Philadelphia, Pa Facts

Pennsylvania was acquired by England in 1681 and was granted to William Penn, a Quaker, by King Charles II.

Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution drawn up in 1787. Two Revolutionary War sites of battle of the Civil War are in Pennsylvania: Valley Forge and Gettysburg. The Liberty Bell is located in a glass pavilion across from Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

• The state still leads the country in the production of specialty steel.

• Pennsylvania is a leader in the production of chemicals, food, and electrical machinery and produces 10% of the nation's cement.

• Also important are brick and tiles, glass, limestone, and slate.

• Data processing is also increasingly important.

• Pennsylvania has the largest rural population in the nation.

• Pennsylvania's 9 million agricultural acres produce a wide variety of crops, and its 55,535 farms are the backbone of the state's economy.

• Leading products are milk, poultry, eggs, a variety of fruits, sweet corn, potatoes, mushrooms, cheese, beans, hay, maple syrup, and even Christmas trees.

• The state's farmers sell more than $3.3 billion in crops and livestock annually, and agribusiness and food-related industries account for another $35 billion in economic activity annually.

• Among the chief attractions are the Gettysburg National Military Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Dutch region, the Eisenhower farm near Gettysburg, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Governor: Tom Ridge, R (to Jan. 2003)

Lieut. Governor: Mark Schweiker, R (to Jan. 2003)

Senators: Rick Santorum, R (to Jan. 2001); Arlen Specter, R (to Jan. 2005)

Acting Secy. of the Commonwealth: Kim Pizzingrilli, R (at the pleasure of the governor)

Auditor General: Robert P. Casey, Jr., D (to Jan. 2001)

Atty. General: Michael Fisher, R (to Jan. 2001)

Entered Union (rank): Dec. 12, 1787 (2)

Present constitution adopted: 1968

Motto: Virtue, liberty, and independence

State symbols: flower, mountain laurel (1933); tree, hemlock (1931); bird, ruffed grouse (1931); dog, Great Dane (1965); colors, blue and gold (1907); song, “Pennsylvania” (1990)

Nickname: Keystone State

Origin of name: In honor of Adm. Sir William Penn, father of William Penn. It means “Penn's Woodland.”

10 largest cities (1998 est.): Philadelphia, 1,436,287; Pittsburgh, 340,520; Erie, 102,640; Allentown, 100,757; Reading, 74,762; Scranton, 74,683; Bethlehem, 69,383; Lancaster, 52,951; Harrisburg, 49,502; Altoona, 49,226

Land area: 44,820 sq mi. (116,083 sq km)

Geographic center: In Centre Co., 21/2 mi. SW of Bellefonte

Number of counties: 67

Largest county (1998 pop. est.): Philadelphia, 1,436,287

State forests: over 2 mil. ac.

State parks: 116

1998 resident population est.: 12,001,451

Famous natives and residents:

• Louisa May Alcott novelist;

• Marian Anderson contralto;

• Maxwell Anderson dramatist;

• Samuel Barber composer;

• John Barrymore actor;

• Donald Barthelme author;

• Stephen Vincent Benet poet and story writer;

• Daniel Boone frontiersman;

• Ed Bradley TV nchorman;

• James Buchanan former president;

• Alexander Calder sculptor;

• Rachel Carson biologist and author;

• Mary Cassatt painter;

• Henry Steele Commager historian;

• Bill Cosby actor;

• Stuart Davis painter;

• Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey band leaders;

• W. C. Fields comedian;

• Stephen Foster composer;

• Robert Fulton inventor;

• Grace Princess of Monaco;

• Martha Graham choreographer;

• Alexander Haig former secretary of state;

• Marilyn Horne mezzo-soprano;

• Lee Iacocca auto executive;

• Reggie Jackson baseball player;

• Gene Kelly dancer and actor;

• Gelsey Kirkland ballerina;

• S. S. Kresge merchant;

• Mario Lanza actor and singer;

• George C. Marshall five-star general;

• George McClellan former general;

• Margaret Mead anthropologist;

• Andrew Mellon financier;

• Tom Mix actor;

• Arnold Palmer golfer;

• Robert E. Peary explorer;

• Man Ray painter;

• Mary Roberts Rinehart novelist;

• Betsy Ross flagmaker;

• B. F. Skinner psychologist;

• John Sloan painter;

• Gertrude Stein author;

• James Stewart actor;

• John Updike novelist;

• Honus Wagner baseball player;

• Fred Waring band leader;

• Ethel Waters singer and actress;

• Anthony Wayne military officer;

• August Wilson poet, writer, and playwright;

• Wallis Warfield Duchess of Windsor;

• Andrew Wyeth painter.

Famous First

• Botanic garden: Established by John Bartram in Philadelphia, 1728, and is still in existence in its original location.

• Library, circulating: Philadelphia, 1731.

• Hospital: Feb. 11, 1752

• Bank established: Bank of North America, Philadelphia, 1781.

• Newspaper published daily: Pennsylvania Packet and General Advertiser, Philadelphia, Sept. 1784.

• Zoological garden: July 1, 1874

• Oil well, commercial: Titusville, Pa., 1859.

• Radio station licensed: KDKA, Pittsburgh, Pa., Oct. 27, 1920.

• Computer: 1946

---

Email Me