Editing Lemont, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Unincorporated community in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Lemont, Pennsylvania
|official_name            = 
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Thompson Grain Elevator and Coal Sheds.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[John I. Thompson Grain Elevator and Coal Sheds ]] in Lemont
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map              = Pennsylvania#USA
|pushpin_label            = Lemont
|pushpin_label_position   = top <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
|pushpin_mapsize          = 
|image_map                = Map of Lemont, Centre County, Pennsylvania Highlighted.png
|map_caption              = Location of Lemont in [[Centre County, Pennsylvania]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Pennsylvania]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Centre County, Pennsylvania|Centre]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[Township (Pennsylvania)|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[College Township, Pennsylvania|College]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 3.23
|area_land_km2            = 3.23
|area_water_km2           = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
|population_total         = 2276
|population_density_km2   = 705.58

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_ft             = 1046
|coordinates              = {{coord|40|48|36|N|77|49|5|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 16851
|area_code                = 814
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 42-42632
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1198221<ref name="spot">{{gnis|1198221}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.25
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.25
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|population_density_sq_mi = 1828.11
}}

'''Lemont''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[College Township, Pennsylvania|College Township]], [[Centre County, Pennsylvania|Centre County]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States, and is the location of the only remaining [[granary]] in Pennsylvania. It is part of the [[State College, Pennsylvania]] [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The population was 2,270 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4242632| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Lemont CDP, Pennsylvania| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=April 16, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20150416165913/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4242632| archive-date=April 16, 2015| url-status=dead}}</ref> It is part of [[Happy Valley (Pennsylvania)|Happy Valley]] and the larger [[Nittany Valley]].

==History==
[[Paleo-Indians|The first inhabitants]] of the area came towards the end of the [[last glacial period]]. They lived a [[Nomad|nomadic]] [[hunter-gatherer]] lifestyle for thousands of years.<ref name="nofr">{{Cite web |url= https://centrehistory.org/twcb/|title= Those Who Came Before: The Archaeology of Centre County’s Native Americans|last= |first= |date= March 23, 2022|website= |publisher= Centre County Historical Society|access-date= |quote=}}</ref> Nearby [[archaeological sites]] suggest campsites and [[jasper]] mines have been in the area since approximately 8000 to 3500 BC.<ref>Stevenson, Christopher M., and Conran Hay. National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Houserville Site (36CE65). [[National Park Service]], 1980-10-15.</ref> The [[Lenape|Delaware]], [[Iroquois]], [[Mingo]], and [[Shawnee]] were among the native inhabitants who began establishing settlements, farms, and trails throughout the surrounding valleys.<ref name="peep">{{Cite web |url= https://www.penndot.pa.gov/RegionalOffices/district-2/ConstructionsProjectsAndRoadwork/Documents/Potters/STORYBOARD/storymap.aspx|title= A Journey to Potter Mills|last= |first= |date= August 9, 2021|website= |publisher= The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation|access-date= |quote=}}</ref>

[[James Potter (Pennsylvania politician)|James Potter]] led the first recorded expedition of [[Spring Creek (Bald Eagle Creek tributary)|Spring Creek]] in 1764. Upon reaching an overlook on Mount Nittany, he exclaimed "By heavens, Thompson, I have discovered an empire!"<ref>{{cite web | url=https://centrehistory.org/article/james-potter/ | title= James Potter| access-date= November 2, 2024|first= Thomazine|first2= Lee|last2= Stout|last1= Shanahan|publisher= Centre County Historical Society}}</ref> The first European settlers in present day Lemont arrived in 1789, setting up farms, a grits mill, and a saw mill.<ref name="lemon">{{cite web | url=https://centrehistory.org/article/lemont/ | title= Lemont| access-date= July 3, 2024|first= Jonathan|last1= McVerry|publisher= Centre County Historical Society}}</ref>
{{CSS image crop
|Image = Atlas of Centre County, Pennsylvania LOC 93232571-16.jpg
|bSize = 800
|cWidth = 250
|cHeight = 160
|oTop = 40
|oLeft = 523
|Location = left
|Description = Atlas of Lemont, 1874
}}
The land that would make up the village, historically known as “The End of the Mountain,” was bought by [[Centre Furnace]] ironmaster Moses Thompson in 1870. As the iron industry flourished in Centre County, so to did the [[Bellefonte Central Railroad]]. Lemont was given its [[French language|French]] name as a stop between [[Bellefonte, Pennsylvania|Bellefonte]] and [[Lewisburg, Pennsylvania|Lewisburg]] in 1885. Although a plan to extend a line from Lemont to [[Scotia, Pennsylvania|Scotia]] via [[State College, Pennsylvania|State College]] never came to fruition, students, faculty, and visitors would use Lemont's train station, and catch a buggy to connect to State College or [[University Park, Pennsylvania|University Park]]. Lemont would grow as a prominent [[railway town]] and crossroads between the [[Penns Valley|Penns]] and Nittany Valleys with banks, blacksmiths, a general store, jewelry stores, clinics, schools, hotels, and churches opening up along the main streets.<ref name="lemon"></ref>

