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 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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