Lewistown, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Lewistown is a borough
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
in and the county seat
of Mifflin County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It lies along the Juniata River
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
One June 19, Agnes
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
, South Carolina
and North Carolina
before she moved back over the Atlantic
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
and North Branch Susquehanna River
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
. Due to the growth of Penn State
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
File:ltownsquare1.jpg|Mifflin County Courthouse and Monument Square
File:embassytheater1.jpg|Embassy Movie Theater
File:lewistown hotel1.jpg|Lewistown Hotel
File:oldarchbridge1.jpg|Old Arch Bridge
city of Baltimore, the residents are almost equally divided in supporting the Pennsylvania professional sports teams from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. At the college level, with State College being located about 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Lewistown, a good percentage of the town support the Penn State Nittany Lions. People of Lewistown also support youth sports. The area hosts a youth soccer tournament called Clash of the Cleats
. The tournament attracts youth soccer clubs throughout Pennsylvania, and now is starting to attract teams from neighboring states. The Little League
, Babe Ruth, and American Legion baseball
teams grace the front pages of the local newspaper throughout the summer. And in the fall, the youth football programs spark rivalries between the smaller communities that surround Lewistown.
and neighboring Indian Valley High School (itself a merger of Chief Logan and Kishacoquillas high schools) to form Mifflin County High School due to increasing costs, declining enrollment, and lack of revenues from the state level. This is the second time the school district chose to create a single high school for the county. The first attempt at a combined high school only lasted for three years in the 1970s before district officials broke up the school due to public pressure. Mifflin County will compete at the PIAA District 6, Class AAAA level but compete in the Mid-Penn Conference due to a lack of AAAA schools in District 6. The newly created school will bear the nickname of "Huskies" and sport purple, silver and black as its colors.
, nicknamed the Panthers
, competed in PIAA District 6, at the Class AAA level. The Panthers won PIAA Championships in Baseball in 2002 and Girls’ Basketball in 1997 and 1998. In fact, in 1997 Lewistown Area High joined a very small list of Pennsylvania schools to have both their Girls’ and Boys’ basketball teams reach the state championship game in the same season. The Lady Panther basketball was consistently ranked among the Top 10 teams in the state. Lewistown had an excellent wrestling
program, with the 2006 squad finishing 8th in the state.
In the 2007 baseball season, the Panthers finished the regular season with a 9-9 record. The Panthers went on to win 3 straight district playoff games to earn the 2007 district championship while defeating cross town rival Indian Valley in the process. The team went on to lose in the state quarterfinals to eventual AAA State Champion Punxsutawny.
game between Lewistown and its rival school Indian Valley. Played for the final time on October 22, 2010, the game was won by Indian Valley for the fifth consecutive year. The schools subsequently merged to become the Mifflin County High School Huskies.
, including NASCAR
and sprint car racing
along with wrestling are popular as well as outdoor activities such as hunting
and fishing
.
. It is also home to the only local Catholic Elementary school, Sacred Heart of Jesus http://www.sacredheartschool.com, which educates children of any religion in grades K-5.
Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technology Center http://www.mjctc.org/ located in Lewistown provides post high school degrees in nursing, auto mechanics, electrical services, and numerous other technology driven careers. , there are plans to build a high School
that would serve the area. In the 2011-2012 school year, Lewistown High School is supposed to combine with its rival school Indian Valley.
The Lewistown branch of the South Hills School of Business and Technology http://www.southhills.edu/locations/lewistown.php offers associates degrees and other certifications in various areas of business and technology.
The Lewistown Hospital offers a School of Nursing http://www.lewistownhospital.com/son/letter.stm.
The Penn State Learning Center http://ceup.psu.edu/lewistown in Lewistown offers credit and non-credit courses through Continuing Education and personal enrichment classes through Cooperative Extension. For the fall semester of 2009, the Learning Center opened a health and science lab. This lab was developed out of a partnership between Penn State, Lewistown Hospital, and the Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technical Center.
