Somerset County is a
countyIn the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the
stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of
PennsylvaniaThe 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...
. As of 2010, the population was 77,742. Somerset County was created on April 17, 1795, from part of
Bedford CountyBedford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 49,762. The county seat is Bedford. It is part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and named for
SomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Its
county seatA 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....
is
Somerset-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,762 people, 3,035 households, and 1,717 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,466.0 people per square mile . There were 3,313 housing units at an average density of 1,208.2 per square mile...
. It is part of the
Johnstown, PennsylvaniaJohnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe 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 county has a total area of 1,081 square miles (2,800 km²), of which 1,075 square miles (2,783 km²) is land and 7 square miles (17 km²) (0.60%) is water.
Somerset County is one of the snowiest inhabited locations in the United States, with the highest elevations of the county averaging 200+ inches of snow each winter. The county's elevation and proximity to the ocean causes snow from both Nor'easters and
lake effectLake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the leeward shores...
upslope snow events to fall from late October through early April. Snow has been recorded in Somerset County in every month except July, although local lore has it that even July saw snow in 1816, "the year without a summer."
Mount DavisMount Davis is the highest point in Pennsylvania. Located in the 5,685 acre Forbes State Forest in Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, it rises to 3,213 ft...
, the highest natural point in the state of Pennsylvania at 3,213 feet (979 m), is located in the southern part of the County.
Major highways
.svg.png)
.svg.png)
Interstate 70Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
/Interstate 76Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
(PA Turnpike)The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
U.S. Route 40U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
U.S. Route 219U.S. Route 219 is a spur of U.S. Route 19. It runs for from West Seneca, New York at an interchange with Interstate 90, to Rich Creek, Virginia, intersecting at U.S. Route 460. U.S. 219 is found in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia...
State Route 31Pennsylvania Route 31 is a long state highway located in Western Pennsylvania, paralleling U.S. Route 30 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike for most of its length. The designation begins at PA 136 near West Newton and ends at US 30 near Bedford....
State Route 56Pennsylvania Route 56 is a major long state highway located in central Pennsylvania. Its western terminus is at the eastern approach to the C.L. Schmitt Bridge in New Kensington. Its eastern terminus is U.S. Route 30 west of Bedford.- Route description :...
State Route 160Pennsylvania Route 160 is a north–south state route located in Western Pennsylvania. Its southern terminus is at the Mason-Dixon line south of Wellersburg, and its northern terminus is at West High Street in Ebensburg....
State Route 281Pennsylvania Route 281 is an long state highway located in Fayette and Somerset counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is the West Virginia state line near Markleysburg...
State Route 601Pennsylvania Route 601 is an long state highway located in Somerset county in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 31/PA 281 in Somerset...
Adjacent counties
- Cambria County
Cambria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It comprises the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 143,679....
(north)
- Bedford County
Bedford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 49,762. The county seat is Bedford. It is part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
(east)
- Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
(southeast)
- Garrett County, Maryland
Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. Created from Allegany County, Maryland in 1872 it was the last Maryland county to be formed. It was named for John Work Garrett , railroad executive, industrialist, and financier. Garrett served as president of the Baltimore...
(southwest)
- Fayette County
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....
(west)
- Westmoreland County
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the
censusA 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 80,023 people, 31,222 households, and 22,042 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 74 people per square mile (29/km²). There were 37,163 housing units at an average density of 35 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.39%
WhiteRace 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...
, 1.59%
BlackRace 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...
or
African AmericanRace 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...
, 0.08%
Native AmericanRace 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...
, 0.21%
AsianRace 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...
, 0.01%
Pacific IslanderRace 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...
, 0.31% from
other racesRace 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 0.40% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were
HispanicRace 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...
or
LatinoRace 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...
of any race. 41.5% were of German, 10.4%
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 7.4%
ItalianThe Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 6.4%
IrishThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 6.4% Polish and 5.8%
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 31,222 households out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were
married couplesMarriage 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, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.
Geology
Somerset County is situated along the eastern border of the
Allegheny PlateauThe Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
physiographic provinceThe list of continental United States Physiographic regions identifies the 8 regions, 25 provinces, and 85 sections. The system dates to Nevin Fenneman's paper Physiographic Subdivision of the United States, published in 1917...
