List of municipalities in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
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Map of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania with municipal labels showing cities and boroughs (red), townships (white), and census-designated places (blue)
The 52 incorporated municipalities in Lycoming County are the subject of the first list, which gives their names and etymologies, dates settled and incorporated, what they were formed from, area, population, and location within the county. Two other lists dealing with former parts of Lycoming County are included. The second list is of former incorporated townships and gives the same information as above on their current status. The third list gives information on the eighteen other Pennsylvania counties which were formed from or contain land originally in the county.
In the 2000 census, the population of Lycoming County was 120,044,[1] making it a "Fifth Class County" (defined by Pennsylvania law as "having a population of 95,000 and more, but less than 145,000 inhabitants").[2] It is included in the Williamsport, Pennsylvania metropolitan statistical area, whose county seat is Williamsport. Lycoming County is located in north central Pennsylvania, about 130miles (209km) northwest of Philadelphia and 165miles (266km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh, as the crow flies.[3]
As of 2012, Lycoming County has 52 incorporated municipalities: one city, nine boroughs, and 42 townships. Lycoming County's townships include one census-designated place (CDP) and 50 villages. CDPs are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. Villages are marked with signs by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.[4] Neither CDPs nor villages are actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law and their territory is legally part of the township(s) where they are located. The first list also notes the CDP and villages within their respective townships.
At 1,244 square miles (3,220km2) as of 2012, Lycoming County is the largest county by land area in Pennsylvania. While Erie County is larger, nearly half of its area is in Lake Erie. Lycoming County is also larger than Rhode Island, the smallest U.S. state, which has an area of 1,214 square miles (3,140km2). Its incorporated municipalities range in size from 0.6 square miles (1.6km2) (three of the boroughs) to 76.5 square miles (198km2) (McHenry Township). The city of Williamsport has the highest population of any municipality (30,706 or 25.6% of the county total as of 2000), while Brown Township in the northwest corner of the county has the lowest population (111 or 0.092%). Most of the county's population is in the valley along the West Branch Susquehanna River.[1]
Named for William Hepburn, a founding father of Williamsport and Lycoming County; includes the villages of Cogan Station (also in Lycoming Township) and Hepburnville
Named for its abundant limestone, originally known as "Adams Township" for John Adams (name changed 1835); includes the villages of Collomsville, Oriole, and Oval
Named for the Munseephratry of the Lenape; as it is older than Lycoming County, it is often called the "Mother Township"; includes the village of Pennsdale
Named for the Indian phrase, "Nippeno-wi", meaning a warm and genial summer like place; includes the village of Antes Fort, which was named for Fort Antes (abandoned during the Big Runaway)
Named indirectly for Lycoming Creek, it was originally part of Lycoming Township, the name was changed in 1858 when the township was divided; includes the census-designated place of Garden View
Map of the original extent of Lycoming County circa 1795, with current Pennsylvania county outlines for reference. Click on map to see dates.
The territory which today makes up Lycoming County was purchased from the Iroquois in two treaties signed at Fort Stanwix in New York: the first treaty was in 1768, and the second treaty was in 1784. The county was formed on April 13, 1795 from part of Northumberland County.[5] The county originally contained seven townships when formed: Lower Bald Eagle, Loyalsock, Lycoming, Muncy, Nippenose, Pine Creek, and Washington. Today Pine Creek is part of Clinton County and Lower Bald Eagle is part of both Centre and Clinton counties, but the rest are still in Lycoming County, although many other municipalities have been formed from these since.
When originally formed in 1795, Lycoming County was "roughly estimated at about 12,000square miles" (31,000km2).[5] Its territory stretched north to the New York state line, west to the Allegheny River, south nearly to the source of the West Branch Susquehanna River, and east to include modern Sullivan County and a bit beyond. However, by 1800, just five years after its formation, the first territory was taken from it to form new counties, a process that continued until 1847.
The second table lists each of the twenty two known former incorporated areas in the county, and information on the modern township successors of these today. Note that former townships are only known for nine of the twenty counties containing land from Lycoming.
Now in Cameron County, incorporated as part of Lycoming County, then one of twelve original townships in Clinton County (1839), then one of four original townships in Cameron (1860)[11][15]
Now in Cameron County, incorporated as part of Lycoming County, then one of twelve original townships in Clinton County (1839), then one of four original townships in Cameron (1860)[11][15]
Now in Centre County, incorporated as part of Northumberland County, became part of Lycoming County in 1795;[5] Name changed in 1801 to "Spring Township"[19]
a.^ Bald Eagle Township was formed in 1772 as one of the seven original townships in Northumberland County (Muncy Township is the only other of the seven which is now part of Lycoming County). In August 1785, Washington Township was formed from Bald Eagle, and in November 1785 parts of Bald Eagle Township were added to the newly formed Lycoming and Pine Creek townships (the bulk of their territory had been purchased from the Iroquois in 1784). In May 1786, Bald Eagle Township was split into three new townships: Nippenose, Upper Bald Eagle, and Lower Bald Eagle. In 1789, Mifflin County was formed from Upper Bald Eagle Township and half of Potter Township (itself formed partly from the original Bald Eagle Township in May 1774).[5][20] When Lycoming County was formed in 1795, Lower Bald Eagle was one of the original seven townships. Centre County was formed in 1800 from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and Northumberland counties. Centre County originally had eight townships, with two (Lower Bald Eagle and Upper Bald Eagle), taken from Lycoming County. It is not clear if this Upper Bald Eagle was a newly formed township, or some portion of the original not taken when Mifflin County was formed.[21]|| Some territory from Lower Bald Eagle Township remained in Lycoming County.[5] In 1801, Centre County renamed "Upper Bald Eagle Township" as "Spring Township" and "Lower Bald Eagle Township" as "Bald Eagle Township". In 1839 Clinton County was formed from Centre and Lycoming counties, with Bald Eagle Township as one of three taken from Centre County. Today neither Centre nor Lycoming counties have a township named "Bald Eagle".