In Spring of 1885 the Lemont Hotel, owned by Thompson's son, burned down. The insurance money he acquired was used to build the [[John I. Thompson Grain Elevator and Coal Sheds]]. As trucking was replacing freight hauling the granary shut down in the 1950s. In the 1970s a [[Penn State]] student doing a study of Lemont wrote "The once very important buildings have been neglected and deteriorating." In 1994 the Lemont Village Association purchased the lot for preservation.<ref name"yemon">{{cite web | url=https://www.lemontvillage.org/home| title= Lemont Bulletin|date= 2024|publisher= Lemont Village Association}}</ref>

===Historic district===
{{Main|Lemont Historic District}}
[[File:Lemont Pennsylvania.jpg|thumb|Lemont Historic District]]
The [[Lemont Historic District]] is home to many historic homes and businesses. The John Thompson Coal Sheds and Granary is the last remaining wooden grain elevator in Pennsylvania and is being restored by the Lemont Village Association. Lemont Elementary School, built from 1938 to 1939 as College Township School, is a limestone building that overlooks the village. The State College Area School District is considering closing the school; however, many district residents are opposed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-Lemont-School-91093889512/|title=Friends of Lemont School|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2017-07-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/state-college/article139438103.html|title=Plans made to construct new K-5 Houserville Elementary School|work=centredaily|access-date=2017-07-01|language=en}}</ref> The Friends of Lemont School was organized to spearhead an effort to combat the closure and sponsored an on-line petition to keep the neighborhood school. According to the State College school board meeting minutes of June 16, 2017 there will be a hearing to close Lemont Elementary school on July 24, 2017, prior to the board meeting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scasd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=31761&ViewID=7b97f7ed-8e5e-4120-848f-a8b4987d588f&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=73965&PageID=26127|title=State College Board Meeting Minutes June 16, 2017}}</ref>

==Culture==
The Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania was formed in 1968, and has been housed in the former home of the Lemont Band ever since.<ref name="lemon"></ref>

The Lemont Village Green hosts many community events, including small concerts and the Strawberry Festival a tradition dating back to 1982. The festival attracted 1,000 visitors in 2024 and featured [[railroad speeder]] rides on the historic tracks.<ref>{{cite web|title= Strawberry Festival|publisher= Lemont Village Association|url= https://www.lemontvillage.org/related/strawberry-festival}}</ref>

==Geography==
Lemont is bordered by [[Houserville, Pennsylvania|Houserville]] to the north, [[Shiloh, Pennsylvania|Shiloh]] to the northeast, Squirrel Hill to the west, and Dalevue to the south. The southwestern end of [[Nittany Mountain|Mount Nittany]] rises above the eastern edge of the village.<ref name="spot"></ref>

[[Spring Creek (Bald Eagle Creek)|Spring Creek]], a northward-flowing tributary of [[Bald Eagle Creek (West Branch Susquehanna River)|Bald Eagle Creek]] part of the larger [[Susquehanna River]] watershed, connects the village to Houserville and Big Hollow to the north, and [[Oak Hall, Pennsylvania|Oak Hall]] and [[Boalsburg, Pennsylvania|Boalsburg]] to the south.

Lemont is served by Spring Creek Elementary in Houserville and Mount Nittany Middle School in [[Panorama, Pennsylvania|Panorama]]. The village is part of the [[State College Area School District]].

==Sports==
The village is represented by the Lemont Ducks, although the Ducks play at the Community Fields in State College.<ref>{{cite web|publisher= Centre County Baseball League|date= 2024|title= Centre County Baseball League Schedules|url= https://www.leaguelineup.com/schedules.asp?url=ccbl&divisionid=1034430&teamid=7144959}}</ref> The team is a part of the Centre County Baseball League, Pennsylvania's oldest amateur baseball league,<ref>{{cite web|publisher= Centre County Baseball League|date= 2017|title= Lemont Ducks|url= https://centrecountybaseball.wordpress.com/teams/lemont-ducks/}}</ref> which began in 1932.<ref>{{cite web|last= Morelli|publisher= StateCollege.com|date= November 15, 2024|first= Chris|title= Passion for the Game: Centre County Baseball League Stands the Test of Time|url= https://www.statecollege.com/articles/community/passion-for-the-game-centre-county-baseball-league-stands-the-test-of-time/}}</ref> [[Spencer Bivens]] played for the Lemont Ducks for a time before signing to the [[San Francisco Giants]] in [[Major League Baseball]].<ref>{{cite web|last= Sauber|publisher= Centre Daily Times|date= July 18, 2024|first= Jon|title= He pitched for State High and the Lemont Ducks. Then he reached the MLB — after unique journey|url= https://www.centredaily.com/sports/mlb/article289845979.html}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2020= 2276
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2020, there were 2,276 people, 996 housing units, and 951 families residing in the CDP. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1,837.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.4% [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 3.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.2% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.1% of the population.

There were 951 households, out of which 18.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $63,945, and the median income for a family was $94,383. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $44,550. About 3.6% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
Lemont is served by the College Avenue Connector, operated by [[Centre Area Transportation Authority|CATA]], which runs from [[Cato, Pennsylvania|Cato]] to Shiloh via Lemont and [[State College, Pennsylvania#Downtown|Downtown]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://realtime.catabus.com/InfoPoint/|title=myStop|website=realtime.catabus.com}}</ref>

The [[Mount Nittany Expressway]] makes up Lemont's southern and western boundaries. [[Pennsylvania Route 26]] locally known as College Avenue marks the border between Houserville and Lemont.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.lemontvillage.org Lemont Village Association]

{{Centre County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Centre County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Pennsylvania]]