, which is characterized by gently
foldedThe term fold is used in geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation. Synsedimentary folds are those due to slumping of sedimentary material before it is lithified. Folds in rocks vary in...
to flat-lying
sedimentary rockSedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
s of middle to late
PaleozoicThe Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
age. The eastern border of the county is approximately at the
Allegheny FrontThe Allegheny Front is the major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia, USA. The Allegheny Front delineates the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to its east from the Appalachian Plateau to its west...
, a geological boundary between the Allegheny Plateau and the
Ridge and ValleyThe Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
Province (characterized by
foldedThe term fold is used in geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation. Synsedimentary folds are those due to slumping of sedimentary material before it is lithified. Folds in rocks vary in...
and faulted
sedimentary rockSedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
s of early to middle Paleozoic age).
The
stratigraphic recordStratigraphy, a branch of geology, studies rock layers and layering . It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks....
of sedimentary rocks within the county spans from the
DevonianThe Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
Scherr FormationThe Devonian Scherr Formation is a mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.-Description:The Scherr Formation consists predominantly of siltstone and shale. Lower part of unit includes considerable fine-grained sandstone, while upper two thirds contains almost no...
to the
PennsylvanianThe Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain...
Monongahela FormationThe Virgilian series is the most recent part of the Pennsylvanian epoch in the North American geologic classification series. In the older Appalachian classification system, this series was known as the Monongahela group...
. Most of these rocks are clastics (
conglomerateA conglomerate is a rock consisting of individual clasts within a finer-grained matrix that have become cemented together. Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks consisting of rounded fragments and are thus differentiated from breccias, which consist of angular clasts...
,
sandstoneSandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
,
shaleShale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
), and there is little or no
limestoneLimestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
exposed at the surface. No
igneousIgneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
or
metamorphicMetamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
rocks of any kind exist within the county.
StructurallyStructural geology is the study of the three-dimensional distribution of rock units with respect to their deformational histories. The primary goal of structural geology is to use measurements of present-day rock geometries to uncover information about the history of deformation in the rocks, and...
, Somerset County has many gentle
foldsThe term fold is used in geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation. Synsedimentary folds are those due to slumping of sedimentary material before it is lithified. Folds in rocks vary in...
, the axes of which trend roughly north-northeast.
SynclineIn structural geology, a syncline is a fold, with younger layers closer to the center of the structure. A synclinorium is a large syncline with superimposed smaller folds. Synclines are typically a downward fold, termed a synformal syncline In structural geology, a syncline is a fold, with younger...
s include the Youghiogheny Syncline, New Lexington/Johnstown Syncline, Somerset Syncline, Berlin Syncline, and Wellersburg Syncline (called the George's Creek Syncline in Maryland). The southern end of Wilmore Syncline is at the town of Windber.
AnticlineIn structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core. The term is not to be confused with antiform, which is a purely descriptive term for any fold that is convex up. Therefore if age relationships In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is...
s include the Laurel Hill Anticline, Centerville Dome, Boswell Dome, Negro Mountain Anticline, and an unnamed anticline between the Berlin and Wellersburg Synclines.
The primary mountains within the county are (from west to east)
Laurel HillLaurel Hill, also known as Laurel Ridge or Laurel Mountain, is a long mountain in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains. This ridge is flanked by Negro Mountain to its east and Chestnut Ridge to its west. The mountain is home to six State Parks; Laurel Ridge State Park, Laurel Mountain State Park,...
(which forms part of the western border),
Negro MountainNegro Mountain is a long ridge of the Allegheny Mountains extending from Deep Creek Lake in Maryland, north to the Casselman River in Pennsylvania, USA. The summit, Mount Davis, is the highest point in Pennsylvania...
, Meadow Mountain,
Savage MountainThe two Big Savage Mountain summits are part of Savage Mountain.The two Big Savage Mountain summits are part of Savage Mountain....
, and
Allegheny MountainAllegheny Mountain is a stratigraphic ridge that extends northeast to southwest from south of Blue Knob to a saddle point at the Savage Mountain anticline...
. Negro Mountain also includes
Mount DavisMount Davis is the highest point in Pennsylvania. Located in the 5,685 acre Forbes State Forest in Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, it rises to 3,213 ft...
, the highest peak in Pennsylvania. Each mountain trends northeast.
All of Somerset County lies far to the south of the
glacial boundaryA glacial boundary is a line on a map representing the farthest advance of a glacier that has retreated. It generally refers to the extent of continental, rather than alpine, glaciers....
