Geography of Pennsylvania
Almost entirely covered in mountains, much of the state is a series of rolling hills, plateaus and ridges punctuated by valleys.
Over 50% of the land is still covered by forest land and the only lowland is in the southeast.
Part of the Appalachians through the center of Pennsylvania, with the Allegheny and Pocano Mountains, the state’s most significant subranges. The highest point in the state is Mt. Davis, at 3,213 feet. Pine Creek Gorge – often called the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania” – is 50 miles in length, and over 1,000 feet deep in places. Blue Mountain is a 150 mile long mountain range that forms part of the eastern edge of the Appalachian mountain range.
Pennsylvania is home to deeper and more rewarding rivers than any other US state. The Delaware, along its eastern borders, may be the most valuable.
- Allcitycodes: Provides map of area codes in Pennsylvania by county and city.
- Ask4beauty: Introduction to the state of Pennsylvania, addressing geography, history, politics, economy and population.
- Toppharmacyschools: Lists all educational institutes in Pennsylvania, including psychology, biological science, clinical psychology, computer science, economics, fine arts, etc.
The Delaware Water Gap on the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey was formed as the Delaware River carved a deep path through the Appalachian ridge on its way to the sea.
Other very significant rivers include the Allegheny, Ohio, Monongahela and Susquehanna.
Pennsylvania Famous Natives
People listed are almost always native to the state. We do (on occasion) include those who have either lived within the state for most of their adult lives or have made significant contributions to the state in their personal endeavors.
A
- Murray Abraham actor
- John “Metel” Abramovich Jr. basketball player
- Edward Goodrich Acheson chemist, inventor
- Louisa May Alcott author
- Lloyd Alexander author
- Religious leader Richard Allen
- Racer Joe Amato
- Singer Marian Anderson
- Maxwell Anderson playwright
- Written by Paul Anderson
- John Andretti racing driver
- Racing driver Marco Andretti
- Michael Andretti racing driver
- Kurt Stephen Angle wrestler
- Air Force General Henry H. “Case” Arnold
- LaVar Arrington football player
- Written by Janet Asimova
- Frankie Avalon singer, actor
B
- Kevin Bacon actor
- Actress Carol Baker
- Samuel Barber composer
- Chuck Barris game show producer, presenter
- Actress Ethel Barrymore
- John Barrymore actor
- Lionel Barrymore actor
- Written by Donald Barthelme
- Charlie Bach soccer player
- Joe Beimel baseball player
- Stephen Vincent Benet author, poet
- George Benson musician
- Joseph “Joe” Biden Vice President of the United States
- Freda Biletnikoff football player
- Steve Bilko baseball player
- Steve Blackman wrestler
- Astronaut Guyon “Guy” Blueford
- Daniel Boone pioneer, explorer
- Written by Ben Bova
- Peter Boyle actor
- Boyza II Mena Music Group
- Kayla Brady soccer player
- Glenn Brankey composer, guitarist
- Sid Brim baseball player
- David Brenner comedian
- Charles Bronson actor
- Charles Brockden Brown author, historian
- Gary Brown football player
- Kobe Bryant basketball player
- James Buchanan US President
- Steve Burns actor
- Leroy Burrell Olympic medalist
- Smedley Butler Marine Corps Major General
“Fighting Quaker”
C
- Charles Wakefield Cadman composer
- Alexander Calder sculptor
- Ray Caldwell baseball player
- Simon Cameron political leader
- Written by Beb Moore Campbell
- John Cappelletti footballer
- Vanessa Carlton singer, songwriter
- Written by Rachel Carson
- Artist Mary Cassatt
- George Catlin artist
- Wilt Chamberlain basketball player
- Stephen Chbosky author, screenwriter
- Lou Christie singer, songwriter
- Stanley Clarke musician, composer
- Music group Clarks
- Kerry Collins football player
- Henry Steel Commager historian, author
- Singer Perry Como
- Dan Conners football player
- Charles “Pete” Conrad astronaut
- Bill Cosby actor
- Actress Dolores Costello
- Maurice Costello actor
- William Laird Cower football player, coach
- William Broderick Crawford actor
- Jim Croce singer, songwriter
D
- George M. Dallas Vice President of the United States
- Charles “Chuck” Daly basketball coach
- Dwight F. Davis tennis player, founder Davis Cup
- Stuart Davis artist
- John de Lancie actor
- Charles Demuth artist
- Chewing gum invented by Walter Diemer
- Written by Annie Dillard
- Mike Ditka football player, coach
- Keith Dorney footballer
- Football player Tony Dorsett
- Musician Jimmy Dorsey, bandleader
- Musician Tommy Dorsey, bandleader
E-F
- Thomas Eakins artist, photographer, sculptor
- Paul R. Ehrlich entomologist, author
- Kevin Eubanks guitarist
- Singer Jacqueline “Jackie” Evencho
- Tina Fey actress, comedian
- Actor K. Fields
- Astronaut Michael Fincke
- Actor Larry Fine
- Stephen C. Foster composer
- Baseball player Nellie Fox
- Jonathan Frakes actor
- Benjamin Franklin author, inventor, statesman
- Buck Freeman baseball player
- Astronaut Theodore Freeman
- Henry Clay Frick industrialist, philanthropist
- Robert Fulton engineer, steamboat inventor
- Jim Furyk golfer
G
- Actress Janet Gaynor
- Henry George political economist, author
- Richard Gere actor
- Newt Gingrich speaker house representatives, author
- Scott Glenn actor
- Jeff Goldblum actor
- Martha Graham dancer, choreographer
- Seth Green actor
- Ken Griffey Jr. baseball player
- Ken Griffey Sr. baseball player
- Peter Gruner wrestler
- Justin Guerini singer, songwriter
H
- Alexander Haig Army General, US Secretary of State
- Aredjay Hale musician
- Elizabeth ” Lzzy ” Hale singer, songwriter, musician
- Bill band Haley & His Comets
- Music group Hall & Oates
- Richard Hamilton basketball player
- Civil War General Alliance by Winfield Scott Hancock
- William Edward Hanford chemist, inventor
- Keith Haring artist
- Jerry Harris sculptor
- Marvin Harrison football player
- Dan Hartman singer, songwriter
- Henry J. Heinz industrialist, philanthropist
- Tom Herr baseball player
- Milton S. Hershey confectioner, philanthropist
- Larry Holmes boxing champion (born in GA)
- Music group Hooters
- Bernard Hopkins boxer
- Opera singer Marilyn Horne
- Jeff Hostetler football player
- Written by Christine Hunter
- Singer Phyllis Hyman
