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=='''Penns Valley'''== |
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Penns Valley is an [[eroded]] [[anticlinal]] [[valley]] of the [[Pennsylvania]] [[ridge and valley]] [[Physiographic regions of the world|geologic region]] of the [[Appalachian Mountain]] range. Located in southern [[Centre County]] Penns Valley, and [[Nittany Valley]] to the north and east, is part of the larger Nittany Anticlinorium.<ref>{{cite web|last=Engelder|first=Terry|title=GEOLOGY FIELD TRIPS IN THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GEOLOGY OF THE NITTANY VALLEY|url=http://www3.geosc.psu.edu/~jte2/references/link108.pdf|publisher=Pennsylvania State University|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> It is bordered by [[Nittany Mountain]] to the north, the Seven Mountains range to the south, and connects to the larger Nittany Valley to the west. There are two smaller sub-valleys typically associated with the greater valley; Georges Valley in the south, separated by Egg Hill, and Brush Valley in the north, separated by Brush Mountain. |
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==History== |
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The Appalachian Mountain chain was formed staring around 420 million years ago with the collision of the [[North American craton]] and the [[Iapetus Ocean]] and culminating with the collision of the modern-day easetern seaboard of the then [[Euramerica|Euramerican]] continent with [[Africa]], then [[Gondwana]], about 290 million years ago forming the supercontinent [[Pangea]]. Since the collision event the mountains have been eroding from the break-up of [[Pangea]] and through sedimentation formed the coastal plains to the east and limestone plateaus to the west. The footprints of the mountains formed the ridge and valley geological region in which Penns Valley was formed through glacial and other activity.<ref name=nps>{{NPS|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20050422074237/http://www.nps.gov/mana/pphtml/subenvironmentalfactors13.html|article=Geology of Manassas National Battlefield Park}}</ref> |
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More recently the area now known as Penns Valley was discovered by [[General James Potter]] in 1764 who trekked through the region and observed the prairies and woodlands of the area and settled at Old Fort, near [[Centre Hall]], in 1774. Upon observing the valley from above he exclaimed, "... I have discovered an empire." Penns Valley also hosts the oldest town of Centre County, [[Aaronsburg]], which was planned out in 1786. At the close of the 18th century Penns Valley was already set aside for farmland, however, the surrounding county rapidly boomed as [[iron ore]] was discovered and the first road built by [[Philadelphia]] land speculator Reuben Haines brought the rest of Pennsylvania into the heart of Penns Valley terminating at the location of Spring Mills. |
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In the following two hundred years the iron industry would wain, but the agricultural heritage within Penns Valley would continue, and with the growth of a small [[land grant university]] just to the east in [[State College]], [[Penn State]], would give the region a new academic wave of prosperity for the 21st century. <ref>{{cite web|title=- A Brief History of Centre County -|url=http://centrecountyhistory.org/history/overview.html|publisher=Centre County Historical Society|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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==Geography== |
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===Water=== |
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The Penns Valley region is part of the Chesapeake watershed. The main waterway in the area is '''[[Penns Creek]]''' whose headwaters are located south of Centre Hall in Penns Cave. It travels downstream linking with '''Sinking Creek''' in Spring Mills and flows to the town of Coburn. There it joins '''Elk Creek''' whose headwaters are in eastern Brush valley. From Coburn it flows through the Seven Mountains and into Union County. |
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There are also two lakes within Penns Valley; Poe Lake and Colyer Lake. '''Colyer Lake''' is located on the western boundary of Penns Valley and has a surface area of 77 acres. Boating and Fishing is permitted and as part of the Cooperative Fish Habitat Improvement Program through the Pennsylvaina Fish and Boat Commission the lake has been host to fish habitat structures to support fish populations. As of March 2013 Colyer Lake has been slated for indefinite draining until deficiencies in the dam can be resolved.<ref>{{cite web|title=Colyer Lake|url=http://fishandboat.com/water/lakes/colyer/00colyer.htm|publisher=PA Fish & Boat Commission|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> '''Poe Lake''' is a 25 acre lake at the southern boundary of Penns Valley. The Lake is located in Poe Valley State Park which, in turn, is surrounded by 198,000 acre Bald Eagle State Forest.<ref>{{cite web|title=Poe Valley State Park|url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/poevalley/|publisher=PA DCNR|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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===Mountains=== |