, and thus it was never glaciated. However, during the
PleistoceneThe Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epoch (the Ice Age),
periglacialPeriglacial is an adjective originally referring to places in the edges of glacial areas, but it has later been widely used in geomorphology to describe any place where geomorphic processes related to freezing of water occur...
processes dominated. Most of the county was most likely a
tundraIn physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
during the Pleistocene.
Patterned groundPatterned ground is a term used to describe the distinct, and often symmetrical geometric shapes formed by ground material in periglacial regions...
typical of tundra is still visible at
Mount DavisMount Davis is the highest point in Pennsylvania. Located in the 5,685 acre Forbes State Forest in Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, it rises to 3,213 ft...
, although it is somewhat obscured by vegetation.
The main drainages in southwestern Somerset county are the
Casselman RiverThe Casselman River is a tributary of the Youghiogheny River in western Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United States.The Casselman River rises atop the plateau of western Maryland and then follows a great arc across the Laurel Highlands of Somerset County, Pennsylvania to the appropriately named...
and
Laurel Hill CreekLaurel Hill Creek is a tributary of the Casselman River in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is part of the Youghiogheny River watershed, flowing to the Monongahela River, the Ohio River, and ultimately the Mississippi River....
which flow into the
Youghiogheny RiverThe Youghiogheny River , or the Yough for short, is a tributary of the Monongahela River in the U.S. states of West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
along the southwest border. In the northwest, Stonycreek River,
Shade CreekShade Creek is a tributary of Stony Creek in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Shade Creek, formed by the confluence of Dark Shade and Clear Shade creeks approximately 1.9 miles downstream of the community of Cairnbrook, flows for 9.5 miles to join Stony Creek at the...
, and Quemahoning Creek (which flows into the
Quemahoning ReservoirThe Quemahoning Reservoir, more accurately known as Beautiful Lake Quemahoning , is created by the Quemahoning Dam, located on Quemahoning Creek on the border of Quemahoning Township, Pennsylvania and Conemaugh Township, Pennsylvania in Somerset County just south of Hollsopple...
) are tributaries of the
Conemaugh RiverThe Conemaugh River is a long tributary of the Kiskiminetas River in Westmoreland, Indiana, and Cambria counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.- Course :...
. All these drainages are part of the
Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
Watershed. In the southeast,
Wills CreekWills Creek is the name of several streams in the United States:*Wills Creek , in Pennsylvania and Maryland*Wills Creek , a tributary of the Muskingum River...
flows east into Bedford County and then into Maryland where it joins the
Potomac RiverThe Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
. Also, the headwaters of the
Raystown Branch of the Juniata RiverThe Raystown Branch Juniata River is the largest and longest tributary of the Juniata River in south-central Pennsylvania in the United States....
are to the east of the town of Somerset. Both the Potomac and Juniata rivers are part of the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
Watershed.
CoalCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
fields exist within Somerset County. The coal is entirely bituminous, and much of it has been mined or is being mined by
Strip miningSurface mining , is a type of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed...
. Most of the coal is within the Main Bituminous Field, which stretched north and west to adjacent counties and southward into Maryland and West Virginia. The rest is within the Georges Creek Field.
There are many abandoned mines in the county, and
acid mine drainageAcid mine drainage , or acid rock drainage , refers to the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines. However, other areas where the earth has been disturbed may also contribute acid rock drainage to the environment...
is an environmental problem in many areas. Fishless streams exist as a result of the discharge from the abandoned mines. These include parts of the
Casselman RiverThe Casselman River is a tributary of the Youghiogheny River in western Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United States.The Casselman River rises atop the plateau of western Maryland and then follows a great arc across the Laurel Highlands of Somerset County, Pennsylvania to the appropriately named...
,
Shade CreekShade Creek is a tributary of Stony Creek in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Shade Creek, formed by the confluence of Dark Shade and Clear Shade creeks approximately 1.9 miles downstream of the community of Cairnbrook, flows for 9.5 miles to join Stony Creek at the...
, Stonycreek River, and Quemahoning Creek, as well as many of their tributaries.
There are many small, deep
natural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
fields in the northwestern part of the county.
Recent history
Somerset County gained worldwide attention in 2001 when a hijacked airliner,
United Airlines Flight 93United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the...
