continues to this day.
Pennsylvania's population in 2000 was 12,281,054. Of these, 8,448,193 were estimated to belong to some sort of organized religion. According to the Association of religion data archives at Pennsylvania State University, reliable data exists for 7,116,348 religious adherents in Pennsylvania in 2000, following 115 different faiths. 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.
- Roman Catholic – 3,802,524 – 53.43%
- Orthodox – 75,354 – 1.06%
- Mainline Protestant – 2,140,682 – 30%
- United Methodist Church – 659,350 – 9.27%
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – 611,913 – 8.60%
- Presbyterian Church – 324,714 – 4.56%
- United Church of Christ – 241,844 – 3.40%
- American Baptist Churches in the USA – 132,858 – 1.87%
- Episcopal Church – 116,511 – 1.64%
- Evangelical Protestant – 704,204 – 10%
- Assemblies of God – 84,153 – 1.18%
- Church of the Brethren – 52,684 – 0.74%
- Mennonite Church USA – 48,215 – 0.68%
- Christian and Missionary Alliance – 45,926 – 0.65%
- Southern Baptist Convention – 44,432 – 0.62%
- Independent Non-charismatic churches – 42,992 – 0.60%
- Other theology – 393,584 – 5.53%
- Jewish estimate – 283,000 – 3.98%
- Muslim estimate – 71,190 – 1.00%
- Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations – 6,778 – 0.10%
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – 31,032 – 0.44%
While Pennsylvania owes its existence to Quakers and many of the older trappings of the state are rooted in the teachings of the Religious Society of Friends (as they are officially known), practicing Quakers are a small minority today.
Economy
Pennsylvania's 2005 total gross state product (GSP) of $430.31 billion
Philadelphia in the southeast corner and Pittsburgh in the southwest corner are urban manufacturing centers, with the "t-shaped" remainder of the state being much more rural; this dichotomy affects state politics as well as the state economy. In all, Pennsylvania is home to 49 Fortune 500 companies.
The largest private employer in the state is Wal-Mart, followed by the University of Pennsylvania, United Parcel Service and Giant Food. The largest manufacturing employer is Merck.
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development offers resources for business, community, site development, and concerned citizens at http://newpa.com/.
Manufacturing
States cannot thrive by "taking in each other's laundry", Although Pennsylvania is known as a coal state, mining only amounts to 0.6% of the state's economy, compared to 1.3% for the country as a whole.
Agriculture
Pennsylvania ranks 19th overall in agricultural production, but 1st in Mushrooms, 3rd in Christmas trees and layer chickens, 4th in nursery and sod, milk, corn for silage, and horse production. Only about 9,600 of the state's 58,000 farmers have sales of $100,000 or more, and with production expenses equaling 84.9% of sales, most not only have a net farming income below the $19,806 that marks poverty for a family of four, but are liable for a 12.4% self-employment tax as well. The average farmer is 53 and getting older, as young Pennsylvanians find low farming income a tough row to hoe.Many farms in the southeastern part of the state have been sold to housing developers in the past years. This is largely due to rising taxes and land prices, reflecting high demand for land in the nations fifth largest metropolitan area. Bucks and Montgomery counties were the first to suburbanize, but this trend is now extending to Chester, Lancaster, Berks, and Lehigh counties.
Tourism
Pennsylvania draws 2.1% of the Gross State Product from Accommodation and Food Services. Only Connecticut, Delaware and Iowa have lower numbers, and Nevada gets a whopping 14.2% of their GSP that way. Philadelphia draws tourists to see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Franklin Institute and the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, while The Poconos attract honeymooners, golfers and fishermen, and the Delaware Water Gap and Allegheny National Forest appeal to boaters, hikers, and nature lovers. Fourteen slots casinos, the majority of which are either in the process of being awarded licenses from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board or are under construction, are expected to make up a good portion of tourism in the Commonwealth.
The state government launched an extensive tourism campaign in 2003 under the direction of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. An extensive website has been established to promote visits to the state.
The Pennsylvania Dutch region in south-central Pennsylvania is a favorite for sightseers. The Pennsylvania Dutch, including the Old Order Amish, the Old Order Mennonites and at least 35 other sects, are common in the rural areas around the cities of Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg, with smaller numbers extending northeast to the Lehigh Valley and up the Susquehanna River valley.
