Pennsylvania Facts

Geography & Demographics
State Abbreviation PA
State Capital Harrisburg
State Size Total (Land + Water): 46,055 sq miles; Land Only: 44,817 sq miles
Number of Counties 67
Time Zone Eastern Time Zone
Bordering States Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, West Virginia
Highest Point Mount Davis, 3,213 feet
National Parks None
State Population (2015) 12,802,503
State Population Density 285.7 people / square mile
Area Codes 215, 267, 272, 412, 445, 484, 570, 582, 610, 717, 724, 814, 835, 878
Top 5 Cities (2010 population)
Philadelphia (1,526,006)
Pittsburgh (305,704)
Allentown (118,032)
Erie (101,786)
Reading (88,082)


Government & Legislature
Statehood December 12, 1787
Electoral Votes 20
State Flag

Governor  Tom Wolf
Same-Sex Marriage Legalization Date May 20, 2014
State Quarter Issue Date March 8, 1999

State Symbols
State Aircraft Piper J-3 Cub
State Animal White-tailed deer

State Beautification and Conservation
Plant Penngift crownvetch
State Beverage Milk
State Bird Ruffed grouse
State Dog Great dane
State Electric Locomotive GG1 4859
State Firearm Pennsylvania long rifle
State Fish Brook trout
State Flower Mountain laurel
State Fossil Phacops rana
State Game Bird Ruffed grouse
State Insect Pennsylvania firefly
State Motto Virtue, Liberty, and Independence
State Nickname Keystone State
State Ship US Brig Niagara
State Song "Pennsylvania"
State Steam Locomotive K4s 1361 and K4s 3750
State Tree Hemlock


Sports Teams

Major Sports Teams
MLB: Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates
NFL: Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers
NBA: Philadelphia 76ers
NHL: Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins


NCAA Division I Schools
Bucknell University (Patriot)
Drexel University (Colonial Athletic Association)
Duquesne University (Atlantic 10)
La Salle University (Atlantic 10)
Lafayette College (Patriot)
Lehigh University (Patriot)
University of Pennsylvania (Ivy)
Pennsylvania State University (Big Ten)
University of Pittsburgh (ACC)
Robert Morris University (Northeast)
Saint Francis University (Northeast)
Saint Joseph's University (Atlantic 10)
Temple University (American Athletic)
Villanova University (Big East)

Popular Tourist Attractions

• Sesame Place: Theme park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.
• Longwood Gardens: Garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.
• Dutch Wonderland: Amusement park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
• Franklin Institute: Science museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Liberty Bell: Historical landmark in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Kennywood: Amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
• Eastern State Penitentiary: Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Mutter Museum: Medical museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art: Art museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Please Touch Museum: Children's museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Reading Terminal Market: Indoor farmers' market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Splash Lagoon: Indoor waterpark in Erie, Pennsylvania.
• Bushkill Falls: A series of eight waterfalls located in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.
• Fallingwater: House designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935, located in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.
• Independence Hall: Historical landmark in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Pocono Raceway: Car racing track in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

Famous People Born In Pennsylvania

Nobel Prize Winners

1. Theodore W. Richards (Chemistry, 1914)
2. Philip S. Hench (Physiology or Medicine, 1950)
3. George C. Marshall (Peace, 1953)
4. Keffer Hartline (Physiology or Medicine, 1967)
5. Christian Anfinsen (Chemistry, 1972)
6. Howard M. Temin (Physiology or Medicine, 1975)
7. William A. Fowler (Physics, 1983)
8. J. Michael Bishop (Physiology or Medicine, 1989)
9. Gary Becker (Economic Sciences, 1992)
10. Joseph H. Taylor Jr. (Physics, 1993)
11. Clifford G. Shull (Physics, 1994)
12. Edward B. Lewis (Physiology or Medicine, 1995)
13. William D. Phillips (Physics, 1997)
14. Barry Sharpless (Chemistry, 2001)

United States Presidents

James Buchanan (15th President)

Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members

1. Bert Bell (Team Owner, Coach, NFL Commissioner. Inducted in 1963)
2. Harold "Red" Grange (Halfback. Inducted in 1963)
3. Art Rooney (Team Owner, Team Founder. Inducted in 1964)
4. Chuck Bednarik (Center, Linebacker. Inducted in 1967)
5. Joe Stydahar (Tackle. Inducted in 1967)
6. Emlen Tunnell (Safety. Inducted in 1967)
7. Charley Trippi (Halfback, Quarterback. Inducted in 1968)
8. Joe Schmidt (Linebacker. Inducted in 1973)
9. Bill George (Linebacker. Inducted in 1974)
10. Lenny Moore (Halfback. Inducted in 1975)
11. Johnny Unitas (Quarterback. Inducted in 1979)
12. Herbert Adderley (Cornerback. Inducted in 1980)
13. George Blanda (Quarterback, Kicker. Inducted in 1981)
14. Joe Namath (Quarterback. Inducted in 1985)
15. Fred Biletnikoff (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 1988)
16. Mike Ditka (Tight End. Inducted in 1988)
17. Jack Ham (Linebacker. Inducted in 1988)
18. Stan Jones (Offensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, Defensive Tackle. Inducted in 1991)
19. Tony Dorsett (Running Back. Inducted in 1994)
20. Leroy Kelly (Running Back. Inducted in 1994)
21. Randy White (Defensive Tackle. Inducted in 1994)
22. Joe Montana (Quarterback. Inducted in 2000)
23. Dan Rooney (Team Owner. Inducted in 2000)
24. Mike Munchak (Guard. Inducted in 2001)
25. Jim Kelly (Quarterback. Inducted in 2002)
26. Dan Marino (Quarterback. Inducted in 2005)
27. Russ Grimm (Guard. Inducted in 2010)
28. Jack Butler (Cornerback. Inducted in 2012)
29. Curtis Martin (Running Back. Inducted in 2012)
30. Andre Reed (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2014)
31. Ron Wolf (General Manager. Inducted in 2015)
32. Marvin Harrison (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2016)
33. Jason Taylor (WDefensive End, Outside Linebacker. Inducted in 2017)
34. Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
35. Christy Mathewson (Pitcher. Inducted in 1936)
36. Honus Wagner (Shortstop. Inducted in 1936)
37. Hugh Jennings (Shortstop. Inducted in 1945)
38. Eddie Plank (Pitcher. Inducted in 1946)
39. Rube Waddell (Pitcher. Inducted in 1946)
40. Ed Walsh (Pitcher. Inducted in 1946)
41. Herb Pennock (Pitcher. Inducted in 1948)
42. Bobby Wallace (Shortstop. Inducted in 1953)
43. John Ward (Shortstop. Inducted in 1964)
44. Roy Campanella (Catcher. Inducted in 1969)
45. Stan Musial (Left Fielder. Inducted in 1969)
46. Stan Coveleski (Pitcher. Inducted in 1969)
47. Hack Wilson (Center Fielder. Inducted in 1979)
48. Reggie Jackson (Right Fielder. Inducted in 1993)
49. Nellie Fox (Second Baseman. Inducted in 1997)
50. Bruce Sutter (Pitcher. Inducted in 2006)
51. Mike Piazza (Catcher. Inducted in 2016)
52. Ken Griffey Jr. (Center Fielder. Inducted in 2016)
53. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
54. Bob Davies (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 1970)
55. Tom Gola (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 1976)
56. Paul Arizin (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 1978)
57. Wilt Chamberlain (Center. Inducted in 1979)
58. Jack Twyman (Forward. Inducted in 1983)
59. Pete Maravich (Guard. Inducted in 1987)
60. Earl Monroe (Guard. Inducted in 1990)
61. Buddy Jeannette (Guard. Inducted in 1994)
62. Maurice Stokes (Center-Forward. Inducted in 2004)
63. Dawn Staley (Guard. Inducted in 2013)
64. Guy Rodgers (Guard. Inducted in 2014)
65. Cumberland Posey (Guard. Inducted in 2016)
66. Muffet McGraw (Coach. Inducted in 2017)
67. Zack Clayton (Guard. Inducted in 2017)
68. Hockey Hall Of Fame Members
69. Hobey Baker (Right Wing. Inducted in 1945)

Famous Actors And Actresses

1. F. Murray Abraham
2. Lionel Barrymore
3. Bradley Cooper
4. Broderick Crawford
5. Janet Gaynor
6. Grace Kelly
7. Will Smith
8. Jimmy Stewart
9. Sharon Stone
10. Famous Singers
11. Daryl Hall
12. Billie Holiday
13. Joan Jett
14. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
15. Taylor Swift

Pennsylvania Fun Facts

• Pennsylvania is named after William Penn's father, Admiral William Penn. William Penn was granted the land by British King Charles II. The word "Sylvania" means "land that is full of trees."
• Of the original Thirteen Colonies, Pennsylvania is the only state that does not border the Atlantic Ocean.
• Gulf Refining Co. opened America's first gas station on Baum Blvd., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 1, 1913.
• Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is the Mushroom Capital of the World as mushroom farming in the region produces over a million pounds of mushrooms a week.
• ENIAC, the world's first all-purpose computer, was built in the University of Pennsylvania and launched on February 15, 1946.
• Every year, the Little League World Series is held in South Williamsport. Taiwan has won the most number of championships at 17.
• The Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, opened in 1745 and is the oldest continuously operating bookshop in the United States, quite possibly the world.
• The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo in the United States.
• Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond on May 11, 1751, is the first hospital in the United States. It is also home to America's first medical library.
• The First stock exchange in the United States was founded in Philadelphia in 1790
• The Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania, established in 1881, is the first business school in the United States.