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'''[[Nittany Mountain]]''' is part of a [[synclinal]] depression of the anticlinal Nittany Arch, which originally formed a huge mountain, that has since eroded, during the [[Appalachian orogeny]]. Topped by erosion resistant sandstone the mountain forms a barrier between Penns Valley, and Brush Valley, to the south and Nittany Valley to the north. <ref>{{cite web|last=Engelder|first=Terry|title=GEOLOGY FIELD TRIPS IN THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GEOLOGY OF THE NITTANY VALLEY|url=http://www3.geosc.psu.edu/~jte2/references/link108.pdf|publisher=Pennsylvania State University|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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The southern mountainous border of Penns Valley is created by '''[[Tussey Mountain]]''' which is one of the [[stratigraphic ridge|stratigraphic ridges]] of central Pennsylvania. Tussey Mountain is one of the longest running mountains of the Ridge and Valley complex starting in Flintstone, Maryland and running 80 miles into the Seven Mountains of central Pennsylvania. |
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'''Egg Hill''' is a mountain separating greater Penns Valley with the subordinate Georges Valley. Rising to 1,955ft Egg Hill is located on the western border of Spring Mills and in the center of greater Penns Valley along PA 45.<ref>{{cite web|title=Egg Hill Summit - Pennsylvania Mountain Peak Information|url=http://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/detail.asp?fid=2335856|publisher=Mountain Zone|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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As Egg Hill separates Georges Valley from Penns Valley so too does '''Brush Mountain''' from Brush Valley. Brush Mountain raises to an elevation of 1,936ft<ref>{{cite web|title=Brush Mountain Summit - Pennsylvania Mountain Peak Information|url=http://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/detail.asp?fid=2336656|publisher=Mountain Zone|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> and has one large pass, the Millheim Narrows, cut by Elk Creek. This pass allows travel from Rebersburg to Millheim and greater Penns Valley.<ref>{{cite web|title=Millheim Historic District|url=http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Centre_County/Millheim_Borough/Millheim_Historic_District.html|publisher=Living Places|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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==Municipalities== |
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Under Pennsylvania law, there are five types of incorporated municipalities: cities, home rule municipalities, boroughs, townships, and towns. The following municipalities, boroughs and townships are located in Penns Valley: |
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===Boroughs=== |
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*[[Centre Hall]] |
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*[[Millheim]] |
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===Townships=== |
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*[[Gregg Township, Pennsylvania|Gregg Township]] |
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*[[Haines Township, Pennsylvania|Haines Township]] |
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*[[Miles Township, Pennsylvania|Miles Township]] |
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*[[Penn Township, Pennsylvania|Penn Township]] |
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*[[Potter Township, Pennsylvania|Potter Township]] |
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===Census Designated Places=== |
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[[Census-designated places]] are geographical areas designated by the [[U.S. Census Bureau]] for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well. |
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*[[Aaronsburg]] |
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*[[Coburn]] |
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*[[Madisonburg, Pennsylvania|Madisonburg]] |
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*[[Rebersburg, Pennsylvania|Rebersburg]] |
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*[[Spring Mills, Pennsylvania|Spring Mills]] |
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*[[Woodward]] |
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====Unincorperated Villages==== |
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*[[Ingleby, Pennsylvania|Ingleby]] |
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*Farmers Mills |
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*Penn Hall |
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*[[Potter's Mills, Pennsylvania|Potters Mills]] |
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*[[Tusseyville, Pennsylvania|Tusseyville]] |
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==Demographics== |
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[[Image:Penns_Valley_Demographics_Map_2010.png|thumb|right|2010 Demogrphics]] |
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As of the 2010 Census the Penns Valley area had 12,819 people living in the area. The most populous municipality is Potter Township with 3,517 people followed by 2,405 people living in Gregg Township, 1,983 people living in Miles Township, 1,564 people living in Haines Township, and 1,181 people living in Penn Township. While there were 1,265 people living in Centre Hall borough and 904 people in Millheim borough. |
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==Education== |
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==Public Education== |
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{{Main|Penns Valley Area School District}} |