b.^ According to Meginness (Chapter 14), Wayne Township was formed from Nippenose Township in 1798, while part of Lycoming County.[5] Note that the PHMC sheet on Clinton County incorrectly says it was formed as part of Northumberland County,[10] but neither the Lycoming nor Northumberland County histories support this.[5][20] When Clinton County was formed in 1839, there were 12 original townships. It "embraced the following townships then in Centre County, viz., Bald Eagle, Lamar, and Logan; and from Lycoming, Allison, Chapman, Colebrook, Dunstable, Grove, Lumber, Limestone, Pine Creek, and Wayne."[11] Since Lamar was formed from Bald Eagle, 11 of the 12 original townships came at least indirectly from Lycoming County. Limestone was split from the Lycoming County township of the same name, then attached to Wayne Township, and renamed Crawford Township when it was reformed. Grove and Lumber townships became part of Cameron County, but the remaining ten townships are still in Clinton County.[11]
c.^ When originally formed in 1803, Shrewsbury Township encompassed all of modern Sullivan County. Elkland Township was formed from Shrewsbury in 1804, as were Cherry (1824), Davidson and Forks Townships (both 1833). Plunketts Creek Township was formed from Franklin and Davidson Townships in 1838, and Fox Township was formed from Elkland in 1839. When Sullivan County was formed in 1847, both Shrewsbury and Plunketts Creek Townships were split, with each county originally having a township of that name (Plunketts Creek Township in Sullivan County changed its name to Hillsgrove Township in 1856).[17]
Related Research Articles
Lycoming County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 114,188. Its county seat is Williamsport.
Clinton Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,719 at the 2020 census, up from 3,708 in 2010. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Limestone Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,968 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Muncy Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,177 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Muncy Creek Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,575 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area. The unincorporated village of Clarkstown is in Muncy Creek Township.
Nippenose Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 662 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Piatt Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,045 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Porter Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,535 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Washington Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,769 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Woodward Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,043 at the 2020 census, down from 2,200 in 2010. It is part of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the Northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch being its principal tributary.
White Deer Hole Creek is a 20.5-mile (33.0 km) tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Clinton, Lycoming and Union counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A part of the Chesapeake Bay drainage basin, the White Deer Hole Creek watershed drains parts of ten townships. The creek flows east in a valley of the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians, through sandstone, limestone, and shale from the Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian periods.
The Lycoming Valley Railroad is a short line that operates 38 miles (61 km) of track in Lycoming and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System.
The Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad is a short line railroad that operates 73 miles (117 km) of track in Blair, Centre, and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System.
Bald Eagle Mountain – once known locally as Muncy Mountain – is a stratigraphic ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians of central Pennsylvania, United States, running east of the Allegheny Front and northwest of Mount Nittany. It lies along the southeast side of Bald Eagle Creek and south of the West Branch Susquehanna River, and is the westernmost ridge in its section of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. The ridge line separates the West Branch Susquehanna Valley from the Nippenose and White Deer Hole valleys, and Bald Eagle Valley from Nittany Valley.
The West Branch Susquehanna Valley of central Pennsylvania, United States, in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians, is the low-lying area draining into the West Branch Susquehanna River southeast of the Allegheny Front, northeast of the Bald Eagle Valley, southwest of the Wyoming Valley and north of the water gap formed between Shamokin Mountain and Montour Ridge.
This article details a history of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
The Big Runaway was a mass evacuation in June and July 1778 of settlers from the frontier areas of north central Pennsylvania during the American Revolutionary War. A major campaign by Loyalists and Native Americans allied with the British devastated the small communities on the northern and western branches of the Susquehanna River, prompting local militia leaders to order the evacuation. Most of the settlers relocated to Fort Augusta at modern-day Sunbury at the confluence of the North and West Branches of the Susquehanna River, while their abandoned houses and farms were all burnt.
References
Unless otherwise noted, all information on area and population comes from the U.S. Census Bureau.
1 2 Lycoming County Economic Development and Planning Services, GIS Division (2005). "Lycoming County, Pennsylvania"(PDF). Map. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2007-09-17.Note: Official Lycoming County Map showing cities, boroughs, townships, and villages, but not smaller settlements
1 2 3 Godcharles, Frederic A. (1933). Pennsylvania: Political, Governmental, Military and Civil: Political and Civil History Volume (Firsted.). New York: The American Historical Society.
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