The term "Dutch", when referring to the Pennsylvana Dutch, means "German" or "Teutonic" rather than "Netherlander". Germans, in their own language, call themselves "Deutsch", which in English became, misleadingly, "Dutch". The language "Pennsylvania Dutch" is a dialect of German.
Politics
State government
Pennsylvania has had five constitution during its statehood:
The state capital is Harrisburg. The legislature meets in the new State Capitol there.
The current Governor is Ed Rendell, a former head of the Democratic National Committee who began as a popular District Attorney and mayor in Philadelphia. The other elected officials composing the executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll, Attorney General Tom Corbett, Auditor General Jack Wagner, and State Treasurer Tony Wagner.
Pennsylvania has a bicameral legislature set up by state's constitution in 1790. The original Frame of Government of William Penn had a unicameral legislature. The General Assembly includes 50 Senators and 203 Representatives. Joseph B. Scarnati III is currently President Pro Tempore of the State Senate, Domenic Pileggi the Majority Leader, and Robert J. Mellow the Minority Leader. Dennis M. O'Brien is Speaker of the House of Representatives, with H. William DeWeese as Majority Leader and Samuel H. Smith as Minority Leader. The 2006 election resulted in the Democrats regaining control of the House and the balance remaining unchanged in Republicans' favor in the Senate.
Pennsylvania is divided into 60 judicial districts, Most criminal and civil cases originate in the Courts of Common Pleas, which also serve as appellate courts to the district judges and for local agency decisions. The Superior Court hears all appeals from the Courts of Common Pleas not expressly designated to the Commonwealth Court or Supreme Court. It also has original jurisdiction to review warrant for wiretap surveillance. The Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the final appellate court. All judges in Pennsylvania are elected; the chief justice is determined by seniority.
Sales tax provides 39% of state revenue; personal income tax 34%; motor vehicle taxes about 12%, and taxes on cigarettes and alcohol beverage 5%.
Counties, municipalities, and school districts levy taxes on real estate. In addition, some local bodies assess a wage tax on personal income. Generally, the total wage tax rate is capped at 1% of income but some municipalities with home rule charters may charge more than 1%. Thirty-two of the state's sixty-seven counties levy a personal property tax on stocks, bonds, and similar holdings.
Representation in the 110th Congress
Pennsylvania's two U.S. Senators in the 110th Congress are Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, Jr..Pennsylvania's U.S. Congressmen for the term beginning January 2007 are Robert Brady (1st), Chaka Fattah (2nd), Phil English (3rd), Jason Altmire (4th), John E. Peterson (5th), Jim Gerlach (6th), Joe Sestak (7th), Patrick Murphy (8th), Bill Shuster (9th), Chris Carney (10th), Paul E. Kanjorski (11th), John Murtha (12th), Allyson Schwartz (13th), Mike Doyle (14th), Charlie Dent (15th), Joe Pitts (16th), Tim Holden (17th), Tim Murphy (18th), and Todd Russell Platts (19th).
Regional strength
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 state. Traditionally, Republicans have also fared well in the densely populated and wealthy suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but in the 1990's and 2000's these suburbs trended blue.
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%).
Party realignment
In the Midterm Elections of 2006, Pennsylvania moved solidly Democratic because of the unpopularity of the war in Iraq and of President Bush. Bob Casey, Jr. handily defeated incumbent Senator Rick Santorum 59%-41%, and Governor Ed Rendell defeated Republican opponent Lynn Swann by a similar margin: 60-40%.
Democrats also defeated Republicans in many Pennsylvania Congressional Districts. The GOP lost four House seats in the Keystone State, more than in any other state. In the 4th District, outside Pittsburgh, [[Jason Altmire]] defeated incumbent [[Melissa Hart]] 52%-48%. In the 7th, perhaps an increasingly Democratic segment of suburban Philadelphia, [[Joe Sestak]] defeated incumbent [[Curt Weldon]] 56%-44%. In the 8th, northeast of Philadelphia, [[Patrick Murphy (politician)|Patrick Murphy]] defeated incumbent [[Mike Fitzpatrick]] by only about 1,500 votes. However, Murphy did not win Bucks County, which encompasses nearly the entire 8th District. He won in the small area of Montgomery County that is part of the 8th District, which has led to a bitter vote count after the election. Fitzpatrick won by nearly 1,000 votes in Bucks County.[http://www.buckscountyelections.org/ElectionSummary.aspx?id=1] In the 10th, in rural Northeast Pennsylvania, [[Chris Carney]] defeated incumbent [[Don Sherwood 53%-47%.