, crashed in
Stonycreek TownshipStonycreek Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,221 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
near the town of
ShanksvilleShanksville is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 245, as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area and is approximately 60 miles southeast from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
in the September 11 Terrorist Attacks. The plane was probably on its way to The Capitol or The White House, but this can not be proved. (See
USS SomersetUSS Somerset , a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, is the fifth ship of the United States Navy of that name; in this case in honor of Somerset County, Pennsylvania....
, a U.S. Navy warship which is to be named in commemoration of the Flight 93 tragedy).
In July 2002, Somerset County again made worldwide news when nine
coalCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
miners were rescued from several hundred feet underground from the Quecreek mine after an intense multi-day struggle.
In April 2004, the
PentagonThe United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
credited
Joseph DarbySergeant Joseph M. Darby , of Corriganville, Maryland, is best known as the whistleblower in the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal. Darby is a graduate of North Star High School, near his hometown at the time, Jenners, Pennsylvania....
of
JennersJenners is an unincorporated community in Jenner Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. Other nearby unincorporated communities within Jenner Township include Jenner Crossroad, Ferrellton, Acosta, Gray and...
, Somerset County, as the lone soldier who came forward to halt and expose the
Abu GhraibThe city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
prisoner-of-war abuse scandal in
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
,
IraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
Somerset County in arts and literature
The Mountain Playhouse in
Jennerstown, PennsylvaniaJennerstown is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 714 at the 2000 census. The borough is the home of Jennerstown Speedway. The town was named for Edward Jenner.Jennerstown is located...
, was one of the nation's first "summer-stock" theaters. The Mountain Playhouse has maintained a full schedule of live theater productions nightly from May through October each year for the last sixty years.
Transportation
- U.S. Route 30 (Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
)
- Route 31
Pennsylvania Route 31 is a long state highway located in Western Pennsylvania, paralleling U.S. Route 30 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike for most of its length. The designation begins at PA 136 near West Newton and ends at US 30 near Bedford....
Pennsylvania TurnpikeThe Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
- Pennsylvania Route 160
Pennsylvania Route 160 is a north–south state route located in Western Pennsylvania. Its southern terminus is at the Mason-Dixon line south of Wellersburg, and its northern terminus is at West High Street in Ebensburg....
- U.S. Route 219 (the southern portion as the Mason-Dixon Highway)
- Pennsylvania Route 281
Pennsylvania Route 281 is an long state highway located in Fayette and Somerset counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is the West Virginia state line near Markleysburg...
Pennsylvania Route 403Pennsylvania Route 403 is a north–south state route in Somerset, Cambria and Indiana counties of Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 30 in the hamlet of Kantner in Quemahoning Township. The northern terminus is at U.S...
- Pennsylvania Route 601
Pennsylvania Route 601 is an long state highway located in Somerset county in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 31/PA 281 in Somerset...
Pennsylvania Route 653Pennsylvania Route 653 is an long state highway located in Fayette and Somerset counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 381 in Springfield Township. The eastern terminus is at US 219 in Garrett.-Fayette County:...
Pennsylvania Route 985Pennsylvania Route 985 is a north–south road located in Somerset and Cambria Counties in Pennsylvania. The road is long in southwestern Pennsylvania. The highway begins at PA 601 in Lincoln Township and ends at PA 403 in Johnstown...
Former route
Route 131Pennsylvania Route 131 was an long state highway located in Bedford county in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus was at PA 31 in New Buena Vista. The northern terminus was at US 30 near Schellsburg. It was not replaced by any route....
(1928–1946) now Buena Road
Government and politics
As of November 2010, there are 53,527 registered voters in Somerset County
http://www.dos.state.pa.us/elections/lib/elections/055_voter_registration_statistics/currentstats/currentvotestats.xls.
- Republican
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
: 25,248 (49.61%)
- Democratic
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
: 21,574 (42.39%)
- Other Parties: 4,065 (7.99%)
County commisioners
- Pamela Tokar-Ickes, Democrat, Chair
- John Vatavuk, Democrat, Vice-chair
- James Marker, Republican, Secretary
Other county offices
- Clerk of Courts, Rose Svonavec, Republican
- District Attorney, Lisa Lazzari-Strasis, Democrat
- Prothonotary, Angie Svonovec
- Recorder of Deeds, Lorraine K. Barron, Republican
- Register of Wills, Sharon Ackerman, Republican
- Sheriff, John Mankey, Democrat
- Treasurer, Donna Schmitt
- Auditors - Jerry Lyons(R), Annette Isgan(R), John Steele(D)
State Representatives
- Carl Walker Metzgar
Carl Walker Metzgar was first elected to serve the Pennsylvania 69th Legislative District in November 2008.-Career:In addition to serving as a state representative in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Metzgar is an attorney in Somerset and Bedford counties...
