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Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

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Sullivan County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,840,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> making it the second-least populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Laporte.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was created on March 15, 1847, from part of Lycoming County and named for Major General John Sullivan. The county is part of the Northeast Pennsylvania region of the state.Template:Efn

History

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The land which became Sullivan County was originally purchased from the Iroquois by the Province of Pennsylvania in 1768, as part of the first Treaty of Fort Stanwix. It was then part of Northumberland County, then became part of Lycoming County when it was formed in 1795.<ref name="history">Template:Cite book</ref> Sullivan County itself was formed from the northeastern part of Lycoming County on March 15, 1847. It was the thirteenth and last county formed at least partly from Lycoming County (and the fifth entirely formed from it).<ref name ="history"/>

Sullivan County was named for Pennsylvania state senator Charles C. Sullivan, who "took an active part in procuring passage of the bill" establishing the county.<ref name="PA govt">Template:Cite web</ref> However, according to Frederic A. Godcharles (1933), the county is named for General John Sullivan, who led the Sullivan Expedition against the Iroquois in 1779.<ref name="godcharles">Template:Cite book</ref>

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.6%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Elevation ranges from 2593 ft at North Mountain in Davidson Township to 779 ft on Loyalsock Creek at the Lycoming County line. The county is served by Pennsylvania Route 42, Pennsylvania Route 87, Pennsylvania Route 154, Pennsylvania Route 487, and U.S. Route 220. The major rivers in the county are Loyalsock Creek, Little Loyalsock Creek, Muncy Creek, and Fishing Creek. The majority of the land in Sullivan County is forest, but there is some farmland, especially in the northern part of the county. There are numerous river valleys in the southern and western parts of Sullivan County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sullivan has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Laporte range from 21.8 °F in January to 67.9 °F in July.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Failed verification

Adjacent counties

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Geology

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Sullivan County lies predominantly within the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province, which is characterized by gently folded and faulted sedimentary rocks of middle to late Paleozoic age. The southern border of the county is approximately at the Allegheny Front, a geological boundary between the Ridge and Valley province and the plateau. (PA Geologic Survey Map 13). The mountains within the county are part of the Endless Mountains.

A view of a forest-covered mountain valley with a creek in it, under a partly cloudy sky
Worlds End State Park

The stratigraphic record of sedimentary rocks within the county spans from the Devonian Lock Haven Formation (exposed only in Lick Creek valley) to the coal-bearing Pennsylvanian Allegheny Formation. Generally, the Catskill Formation underlies most of the lowlands, and sandstones of the Huntley Mountain, Burgoon, Mauch Chunk, or Pottsville Formations cap the mountains. No igneous or metamorphic rocks exist within the county, other than possible glacial erratics.

Structurally, the bedrock of Sullivan County is gently folded, with the axes of two major anticlines (including the Wilmot Anticline) and two major synclines (Bernice-Mehoopany Syncline and Noxen Syncline) each trending roughly east–west. There are three mapped faults in the Allegheny Formation between the towns of Murray and Ringdale.<ref>PA Geologic Survey Map 61, Overton Quadrangle</ref><ref>Berg, T.M., Edmunds, W.E., Geyer, A.R. and others, compilers, (1980). Geologic Map of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geologic Survey, Map 1, scale 1:250,000.</ref>

Nearly all of Sullivan County was glaciated several times in the past, during the Pleistocene epoch, or "Ice Age." (PA Geologic Survey Map 59). Most of the county is covered by glacial till of Late Wisconsinan age. Late Illinoian Stage deposits may underlie the Late Wisconsinan deposits, and these are exposed in the south central part of the county (roughly western Davidson Township).

The major rivers in Sullivan County are Loyalsock Creek and Muncy Creek. Both flow into the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Some streams along the eastern border of the county flow into the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. All of Sullivan county is thus within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Several small coal fields exist within Sullivan County.<ref>Article title PA Geologic Survey Map 11</ref> The fields contain either bituminous or semi-anthracite coal, and all occur within Pennsylvanian strata.

