Moshannon Valley, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
Six Mile Run Houtzdale Borough Black Moshannon lake at sunset | |
Map of Moshannon Valley, Clearfield County Map of Moshannon Valley, Centre County | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Centre, Clearfield |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code | 814 |
Moshannon Valley is a river valley in the Allegheny Plateau split between Centre County and Clearfield County.
The Lenape word for Moshannon, Mos'hanna'unk, means "elk river place". [1] [2]
Philipsburg was laid out in 1797 and is now the largest municipality in Moshannon Valley. [3] Many of the valleys early White settlers arrived under the false pretenses that the Moshannon Creek was navigable. [4]
In April 2006, Pennsylvania's first private prison was opened in Decatur Township. [5] After the prison closed in 2021 it reopened as an immigration detention center, becoming the largest ICE facility in the Northeastern US. [6]
The Moshannon Valley is in the Allegheny Plateau. [7]
The Moshannon Creek is a tributary of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The creek marks the border between Clearfield and Centre County. [8]
Black Moshannon State Park is Pennsylvania State Park in Rush Township. The park is centered around a bog habitat. The word "black" refers to the dark stained waters, which come from the presence of peat moss. [9]
Other parks include the Cold Stream Dam & Recreation Park in Philipsburg. [10]
The Moshannon Valley is served by the Moshannon Valley School District, Philipsburg-Osceola School District, Bald Eagle Area School District, and the West Branch Area School District.
Mid-State Airport was built on land taken from Black Moshannon State Park and Moshannon State Forest just before the Second World War, [11] and was operational by 1942, hosting a Civil Air Patrol training exercise for nearly 300 planes on May 30, 1942. [12]
40°51′N77°37′W / 40.850°N 77.617°W
