|
 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
|