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
Lewistown is a boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mifflin County
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It lies along the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, 61 miles (98.2 km) northwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 8,466 in 2009 according to the US Census Bureau. It is the principal borough of the Lewistown Micropolitan Statistical Area. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.
Early history
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" LewisWilliam Lewis (politician)
William Lewis was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Cutshin, Kentucky, Lewis was raised on a farm and attended the common schools of Leslie and Perry Counties and the Laurel County Seminary, London, Kentucky....
, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, which was then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.
During the late 19th century Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
American Civil War
On April 16, 1861, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group originally formed in 1858, to Washington, D.C. for its defense. They were one of only five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.Tropical Storm Agnes
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy until the early 1970s when the county's industries began a slow decline. A ruinous natural event in June 1972 would cripple the local economy and Lewistown has never recovered.One June 19, Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes then proceeded through Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
before she moved back over the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, she made landfall again over southeastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. She became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from storm over the Mid-Atlantic region
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
ranged from 2-3 inches in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac
Potomac
-Places in the United States:Washington, D.C. area:*The Potomac River, which flows through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC**The Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, a region of the Potomac River's watershed in West Virginia...
and North Branch Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
s to 18 inches (457.2 mm) near Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6-10 inches of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake is a reservoir in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, it was created by the United States Army Corps of Engineers around 1913 by the damming of the Raystown Branch Juniata River which created a shallow lake in the river valley. ...
, 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Lewistown, the county experienced extensive flooding from the river and major streams which resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river. Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The "Viscose" plant was only marginally profitable before the storm and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. (Ironically, the demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward only a few years later.) Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
Present day
While Lewistown did receive the prestigious All-American City award in 1973 for its rebuilding process following the disaster, many of the blue collarBlue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
workforce left the area to head south, along with the companies which chose not to rebuild in Lewistown.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire School, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.
Today, Lewistown is still looking to rebuild, but is now overshadowed by nearby State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. Due to the growth of Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
and the construction of a new highway system, Lewistown is now struggling to avoid becoming the last rest stop for travelers coming from the east on their way to State College.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
Water source
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,998 people, 4,023 households, and 2,281 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,466.3 people per square mile (1,728.4/km²). There were 4,515 housing units at an average density of 2,241.1 per square mile (867.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.51% White, 0.96% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 4,023 households; out of which, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $21,568, and the median income for a family was $30,606. Males had a median income of $26,812 versus $19,523 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $14,733. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Ralph BakerRalph BakerRalph Robert Baker is a former professional American football player.Baker was drafted in both the 1964 AFL and NFL drafts—the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with their 3rd-round pick, while the New York Jets used their 6th-round pick to select him...
, professional American football player - Carl BargerCarl BargerCarl F. Barger was a high-powered Pittsburgh attorney and baseball executive.-Biography:...
, attorney and baseball executive - Julia KasdorfJulia Kasdorf-Life:Julia Spicher Kasdorf is the author of three poetry collections--Sleeping Preacher , Eve's Striptease , and Poetry in America --all published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Sleeping Preacher won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and the Great Lakes College’s Association Award for...
, poet - El McMeenEl McMeenElmer Ellsworth McMeen, III , born June 3, 1947 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is an acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist. His specialty is fingerstyle arrangements of sung or strongly melodic pieces, ranging from the Irish genre, to hymns, gospel tunes and pop music...
, attorney and acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarist - Carolyn MeyerCarolyn MeyerCarolyn Meyer is an author of novels for children and young adults.The typical genre for her work is historical fiction, one of her more popular projects being the Young Royals series, each novel of which tells the story of a different female royal person...
