Centre County is the geographic center of Pennsylvania (fig. 1). It was formed in 1800 from parts of Huntingdon Mifflin, Lycoming, and Northumberland counties. Bellefonte was designated as the county seat.

The county has a total area of 1,115 square miles, or 713,600 acres. Census data in 1970 showed a population of 99,267 for the county. State College, with a population of 33,778; Bellefonte, with a population of 6,828; and Philipsburg, with a population of 3,700, were the three largest boroughs in 1970. Many smaller communities are scattered throughout the county.

The northwestern half of the county is in the Allegheny Plateau province, and the southeastern half is in the Valley and Ridge province. Centre County is located in the Susquehanna River basin.

The average annual temperature is 49 F. Winters normally are cold and relatively dry and summers are warm and humid. The elevation ranges from 580 feet to about 2,600 feet.

Farming was the county's only industry until iron ore was discovered in 1784. Operating iron furnaces and farming were the main industries until the beginning of the twentieth century. Industry has since become more diversified, and it now includes the production of limestone products, coal, brass products, electronic components, and lumber.

Farming is a major industry in the county. Most farms are in the valleys of the Valley and Ridge pro ince. The limestone and shale in these valleys have weathered to form productive soils. Dairy farming the main type of farming in the county.

Over the years the number and the size of farms have continued to decrease. Rural nonfarm residents are increasing in number and are responsible for most of the new homes built in rural areas.

The county is easily reached by highway, rail, or air. It is serviced by the Mid-State and the University Park airports and by two railroads. The Keystone Shortway (Interstate 80) runs east-to-west across the county. This highway has greatly facilitated the access to major markets for the county's products by the eight motor freight carriers that serve the area.

Many religious, medical, educational, and recreational facilities are available in Centre County. The Pennsylvania State University was chartered in 1855, and since that time it has experienced steady growth in size and excellence. Recreational facilities include three State parks, several State picnic areas, numerous municipal and private facilities, and about 275 miles of outstanding trout streams. Deer, turkey, and bear are abundant in the county, and they are highly prized by hunters.

Natural resources of limestone, coal, and water are located in various areas of the county. The best grade of high-calcium limestone found in the State is in the Bellefonte area Bituminous coal is mined extensively in the Philipsburg and Snow Shoe areas. The Big Spring at Bellefonte, which has an average daily flow of 11,500,000 gallons, is the third largest spring in Pennsylvania.

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