Editing Fulton County, Pennsylvania

{{Short description|County in Pennsylvania, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Fulton County
 | state                = Pennsylvania
 | type                 = [[County (United States)|County]]
 | ex image size        = 
 | ex image             = Courthouse-600px.jpg 
 | ex image cap         = The Fulton County Courthouse
 | seal                 = County Seal 600 dpi transparent shadow 2.png
 | founded date         = April 19
 | founded year         = 1850
 | seat wl              = McConnellsburg
 | largest city wl      = McConnellsburg
 | city type            = borough
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 438
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 438
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.5
 | area percentage      = 0.1
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 14,556
 | density_sq_mi        = 33
 | web                  = http://www.co.fulton.pa.us
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | district             = 13th
 | named for            = [[Robert Fulton]]
}}

'''Fulton County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[Commonwealth (U.S. state)|Commonwealth]] of [[Pennsylvania]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 14,556,<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Fulton County, Pennsylvania|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Fulton_County,_Pennsylvania?g=0500000US42057|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 18, 2022}}</ref> making it the fourth-least populous county in Pennsylvania. Its [[county seat]] is [[McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania|McConnellsburg]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> The county was created on April 19, 1850,<ref>[http://www.fultoncountypa.com/heritage.htm Fulton County, Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705000729/http://www.fultoncountypa.com/heritage.htm |date=July 5, 2011 }}</ref> from a part of [[Bedford County, Pennsylvania|Bedford County]] and named after inventor [[Robert Fulton]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|publisher=Govt. Print. Off.|author=Gannett, Henry|year=1905|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n132 133]}}</ref> The county is part of the Southwest Pennsylvania region of the state.{{efn|Includes Westmoreland, Cambria, Fayette, Blair, Indiana, Somerset, Bedford, Huntingdon, Greene and Fulton Counties}}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|438|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|438|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.5|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_42.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 7, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is in the watershed of the [[Chesapeake Bay]] and, although most of the county is drained by the [[Potomac River]], some northern and northeastern areas are drained by the [[Juniata River]] into the [[Susquehanna River]]. It has a [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfa''/''Dfb'') and average monthly temperatures in McConnellsburg range from 29.2&nbsp;°F in January to 73.0&nbsp;°F in July.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ | title=PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University }}</ref> Fulton County is one of the 423 counties served by the [[Appalachian Regional Commission]],<ref name="ARC">{{cite web |title=About the Appalachian Region |url=https://www.arc.gov/about-the-appalachian-region/ |publisher=Appalachian Regional Commission |access-date=20 June 2024}}</ref> and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book ''[[American Nations|American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America]]''.<ref name="NYT_CW">{{cite news |last1=Woodard |first1=Colin |title=The Maps That Show That City vs. Country Is Not Our Political Fault Line |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/30/opinion/urban-rural-united-states-regions-midterms.html |work=New York Times |date=July 30, 2018 |access-date=30 July 2018}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon County]] (north)
*[[Franklin County, Pennsylvania|Franklin County]] (east)
*[[Washington County, Maryland]] (south)
*[[Allegany County, Maryland]] (southwest)
*[[Bedford County, Pennsylvania|Bedford County]] (west)

==Geology==
Fulton County is situated within the [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians|Ridge and Valley]] [[United States physiographic region|physiographic province]], which is characterized by [[Fold (geology)|folded]] and [[Fault (geology)|faulted]] [[sedimentary rock]]s of early to middle [[Paleozoic]] age.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.dcnr.pa.gov/topogeo/field/map13/index.htm|title=Geology, Map 13|website=www.dcnr.state.pa.us|access-date=November 26, 2018|archive-date=November 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127022434/http://docs.dcnr.pa.gov/topogeo/field/map13/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Stratigraphy|stratigraphic record]] of sedimentary rocks within the county spans from the [[Cambrian]] Shadygrove Formation outcropping just south of McConnellsburg to the [[Pennsylvanian (geology)|Pennsylvanian]] Allegheny Group at the northernmost tip of the county. No [[Igneous Rock|igneous]] or [[Metamorphic Rock|metamorphic]] rocks of any kind exist within Fulton county.