, Republican, 69th district
- Frank Burns
Frank Burns is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.-External links:* official PA House website* official Party website...
, Democrat, 72nd district
State Senator
- Rich Kasunic
Richard A. "Rich" Kasunic is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 32nd District since 1994. He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1982 through 1994.-External links:...
, Democrat, 32nd district
- John N. Wozniak, Democrat, 35th district
US Representative
- Bill Shuster
William Shuster is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a son of former Congressman Bud Shuster.-Early life, education and career:...
, Republican, 9th district
- Mark Critz
Mark S. Critz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since the special election in 2010. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, Democrat, 12th district
Municipalities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:
cities,
boroughs,
townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Somerset County:
Boroughs
- Addison
Addison is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 214 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Benson
Benson is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The town is more commonly known to locals as Hollsopple, which is also the United States Postal Service name for the town, zip code 15935. The population was 194 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania...
- Berlin
Berlin, a borough located approximately 75 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States, was laid out in 1784 and incorporated on February 7, 1833. The population was 2,192 at the 2000 census...
- Boswell
Boswell is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,364 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Callimont
Callimont is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Casselman
Casselman is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 99 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Casselman is located at ....
- Central City
Central City is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,258 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Confluence
Confluence is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 834 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Confluence is located at ....
- Garrett
Garrett is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 449 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Garrett is located at ....
|
Hooversville Hooversville is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 779 at the 2000 census.-History:...
Indian LakeIndian Lake is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 394 at the 2010 census, down from 450 in 2000...
JennerstownJennerstown is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 714 at the 2000 census. The borough is the home of Jennerstown Speedway. The town was named for Edward Jenner.Jennerstown is located...
MeyersdaleMeyersdale is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on the Casselman River, southeast of Pittsburgh. In the past, its chief industry was the mining of coal. Meyersdale was first settled as early as 1776, but the growth of the town dates from the advent of the first railroad in 1871. Coal...
New BaltimoreNew Baltimore is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 168 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:New Baltimore is located at ....
New CentervilleNew Centerville is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 193 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
PaintPaint is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,103 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Paint is located at ....
RockwoodRockwood is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 954 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Rockwood is located at ....
|
Salisbury Salisbury is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 878 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Seven SpringsSeven Springs is a borough in Somerset and Fayette Counties, Pennsylvania. The Somerset County portion of the borough is part of the Johnstown Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Fayette County portion is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 127 at the 2000...
(partial)
ShanksvilleShanksville is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 245, as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area and is approximately 60 miles southeast from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
Somerset-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,762 people, 3,035 households, and 1,717 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,466.0 people per square mile . There were 3,313 housing units at an average density of 1,208.2 per square mile...
StoystownStoystown is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 428 at the 2000 census...
UrsinaUrsina is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 254 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ursina is located at ....
WellersburgWellersburg is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
WindberWindber is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, eight miles south of Johnstown. It was at one time a place of industrial activities which included coal mining, lumbering, and the manufacture of fire brick. In 1897, the community was founded by coal barons Charles and Edward Julius Berwind...
|
Townships
- Addison Township
- Allegheny Township
Allegheny Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 654 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania United States metropolitan area.-Geography:...
- Black Township
- Brothersvalley Township
- Conemaugh Township
Conemaugh Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,452 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Elk Lick Township
- Fairhope Township
- Greenville Township
|
Jefferson Township Jefferson Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,375 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Jenner Township
Larimer Township
Lincoln TownshipLincoln Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,669 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Lower Turkeyfoot Township
Middlecreek TownshipMiddlecreek Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 797 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Milford TownshipMilford Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,561 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Northampton TownshipNorthampton Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 366 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
|
Ogle Township
Paint Township Paint Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,300 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Quemahoning Township
Shade Township
Somerset TownshipSomerset Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 12,122 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area and encompasses the census-designated place of Friedens, Pennsylvania.-Geography:According to the...
