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Quilting, hex signs, coal mines,
honeymoons, railroads, streudel, history, mountains, covered bridges, and rivers
- what do they all have in common?
 Pennsylvania, of course!
Pennsylvania was settled
in 1643. Harrisburg,
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 requested to be buried in PA.
 The Industrial Revolution, which
affected the entire civilized world, was triggered in a small 500 mile area in
northeast PA, where 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
PA 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 up
for Westward expansion.. Pennsylvania was the home to many railroading firsts.
Explore the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and PA Railways.
 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.
Pennsylvania boasts 50 natural lakes
and 2,500 man-made lakes.
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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