Mountain ridges within Fulton County include [[Rays Hill]] (along the western border with Bedford County), [[Town Hill (Maryland−Pennsylvania)|Town Hill]], [[Sideling Hill]], Scrub Ridge, and Meadow Grounds Mountain, and all these are held up by the [[Mississippian age|Mississippian]] [[Pocono Formation]], made of [[quartz]] [[sandstone]] and [[Conglomerate (geology)|conglomerate]]. Rays Hill and Town Hill form a [[syncline]], as do Scrub Ridge and Meadow Grounds Mountain, and Sideling Hill itself is a syncline. Dickeys Mountain and [[Tuscarora Mountain]] (along the eastern border with Franklin County) also form a syncline, but these ridges are held up by the [[Tuscarora Formation]].  [[Broad Top]], located in the northeast corner of the county, is a plateau of relatively flat-lying rocks that are [[Stratigraphy|stratigraphically]] higher, and thus younger ([[Mississippian age|Mississippian]] and [[Pennsylvanian (geology)|Pennsylvanian]]), than most of the other rocks within the county. Broad Top extends into [[Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon County]] to the north and [[Bedford County, Pennsylvania|Bedford County]] to the west.

All of Fulton County lies far to the south of the [[terminal moraine]], and thus it was never glaciated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_016200.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_016200.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Geology, Map 59|website=www.dcnr.state.pa.us|access-date=November 26, 2018}}</ref>  However, during the [[Pleistocene]] epoch, or "Ice Age," [[periglacial]] (meaning "around glacier" or simply "cold") processes dominated. Most of the county was most likely a [[tundra]] during the Pleistocene.

The Broad Top [[Coal]] Field is located in [[Wells Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Wells Township]] in the northwestern corner of the county.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_016203.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_016203.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Geology, Map 11|website=www.dcnr.state.pa.us|access-date=November 26, 2018}}</ref> The field contains [[bituminous coal]]. There are a few abandoned mines in the area, although [[acid mine drainage]] is not as much of an environmental problem in Fulton County as it is in adjacent [[Bedford County, Pennsylvania|Bedford]] and [[Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon]] Counties.

Interesting geologic features within Fulton County include some of the following:
* The Meadow Grounds [[syncline]] west of McConnellsburg.
* A [[transpression]] structure is located on the east side of the Meadow Grounds syncline. This structure consists of a complex set of up-thrust [[Fault (geology)|fault]] blocks of [[Silurian]] and [[Devonian]] rocks bounded on all sides by north-trending faults.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 7567
|1860= 9131
|1870= 9360
|1880= 10149
|1890= 10137
|1900= 9924
|1910= 9703
|1920= 9617
|1930= 9231
|1940= 10673
|1950= 10387
|1960= 10597
|1970= 10776
|1980= 12842
|1990= 13837
|2000= 14261
|2010= 14845
|2020= 14556
|footnote=<ref>{{cite web |title=Census 2020 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/fultoncountypennsylvania/PST045219}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 14,261 people, 5,660 households, and 4,097 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|33|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 6,790 housing units at an average density of {{convert|16|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 98.25% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.66% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.11% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.04% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.72% from two or more races. 0.36% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 40.8% were of [[German people|German]], 20.4% [[United States|American]], 8.3% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 6.9% [[English people|English]] ancestry.

There were 5,660 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 25.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.60 males.

Almost everyone who lives in Fulton County speaks [[English language|English]] as their first language. The dominant form of speech in Fulton County is the [[Central Pennsylvania accent]].