Southampton TownshipSouthampton Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 655 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Stonycreek TownshipStonycreek Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,221 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Summit TownshipSummit Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The population was 2,368 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Upper Turkeyfoot Township |
Census-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s are geographical areas designated by the
U.S. Census BureauThe 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...
for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other
unincorporatedIn law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
Census-designated places
- Davidsville
Davidsville is a census-designated place in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,119 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- Friedens
Friedens is a census-designated place that is part of Somerset Township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,523 at the 2010 census...
- Jerome
Jerome is a census-designated place in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,068 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Other unincorporated communities
- Jenners
Jenners is an unincorporated community in Jenner Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. Other nearby unincorporated communities within Jenner Township include Jenner Crossroad, Ferrellton, Acosta, Gray and...
- Springs
Springs is an unincorporated community in Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. Springs is known for its Spring Folk Festival, which occurs annually in October, its museum and its farmers' market. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical...
Public school districts
- Berlin Brothersvalley School District
The Berlin Brothersvalley School District covers New Baltimore and Allegheny Township, Fairhope Township and Northampton Township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The school district consists of three schools all connected by an underground tunnel. The district encompasses 165.5 square miles....
- Conemaugh Township Area School District
The Conemaugh Township Area School District covers the Borough of Benson and Conemaugh Township and the western portion of Paint Township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses approximately 53 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population...
- Meyersdale Area School District
The Meyersdale Area School District is a public school district located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. It serves the boroughs of Meyersdale, Garrett, Larimer, Callimont, and Wellersburg, plus the townships of Summit, Larimer, Greenville, and Southampton. It features one elementary, one middle,...
- North Star School District
The North Star School District in Boswell, Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States was formed in 1969 with the merger of predecssors Jenner-Boswell and Forbes school districts. The district includes the boroughs of Boswell, Stoystown, Jennerstown, and Hooversville and the townships...
- Rockwood Area School District
The Rockwood Area School District is a public school district located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. It serves the boroughs of Rockwood, New Centerville, Casselman, and Seven Springs, plus the townships of Milford Township, Black Township, Upper Turkeyfoot Township, and Middlecreek Township in...
- Salisbury-Elk Lick School District
The Salisbury - Elk Lick School District is a public school district serves Salisbury Borough and Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania and is located only two miles from the Mason-Dixion Line. The district encompasses approximately 60 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data,...
- Shade-Central City School District
The Shade-Central School District is a public school district located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. It is eponymous, serving the borough of Central City and the Township of Shade.-School Complex:...
- Shanksville-Stonycreek School District
The Shanksville-Stonycreek School District is a public school district located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. In additional to serving the borough of Shanksville and the Township of Stonycreek, it serves the borough of Indian Lake. The district encompasses approximately 65 square miles....
- Somerset Area School District
The Somerset Area School District is a public school district in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The district Boundaries are within Somerset Boro and the Townships of Jefferson, Lincoln and Somerset. The district encompasses and occupies five buildings...
- Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District
The Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District is a small, rural school district located in the Southwestern portion of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The school district serves the municipalities of Addison, Addison Township, Confluence, Lower Turkeyfoot Township and Ursina. It encompasses...
- Windber Area School District
The Windber Area School District is a public school district in Somerset County, Pennsylvania and Cambria County, Pennsylvania. It is centered in the borough of Windber, and also serves Paint Boro, Paint Township, and Ogle Township in Somerset County, plus Scalp Level Boro in Cambria County...
Recreation
There are 4
Pennsylvania state parks in Somerset County.
- Kooser State Park
Kooser State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jefferson Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The park, which borders Forbes State Forest, was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, who also built the Kooser Lake by damming Kooser Run. Kooser State...
- Laurel Hill State Park
Laurel Hill State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jefferson and Middlecreek Townships, Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Laurel Hill Lake is a man-made lake with a dam that was constructed during the Great Depression by the young men of CCC camps SP-8-PA and SP-15-PA...
- Laurel Mountain State Park
Laurel Mountain State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County and Jenner Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania in the United States. This state park is a ski resort that closed for business in 2005. The ski assests of the park were purchased by Seven Springs...
- Laurel Ridge State Park
Laurel Ridge State Park is a Pennsylvania state park that passes through Cambria, Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is home to the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail that runs through the park from the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle to the...
See also
External links
Community Festivals