, author of novels for children and young adults - Darwin D. Bearley, author of Antique Ohio Amish Quilts, the Darwin D. Bearley Collection
Historical buildings in the Lewistown Borough
File:ltownsquare1.jpg|Mifflin County Courthouse and Monument Square
File:embassytheater1.jpg|Embassy Movie Theater
File:lewistown hotel1.jpg|Lewistown Hotel
File:oldarchbridge1.jpg|Old Arch Bridge
- McCoy House
- Montgomery Ward BuildingMontgomery Ward Building (Lewistown, Pennsylvania)The Montgomery Ward Building is a historic department store building in downtown Lewistown, Pennsylvania.-External links:*...
- Wollner Building
- Juniata River Bridge
- The Lewistown Amory
- The Coleman Hotel
Sports
Lewistown has a passion for sports. Though geographically closer to the MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
city of Baltimore, the residents are almost equally divided in supporting the Pennsylvania professional sports teams from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. At the college level, with State College being located about 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Lewistown, a good percentage of the town support the Penn State Nittany Lions. People of Lewistown also support youth sports. The area hosts a youth soccer tournament called Clash of the Cleats
Clash of the Cleats
The Clash of the Cleats is an annual summer youth soccer tournament held in Lewistown, PA. Nathan Kalin, a former star soccer player at Lewistown Area High School, started the tournament in 1999...
. The tournament attracts youth soccer clubs throughout Pennsylvania, and now is starting to attract teams from neighboring states. The Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
, Babe Ruth, and American Legion baseball
American Legion Baseball
American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...
teams grace the front pages of the local newspaper throughout the summer. And in the fall, the youth football programs spark rivalries between the smaller communities that surround Lewistown.
High school sports
Mifflin County Huskies
As of June 2011, the Mifflin County School District voted to merge its two high schools, Lewistown Area High SchoolLewistown Area High School
Lewistown Area High School, was founded in September 1976 and is one of two high schools in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. It serves residents of the Borough of Lewistown and communities to the borough's south and west. It is part of the Mifflin County School District.- History :In 1971, the...
and neighboring Indian Valley High School (itself a merger of Chief Logan and Kishacoquillas high schools) to form Mifflin County High School due to increasing costs, declining enrollment, and lack of revenues from the state level. This is the second time the school district chose to create a single high school for the county. The first attempt at a combined high school only lasted for three years in the 1970s before district officials broke up the school due to public pressure. Mifflin County will compete at the PIAA District 6, Class AAAA level but compete in the Mid-Penn Conference due to a lack of AAAA schools in District 6. The newly created school will bear the nickname of "Huskies" and sport purple, silver and black as its colors.
Lewistown Panthers
From September 1976 to June 2011, Lewistown Area High SchoolLewistown Area High School
Lewistown Area High School, was founded in September 1976 and is one of two high schools in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. It serves residents of the Borough of Lewistown and communities to the borough's south and west. It is part of the Mifflin County School District.- History :In 1971, the...
, nicknamed the Panthers
Black panther
A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars , in Asia and Africa they are black leopards , and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars A black panther is...
, competed in PIAA District 6, at the Class AAA level. The Panthers won PIAA Championships in Baseball in 2002 and Girls’ Basketball in 1997 and 1998. In fact, in 1997 Lewistown Area High joined a very small list of Pennsylvania schools to have both their Girls’ and Boys’ basketball teams reach the state championship game in the same season. The Lady Panther basketball was consistently ranked among the Top 10 teams in the state. Lewistown had an excellent wrestling
Scholastic wrestling
Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
program, with the 2006 squad finishing 8th in the state.
In the 2007 baseball season, the Panthers finished the regular season with a 9-9 record. The Panthers went on to win 3 straight district playoff games to earn the 2007 district championship while defeating cross town rival Indian Valley in the process. The team went on to lose in the state quarterfinals to eventual AAA State Champion Punxsutawny.
Old Iron Kettle
The "Old Iron Kettle" is a black Kettle trophy that was awarded to the winner of the annual footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game between Lewistown and its rival school Indian Valley. Played for the final time on October 22, 2010, the game was won by Indian Valley for the fifth consecutive year. The schools subsequently merged to become the Mifflin County High School Huskies.