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Fulton County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title =P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fulton County, Pennsylvania|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Fulton%20County,%20Pennsylvania&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|13,726
|94.3%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|124
|0.85%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|25
|0.17%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|41
|0.3%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|3
|0.02%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|491
|3.4%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|146
|1%
|}

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Fulton County, Pennsylvania|source=<ref name="Leip">{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=November 26, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,039|1,102|41|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|6,824|1,085|81|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,694|912|216|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,814|1,310|97|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,642|1,576|88|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,772|1,475|24|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,753|1,425|107|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,665|1,620|583|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,558|1,588|877|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,086|1,532|28|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,254|1,309|11|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,740|1,342|140|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,219|1,737|96|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,515|1,192|90|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,200|1,174|599|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,747|2,180|10|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,698|1,672|9|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,370|1,819|6|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,127|1,718|14|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|1,760|1,684|31|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|2,084|1,758|15|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,108|1,982|6|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,085|2,431|15|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,410|1,921|40|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,179|1,054|28|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,160|1,207|68|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,292|1,231|51|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|802|1,199|23|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|317|1,080|670|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|974|1,098|71|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|1,100|1,137|32|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|1,039|1,224|32|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|1,083|1,246|34|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|918|1,210|20|Pennsylvania}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|951|1,230|34|Pennsylvania}}
|}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/pennsylvania-senate-results}}</ref>}}
<!-- U.S. SenRow should be {{U.S. SenRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|6,773|1,197|146|Pennsylvania}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}
Although Fulton County traditionally voted Democratic in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and Democrats held the edge in voter registration in the county until the late 20th century, it has displayed strong tendencies to vote for Republican candidates since the New Deal era. In the [[2004 United States presidential election]], [[George W. Bush]] carried the county by a massive 52.6% margin over [[John Kerry]], making it Bush's strongest county in the slightly [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] state, which Kerry won by a 2.5% margin over Bush. In [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]], [[John McCain]] carried Fulton by a 48.6% margin over [[Barack Obama]], McCain's best showing in Pennsylvania, which Obama won by a 10.3% margin over McCain.<ref name="Leip"/> The county voted for [[Donald Trump]] in [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]] by a 70.8% margin, the highest in the state. The county has voted for the Republican in every presidential election since 1964. In 2006, [[Rick Santorum]] and [[Lynn Swann]] received more than 60% of the Fulton County vote despite their defeats statewide. In the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 election]], Fulton County was the only county in Pennsylvania where Barack Obama won less than 25% of the white vote.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cohn|first=Nate|title=Southern Whites' Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats (Map)|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/upshot/southern-whites-loyalty-to-gop-nearing-that-of-blacks-to-democrats.html?hpw&rref|access-date=April 27, 2014|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 23, 2014}}</ref>

On the 2021 statewide ballot question which proposed an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution prohibiting discrimination based on race or ethnicity, Fulton County voted 47.05% in favor and 52.95% in opposition, marking it as one of the counties that voted against the measure which passed statewide.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pennsylvania Elections - County Results |url=https://www.electionreturns.pa.gov/home/countyresults?countyName=FULTON&ElectionID=84&ElectionType=P&IsActive=0 |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=www.electionreturns.pa.gov}}</ref>

=== Voter registration ===
As of February 5, 2024, there are 9,319 registered voters in the county. There are 6,851 registered [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]], 1,523 registered [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 674 voters registered [[Independent (United States)|non-affiliated]] voters, and 271 voters registered to [[Third party (United States)|other parties]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pennsylvania Department of State |date=February 5, 2024 |title=Voter registration statistics by county |url=https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Documents/currentvotestats.xls |access-date=February 5, 2024 |website=dos.pa.gov}}</ref>{{Pie chart|thumb=left|caption=Chart of Voter Registration|label1=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]|value1=73.52|color1={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|label2=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]|value2=16.34|color2={{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|label3=[[Independent (United States)|Independent]]|value3=7.23|color3={{party color|Independent (United States)}}|label4=[[Third party (United States)|Other Parties]]|value4=2.91|color4={{party color|Green Party (United States)}}}}

==Law and government==

===Law enforcement===
{{Asof|2016}} all areas in the county use the [[Pennsylvania State Police]] (PSP) in a law enforcement capacity, either with part-time police departments or with no other police departments.<ref>{{cite web|last=Klibanoff|first=Eleanor|url=https://whyy.org/articles/half-of-pa-municipalities-rely-fully-on-state-police/|title=Half of Pa. municipalities rely fully on state police|publisher=[[WHYY-TV]]|date=2016-05-04|access-date=2024-07-23}}</ref>

