Morrisons Cove [1] (also referred to as Morrison Cove or Morrison's Cove), is an eroded anticlinal valley [2] in Blair and Bedford counties of central Pennsylvania, United States, extending from Evitts Mountain near New Enterprise, north to the Frankstown Branch Juniata River at Williamsburg. The width of the valley varies from 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 km) between Tussey Mountain on the east to the chain of Dunning, Loop and Lock Mountains on the west. Almost entirely enclosed by these mountains, the only openings in the cove are at Loysburg Gap in the south, McKee Gap in the west, and at Williamsburg to the north. The floor of the valley is mostly level, with many large fertile farm fields. The southern end of the valley drains to the Raystown Branch Juniata River via Yellow Creek through Loysburg Gap, and the northern end drains to the Frankstown Branch, via Clover Creek.
There are four boroughs located in Morrisons Cove and they are:
There are seven townships located in Morrisons Cove and they are the following:
Altoona–Blair County Airport is located in Morrisons Cove. Pennsylvania Route 36 is the main north/south route through the valley from Loysburg Gap to McKee Gap. Pennsylvania Route 866 branches off PA-36 at Woodbury to Martinsburg.
Morrisons Cove is often mentioned as a landmark in early wills and records of importance. Wills Creek Valley and Friend's Cove are also in this section of the state and were well known to the early settlers. [3]
On May 22, 1949, the same storm system that caused the F1 tornado in Altoona also spawned an F1 tornado in the Morrisons Cove area. The tornado initially touched down south of Curryville where it downed several large trees and destroyed a barn. The tornado moved northeast, striking Henrietta and Millerstown. Several homes were unroofed and barns were destroyed, in both areas. One of the destroyed barns was a 150-year-old stone barn. Near Henrietta, a three-hundred-foot (91 m) long chicken house was thrown a considerable distance before being destroyed. A car was destroyed and a church had several windows blown out and had its chimney ripped off. A 17-year-old girl was injured in Henrietta, when the window she was standing at shattered. The tornado dissipated about one mile (1.6 km) east of Martinsburg in the Clover Creek/Fredericksburg area where it downed several willow trees. The damage caused by this tornado is consistent of winds 105–110 mph (169–177 km/h). [4]
A map made by Dr. Ted Fujita in 1974, of all of the tornadoes in the U.S between 1930 and 1974, shows this tornado as an F1 on the Fujita Scale.
Blair County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 122,822. Its county seat is Hollidaysburg, and its largest city is Altoona. The county was created on February 26, 1846, from parts of Huntingdon and Bedford counties. The county is part of the Southwest Pennsylvania region of the state.
Frankstown Township is a township in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,399 at the 2020 census. The township was named after Stephen Franks, a pioneer citizen.
Williamsburg in Morrisons Cove, is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,241 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Frankstown Branch Juniata River is a 46.0-mile-long (74.0 km) tributary of the Juniata River in Blair and Huntingdon counties, Pennsylvania, in the United States.
Clover Creek is a 24.5-mile-long (39.4 km) tributary of the Frankstown Branch Juniata River in Bedford and Blair counties, Pennsylvania, in the United States.
Pennsylvania Route 36 is a 151.12 mi (243.2 km) long state highway located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 26 near the Hopewell Township community of Yellow Creek. The northern terminus is at PA 27 and PA 227 in Pleasantville.
Tussey Mountain is a stratigraphic ridge in central Pennsylvania, United States, trending east of the Bald Eagle, Brush, Dunning and Evitts Mountain ridges. Its southern foot just crosses the Mason–Dixon line near Flintstone, Maryland, running north 130 km (80 mi) to the Seven Mountains of central Pennsylvania, near Tusseyville, making it one of the longest named ridges in this section of the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians.
Pennsylvania Route 164 is a 36-mile-long (58 km) state highway located in Cambria, Blair, and Bedford counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at an interchange with U.S. Route 22 (US 22) in Munster Township. The eastern terminus is at PA 26 near Raystown Lake.
Pennsylvania Route 866 is a 22.4-mile-long (36.0 km) state highway located in Bedford and Blair Counties in central Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 36 in Woodbury. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 22 in Frankstown Township.
The 80th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in central Pennsylvania and has been represented by James V. Gregory since 2019.
East Sharpsburg is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
The Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 118 are Pennsylvania State Game Lands in Blair and Huntingdon counties in Pennsylvania in the United States, providing hunting, bird watching, and other activities.
The Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 147 are Pennsylvania State Game Lands in Blair County in Pennsylvania in the United States providing hunting, trapping, bird watching, and other activities.
Beavertown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Clappertown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Fredericksburg, also known as Clover Creek, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Ganister is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Henrietta is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Millerstown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Royer is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
Nittany Valley and Morrisons Cove, eroded anticlinal valleys (coves), near the western edge of the fold belt shown here, and Broadtop Mountain (a syncline east of Morrisons Cove) are examples of inverse topography, which is common in this geomorphic province.