 What do quilting, hex signs, coal mines, honeymoons,
railroads, streudel, history, mountains, covered
bridges, and rivers have in common?
Pennsylvania, of
course! Settled in 1643,
Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania in
Dauphin County is the capital of
PA.
This state saw the
birth of the United States in Philadelphia's
Independence Hall, and the cruel sacrifices made to
establish and defend our new freedom at Valley Forge.
Pennsylvania is
called the Keystone State, as it was the center colony
of the original 13 colonies. It was said that it held
the colonies together like the "keystone" in a window
or door arch. Philadelphia was our state capital
during the Revolutionary War.
York was
the first capital of the United States, and
The
Constitution of the United States and
The
American Declaration of Independence
were both written in Pennsylvania.
Benjamin Franklin asked be buried in PA.
 The
Industrial Revolution affected the entire civilized
world and was triggered in a small 500 mile area in
northeast PA. It was here that anthracite coal was
discovered by men intelligent enough to develop a
process to use it (Jesse Fell of Wilkes-Barre and
David Thomas of the Crane Iron Works in Catasauqua).
300 million year old plant matter has turned into coal
all over the world. In northeastern Pennsylvania,
however, the coal is purer, harder, and of higher
carbon content than other coal. Over 95 percent of the
Western Hemisphere is supplied with coal from
northeastern Pennsylvania.
Erie, PA's harbor is
home to the Flagship Niagara, Commodore Perry's
flagship in a decisive battle in the War of 1812.
Gettysburg, PA, was a turning point in the "War
Between the States". A massacre for both sides, the
sobering loss of life is honored in PA's solemn
preservation of this battlefield.
Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address was written in PA.
 Pennsylvania
was the world's leader in developing transportation
technology in the days when railroads were king and
the state has the world's best collections of trains
and railroading equipment to prove it! The
Pennsylvania Railroad was once the largest in the
world, operating 7,000 locomotives and 250,000 cars.
The completion of the Horseshoe Curve near Altoona, PA
was a significant engineering feat that opened the
United States for Westward expansion. Pennsylvania
was the home to many railroading firsts. Explore the
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and
PA Railways.
Pennsylvania boasts 50
natural lakes and 2,500 man-made lakes.
Pennsylvania is also
the home of numerous sports teams including the Penn
State University Nittany Lions and professional teams
such as the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers; the
Philadelphia Phillies; 76ers and Eagles and the
Scranton Wilkes-Barre Red Barons minor league baseball
team and Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins hockey team.
Links:
Camelback Resort
Covered Bridges
Lackawanna Coal Mine
Lehigh
Valley Wine Trail
Marywood
University
Montage Mountain
No. 9 Mine &
Museum
Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort
Steamtown, U.S.A
State Bird:
Ruffed Grouse
State Flower: Mountain Laurel
State Tree: Hemlock
State Animal: Whitetail Deer
State Fish: Brook Trout
State Dog: Great Dane
State Beverage: Milk
State Motto: Virtue, Liberty and
Independence
State Insect:
Firefly
State Beautification Plant: Crownvetch
State Electric Locomotive: GGI 4859 Electric
Locomotive
State Steam Locomotive: K4s Steam Locomotive
State Ship: United States Brig Niagara
State Fossil: Phacops Rana
State Song: Pennsylvania
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