===State Senate===
* [[Judy Ward]], Republican, [[Pennsylvania Senate, District 30|Pennsylvania's 30th Senatorial District]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/county_list.cfm?CNTYLIST=Fulton|title=Find Your Legislator|last=Center|first=Legislativate Data Processing|website=The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.|language=en|access-date=May 11, 2017}}</ref>

===State House of Representatives===
* [[Jesse Topper]], Republican, [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 78|Pennsylvania's 78th Representative District]]<ref name=":0" />

=== United States House of Representatives===
* [[John Joyce (American politician)|John Joyce]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], [[Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district]]

===United States Senate===
* [[John Fetterman]], [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]
* [[Dave McCormick]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]

==Education==
[[Image:Map of Fulton County Pennsylvania School Districts.png|thumb|200px|right|Map of Fulton County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts]]

There are three K-12 school districts:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42057_fulton/DC20SD_C42057.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Fulton County, PA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-07-23}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st42_pa/schooldistrict_maps/c42057_fulton/DC20SD_C42057_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Central Fulton School District]]
* [[Forbes Road School District]]
* [[Southern Fulton School District]]

==Transportation==
===Major highways===
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|16}} - known as the Buchanan Trail, meets its western terminus in [[McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania|McConnellsburg]]; serves as a major two-lane through route across South-Central Pennsylvania, as it travels toward [[Waynesboro, Pennsylvania|Waynesboro]] in [[Franklin County, Pennsylvania|Franklin County]]
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|26}} - this long Central Pennsylvania main street sees its final two miles run through the rural corner of [[Union Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Union Township]], as it departs a long [[Bedford County, Pennsylvania|Bedford County]] stretch, before reaching the [[Maryland]] border
*{{jct|state=PA|US|30}} - a winding portion of the famous [[Lincoln Highway]], the highway travels away from I-76, which parallels through most of the state's central mountains, to run across the county between the truck stop-lined Breezewood ([[East Providence Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania|East Providence Township]]) in Bedford County toward Franklin County's [[Chambersburg, Pennsylvania|Chambersburg]]; although two-lane for its entire route, there is a limited access segment as the highway makes a short freeway bypass around McConnellsburg. the road serves as one of the county's two major arteries, largely oriented east/west, with its bypass intersecting US-522 just north of McConnellsburg. 
*{{jct|state=PA|I|70}} - just prior to entering the county, the route breaks from its consignment with I-76, and it travels due south through a rural swath of the western portion of the county, as it connects with I-68 just across the Maryland line, along its way to [[Baltimore]]
*{{jct|state=PA|I|76|PATP}} - a portion of the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]], this toll interstate has one exit as it crosses the northern portion of the county; the Sideling Hill travel center is located [[Taylor Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Taylor Township]]
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|475}} - a relatively short and highly rural range highway, it meets its southern terminus in [[Dublin Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Dublin Township]], as it travels north through sparsely populated portions of [[Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania|Huntingdon County]]
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|484}} - this short highway runs entirely within the county, serving the purpose of connecting I-70 with PA 26, as it runs across Union and [[Bethel Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Bethel Townships]]
*{{jct|state=PA|US|522}} - this route enters from Maryland to the south as part of a brief consignment with I-70, which it departs three miles into the county; the road serves as one of the county's two major arteries, largely oriented north–south, as it runs through McConnellsburg, past the county's only shopping center and through one of its only two stoplights, on its way to a junction with the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Dublin Township and toward Huntingdon County. it intersects with the US 30 bypass just north of McConnellsburg.
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|643}} - just seven miles in length, this very short access route connects I-70 with the hills of Bethel and [[Brush Creek Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Brush Creek Townships]]
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|655}} - this highway serves as a long, rural ridge route through the state's central mountains; its southern terminus is with the Maryland boundary in [[Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Thompson Township]] and it exits the county via Taylor Township toward Huntingdon County in the north
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|731}} - one of the shortest numbered routes in Pennsylvania, this five mile road connects I-70 with Route 484, as it runs entirely through Union Township
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|913}} - a very rural access route through Bedford and Huntingdon Counties, this road's final miles are in [[Wells Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Wells]] and Taylor Township
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|915}} - a mountain ridge cut-off-road, this highway travels from rural Bedford County along a valley setting toward its terminus with I-70 in Brush Creek Township
*{{jct|state=PA|PA|928}} - a rural bi-state connector, this road travels from [[Ayr Township, Pennsylvania|Ayr Township]] to the Maryland border via Thompson Township