File:Haystacks1 Loyalsock Creek Sullivan Co PA.jpg
The Haystacks in Loyalsock Creek

Notable geologic features within Sullivan County include some of the following:

File:Ticklish Rock.jpg
Ticklish Rock, at ground level

Mountains

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Name Height
North Mountain 2,584 ft (788 meters)
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Lambert Hill 1,743 (532 meters)
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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 6,556 people, 2,660 households, and 1,752 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 6,017 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 95.58% White, 2.20% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.46% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.8% were of German, 14.7% Irish, 9.5% English, 7.5% American, 5.9% Polish and 5.6% Italian ancestry.

There were 2,660 households, out of which 24.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 29.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.80% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 21.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 102.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.40 males.

2020 census

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Sullivan County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 5,406 92.6%
Black or African American (NH) 77 1.32%
Native American (NH) 9 0.15%
Asian (NH) 17 0.3%
Pacific Islander (NH) 0 0%
Other/Mixed (NH) 226 3.8%
Hispanic or Latino 105 1.8%

Politics and government

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Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |} Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot As of August 8, 2022, there are 4,369 registered voters in Sullivan County.<ref>https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Documents/currentvotestats.xls PA Department of State</ref>

Law enforcement

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Template:Asof 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>Template:Cite web</ref>

County commissioners

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  • Brian Hoffman, Chair, Republican
  • Darlene Fenton, Vice-chair Republican
  • Scott Myers, Democrat

Other county offices

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  • District Attorney, Julie Gavitt-Shaffer, Republican
  • Prothonotary, Register of Wills & Recorder of Deeds, Kellie Carpenter, Democrat
  • Sheriff, Jared Houck, Republican
  • Treasurer, Katrina Wilkins, Republican
  • Coroner, Wendy Hastings, Republican

State Representative<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

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State Senator<ref name=":0" />

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United States House of Representatives

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United States Senator

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Education

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There is one school district in the county: Sullivan County School District.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> Sullivan County School District has one high school, grades 7–12, and one elementary school, grades K-6. Sullivan County High School is located in Laporte. Sullivan County Elementary School is located just behind the high school.

Transportation

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Public transportation is provided by BeST Transit.

Sullivan County is one of only two counties in Pennsylvania with no known active railroad lines of any kind, the other being Fulton County. However, several narrow-gauge logging railroads once served Sullivan County.<ref name="Pennsylvania Railroad Map">Template:Cite web</ref>

Major roads

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Recreation

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File:Loyalsock State Forest.jpg
Loyalsock State Forest in Hillsgrove Township

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Sullivan County.

Sullivan County is also home to a large, private hunting club, Painter Den, Inc.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This vast property is situated in Davidson, Laporte and Colley townships. Painter Den Pond is also on the property and is stocked with perch and pike.

Annual events

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There are several festivities held in the county each year:

  • Dushore Dairy Parade, held in mid-June, features cow milking.
  • Dushore Founder's Day, held in August, features activities such as Outhouse Races, Roll-a-Keg Races, Arts and Crafts, and vendors.
  • Laporte Fireman's Carnival, held in August, features carnival rides and games.
  • Sullivan County Fair, held in late August and early September, features carnival rides and games, exhibitions, competitions, a demolition derby, and vendors.

Communities

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File:Map of Sullivan County Pennsylvania with Municipal and Township Labels.png
Map of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).

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Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Sullivan County:

Boroughs

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Townships

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Unincorporated communities

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Population ranking

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The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Sullivan County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 Dushore Borough 608
2 Laporte Borough 316
3 Forksville Borough 145
4 Eagles Mere Borough 120

See also

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References

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Template:NotelistTemplate:Reflist

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Template:Sullivan County, Pennsylvania Template:Pennsylvania Template:Authority control

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