In the state's General Assembly, Republicans lost nine seats. In late November 2006, a tardy vote count in Chester County was eventually finalized in favor of the Democratic candidate, returning the majority to that party (102-101) after 12 years. The state Senate's balance of power for the 2007–2008 session is 29-21 for Republicans.
Democrats are hopeful that they can grow in the Philadelphia suburbs, traditionally a Republican region, but the socially moderate suburbs vote Democratic in presidential elections. For the first time in history, the suburban ring counties of Philadelphia and their congressional seats in the House went to the Democrats. Joe Sestak and Patrick Murphy joined Allyson Schwartz in representing that region. Jim Gerlach barely won re-election against his 2004 Democratic challenger, Lois Murphy, in another very close race. If Lois Murphy can beat Gerlach in 2008, then all of the Southeastern Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Suburbs) seats will be Democratic.
Important cities and municipalities
Municipalities in Pennsylvania are incorporated as cities, boroughs, or townships.
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. However, in 1975, McCandless Township, in Allegheny County adopted a home rule charter under the name "Town of McCandless".
The ten most populated cities in Pennsylvania, in order are: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Bethlehem, Scranton, Lancaster, Levittown and Harrisburg.
Recreation
Pennsylvania is home to the nation's first zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo. [2] Other notable zoos include Claws 'n Paws, Erie Zoo, Pittsburgh Zoo, and ZOOAMERICA. The state boasts some of the finest museums in the country. One of the unique museums is the Houdini Museum [3], 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 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.
There are also notable music festivals that take place in PA. These include Musikfest, Creation Festival, and Purple Door. Creation, which has been around since 1979, boasts that hundreds of thousands of people come each year from all around the world; it is the nation's top Christian music festival. Purple Door is one of the few music festivals in the world to devote itself to nothing but Christian hard rock, and people have traveled from as far as California to attend. Pennsylvania, especially around Lancaster County, is one of the best places in the United States for fans of contemporary Christian music (CCM), with more concerts than found almost anywhere else. Pennsylvania also has one of the nation's top CMM radio stations, WJTL. Many bands and artists are also discovered here. Lancaster is the place for fans of Christian music, and most of this is because of Tim Landis; he's the one who founded Purple Door and WJTL, books the bands for Creation, and even started the record company that made Lancaster bands well-known throughout the nation.
Pennsylvania is a great state for sportsmen and sportswomen. There are nearly 1 million licensed hunters. 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 state 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.
Sports
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 NFL Championships (Eagles), 5 Super Bowl Championships (Steelers), 4 NBA Championships (76ers), and 4 Stanley Cup winners (Flyers 2, Penguins 2).
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 Pennsylvania, 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 hail 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.
There are also two motocross race tracks that host a round of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championships in Pennsylvania. 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 Ladbroke at the Meadows, in 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.
Major League Baseball all-star, Mike Piazza, is from Phoenixville.
Food
In his book Pennsylvania Snacks: A Guide to Food Factory Tours, author Sharon Hernes Silverman calls Pennsylvania the snack food capital of the world. 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 state. 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.
Among the regional foods associated with Pennsylvania are the pierogies, cheesesteak and the hoagie, the soft pretzel, 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. Scranton suburb Old Forge is known for 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.
Ethnic cuisine is common, especially in the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Coal Region areas. Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Turkish, Persian, Pakistani, Russian, Polish, Amish cuisine and many others can be found not only in specialty restaurants but at hundreds of community or religious festivals.
State symbols
- State animal: White-tailed Deer
- State beverage: Milk
- State game bird: Ruffed Grouse
- State capital: Harrisburg
- State dog: Great Dane
- State fish: Brook Trout
- State flower: Mountain Laurel
- State fossil: the trilobite Phacops rana
- State insect: Firefly
- Union admission rank: 2nd
- State song: Pennsylvania (Formerly Hail, Pennsylvania!, until 1990)
- State tree: Hemlock
- State toy: Slinky
- State ship: United States Brig Niagara
- State electric locomotive: Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 #4849 Locomotive
- State steam locomotive: Pennsylvania Railroad K4s Locomotive
- State beautification plant: Crown Vetch
- State soil: Hazleton
- Gov. Andrew Curtin's Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps, Civil War 1861–1864
- Official state government site
- Penna. Dept. 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