===Other===
Fulton County is one of only two [[counties in Pennsylvania]] with no known active [[Rail Transport|railroad lines]] of any kind, the other being [[Sullivan County, Pennsylvania|Sullivan County]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Penndot Railroad Map January 2015|url=http://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Maps/Documents/Pennsylvania%20Railroad%20Map.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Maps/Documents/Pennsylvania%20Railroad%20Map.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|website=penndot.gov|access-date=December 5, 2016}}</ref>

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Fulton County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels.png|right|thumb|200px|Map of Fulton County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).]]

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: [[List of cities in Pennsylvania|cities]], [[List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania|boroughs]], [[List of townships in Pennsylvania|townships]], and, in at most two cases, [[List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania#Towns|towns]]. The following boroughs and townships are located in Fulton County:

===Boroughs===
*[[McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania|McConnellsburg]] (county seat)
*[[Valley-Hi, Pennsylvania|Valley-Hi]]

===Townships===
{{div col}}
* [[Ayr Township, Pennsylvania|Ayr Township]]
* [[Belfast Township, Pennsylvania|Belfast Township]]
* [[Bethel Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Bethel Township]]
* [[Brush Creek Township, Pennsylvania|Brush Creek Township]]
* [[Dublin Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Dublin Township]]
* [[Licking Creek Township, Pennsylvania|Licking Creek Township]]
* [[Taylor Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Taylor Township]]
* [[Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Thompson Township]]
* [[Todd Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Todd Township]]
* [[Union Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Union Township]]
* [[Wells Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Wells Township]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Amaranth, Pennsylvania|Amaranth]]
* [[Big Cove Tannery, Pennsylvania|Big Cove Tannery]]
* [[Burnt Cabins, Pennsylvania|Burnt Cabins]]
* [[Crystal Spring, Pennsylvania|Crystal Spring]]
* [[Dott, Pennsylvania|Dott]]
* [[Fort Littleton, Pennsylvania|Fort Littleton]]
* [[Harrisonville, Pennsylvania|Harrisonville]]
* [[Hustontown, Pennsylvania|Hustontown]]
* [[Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania|Warfordsburg]]
* [[Waterfall, Pennsylvania|Waterfall]]
* [[Wells Tannery, Pennsylvania|Wells Tannery]]
* [[Wood, Pennsylvania|Wood]]
{{div col end}}

===Population ranking===
The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]] of Fulton County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|title=2010 U.S. Census website|access-date=February 10, 2013}}</ref>

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Municipal type
!Population (2010 Census)
|- style="background-color:#FFF5EE;"
| 1
| '''[[Belfast Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania|Belfast]]'''
| Township
| 1,448
|- style="background-color:#FFF5EE;"
| 2
| '''†''' '''[[McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania|McConnellsburg]]'''
| Borough
| 1,220
|- style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"
| 3
| '''[[Needmore, Pennsylvania|Needmore]]'''
| CDP
| 170
|- style="background-color:#FFF5EE;"
| 4
| '''[[Valley-Hi, Pennsylvania|Valley-Hi]]'''
| Borough
| 15
|}

==Census-designated places==
*[[Needmore, Pennsylvania|Needmore]]

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Fulton County, Pennsylvania]]

==References==
{{Notelist}}{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.fultonhistory.org Fulton County Historical Society, Inc.]
* [http://www.fultoncountypa.com Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism]
* [http://www.fultonida.com Fulton Industrial Development Association]

{{Fulton County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Pennsylvania}}

{{coord|39.92|-78.11|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Fulton County, Pennsylvania| ]]
[[Category:1850 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1850]]