Official Pennsylvania Home Page: www.state.pa.us

Origin: Settled in 1643, with Philadelphia as the state capital during the revolutionary War. York was the first capital of the United States. Pennsylvania means “Penn’s Woods,” named after the Penn family.

Official State Nickname: Keystone State – During colonial times Pennsylvania was the middle colony of the original 13 colonies, holding the colonies together like the “keystone” in a window or door arch.

Official State Motto: Virtue, Liberty and Independence

Official PA…

• Flower: Mountain Laurel
• Tree: Hemlock
• Bird: Ruffed Grouse
• Animal: Whitetail Deer
• Fish: Brook Trout

Geographical Size: 45,888 square miles, 310 miles (east to west) 180 miles (N to S)

Highest point: Mt. Davis, Somerset County 3,213 feet

Lowest point: Delaware River

Capital: Harrisburg

Counties: 67

Population: 12,009,000

Lakes: 50 natural lakes (over 20 acres wide) and 2,500 man-made lakes

Rivers and streams: 45,000 miles

State Parks: 116, Acreage: 282,500

State Game Lands: 294, Acreage: 1,379,002

Pennsylvania Firsts: First Nation’s Capitol (York), First Hospital, First Library, First Zoo, First Newspaper, First all motion-picture theater, First television broadcast First educational public-television station, First paper mill, First druggist, First locomotive for railroad use

Farms: 55,000

Farmland: 9,000,000 acres

Agricultural product sales: $3,500,000,000

Rural Population: 3,700,000

Major Farm Products: dairy products, mushrooms, apples, tobacco, grapes, peaches, cut flowers