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The '''Penns Valley Area School District''' is a small, rural, public school district serving the eastern portions of Centre County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses an area of 254.4 square miles (659 km2). Primary education is conducted in three K-4 elementary schools; Centre Hall-Potter Township Elementary, Penns Valley Area Elementary, Rebersburg-Miles Township Elementary, and one district-wide combined 5th-6th grade Penns Valley Area Intermediate school operating concurrently with Penns Valley Area Elementary. The district's secondary educational needs are fulfilled by Penns Valley Junior-Senior Highschool which combines 7th through 12th grades. The district provides vocational education through the Central Pennsylvaina Institute of Science and Technology in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania. |
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==Private Education== |
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The Penns Valley Region is host to 12 private schools, the most in the county. Many of these schools are operated for the use of the large [[Amish]] community within Penns Valley. |
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*Bower Hollow Parochial School - Woodward |
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*Elk Creek School - Rebersburg |
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*Hill Side School - Rebersburg |
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*Kramer Gap School - Spring Mills |
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*Mountain View School - Rebersburg |
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*Peach Lane Amish School - Madisonburg |
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*Penns Valley Amish Paroch School - Woodward |
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*Rockville School - Rebersburg |
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*Spring Bank School - Rebersburg |
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*Sunset View School - Rebersburg |
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*Windy Poplars School - Centre Hall |
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*Woodside Amish School - Spring Mills |
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==Libraries== |
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The '''Centre County Libraries''' network has two libraries in Centre Hall and Aaronsburg, the latter being styled as East Penns Valley. |
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==Recreation== |
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Penns Valley is home to two [[state parks]] and large tracts of [[state forest]]. The state parks, [[Poe Valley State Park]] and [[Poe Paddy State Park]] are located just minutes from each other. Both parks have extensive hiking trails which link up to the trails of the massive surrounding '''[[Bald Eagle State Forest]]'''. |
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'''Poe Valley State Park''' is host to Poe Lake which has overnight camping facilities for summer visitors and guided walks, evening [[amphitheater]] programs and other special activities are available during the summer months. In the winter roads may by unaccessible but use of registered [[snowmobiles]] is allowed. <ref>{{cite web|title=Poe Valley State Park|url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/poevalley/|publisher=PA DCNR|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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'''Poe Paddy State Park''' is just west and provides access to fishing through Penns Creek. There are also limited camping facilities but they can be supplemented through the use of Poe Valley's amenities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Poe Paddy State Park|url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/poepaddy/index.htm|publisher=PA DCNR|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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==Transportation== |
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Penns Valley has three main state routes that connect the valley both within itself and to the surrounding region. '''[[PA 144]]''' is a north-south route that begins as a branch from [[US 322]] in Potter's Mills running through Centre Hall and crossing Nittany Mountain into Pleasant Gap and the Bellefonte area. '''[[PA 192]]''' runs east west through upper Penns Valley in the subordinate Brush Valley. This route acts as one of two connections from Union County into Centre County and State College. The second of these two routes is '''[[PA 45]]''' which runs through the heart of Penns Valley connecting all the townships and boroughs, except Miles Township served by PA 192. |
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The only US route in the area is '''US 322''' which takes a unique form in Penns Valley as the smaller two-lane General Potter Highway linking the four-lane sections crossing the seven mountains and intersecting State College and Boalsburg. As of June 2013 plans have been proposed to increase this smaller section of US 322 through a [[Pennsylvania State Senate]] bill for Infrastructure improvement.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dawson|first=Mike|title=Officials leverage support for transportation spending with Route 322 widening Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2013/06/07/3644235/officials-leverage-support-for.html#storylink=cpy|url=http://www.centredaily.com/2013/06/07/3644235/officials-leverage-support-for.html|publisher=Centre Daily Times|accessdate=18 June 2013}}</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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