Other sports
Auto racingAuto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
, including NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
and sprint car racing
Sprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
along with wrestling are popular as well as outdoor activities such as hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
Television stations
- WHVL 29 State College (MyTV)
- WHTM 27 Harrisburg (ABC)
- WPMT 43 York (FOX)
- WHP 21 Harrisburg (CBS)
- WGAL 8 Lancaster (NBC)
- WTAJ 10 Altoona (CBS)
- WLYH 15 Lancaster (CW)
Radio stations
| FM FM broadcasting FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"... stations |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call letters | Frequency | Format | Location | Owner |
| WRYV | 88.7 | Religious | Milroy | Invisible Allies |
| WTLR | 89.9 | Religious | State College | Central Pennsylvania Christian Institute |
| WJRC | 90.9 | Christian Contemporary | Lewistown | Salt and Light Media Ministries, Inc. |
| WJUN | 92.5 | Country | Mexico | Starview Media, Inc. |
| WBUS | 93.7 | Classic Rock | Boalsburg | Forever Broadcasting |
| WQKX | 94.1 | CHR | Sunbury | Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation |
| WMRF | 95.7 | Hot AC | Lewistown | First Media Radio |
| WVNW | 96.7 | Country | Burnham | WVNW, Inc. |
| WFGY | 98.1 | Country | Altoona | Forever Broadcasting |
| WMAJ | 99.5 | Classic Hits | Centre Hall | Megahertz Licenses, LLC |
| WFGE | 101.1 | Country | Tyrone | Forever Broadcasting |
| WCHX | 105.5 | Classic Rock | Burnham | Mifflin County Communications, Inc. |
| WQCK | 105.9 | Rock | State College | Magnum Broadcasting |
| WHUN | 106.3 | Oldies | Mount Union | Forever Broadcasting |
| WQJU | 107.1 | Religious | Mifflintown | Central Pennsylvania Christian Institute |
| AM AM broadcasting AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave... stations |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call letters | Frequency | Format | Location | Owner |
| WIEZ | 670 | News/Talk | Lewistown | First Media Radio |
| WKVA | 920 | Oldies | Burnham | WVNW, Inc. |
| WHUN | 1150 | News/Talk | Huntingdon | Megahertz Licenses, LLC |
| WJUN | 1220 | Sports | Mexico | Starview Media, Inc. |
Education
The Borough of Lewistown is served by the Mifflin County School DistrictMifflin County School District
The Mifflin County School District is located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The district boundaries coincide with the boundaries of Mifflin County, minus the southwestern muicipalities of Kistler and Newton Hamilton boroughs and Wayne Township, which are part of the Mount Union Area School...
. It is also home to the only local Catholic Elementary school, Sacred Heart of Jesus http://www.sacredheartschool.com, which educates children of any religion in grades K-5.
Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technology Center http://www.mjctc.org/ located in Lewistown provides post high school degrees in nursing, auto mechanics, electrical services, and numerous other technology driven careers. , there are plans to build a high School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
that would serve the area. In the 2011-2012 school year, Lewistown High School is supposed to combine with its rival school Indian Valley.
The Lewistown branch of the South Hills School of Business and Technology http://www.southhills.edu/locations/lewistown.php offers associates degrees and other certifications in various areas of business and technology.
The Lewistown Hospital offers a School of Nursing http://www.lewistownhospital.com/son/letter.stm.
The Penn State Learning Center http://ceup.psu.edu/lewistown in Lewistown offers credit and non-credit courses through Continuing Education and personal enrichment classes through Cooperative Extension. For the fall semester of 2009, the Learning Center opened a health and science lab. This lab was developed out of a partnership between Penn State, Lewistown Hospital, and the Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technical Center.
External links
- PA Department of Environmental Protection Hurricane Agnes site
- Downtown Lewistown official site
- VisitingMifflinCounty.com, local community website for the county.
- JuniataRiverValley.org, visitor bureau.