Everything about Somerset County Pennsylvania totally explained
Somerset County is a
county located in the
state of
Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 80,023. Somerset County was created on April 17, 1795 from part of
Bedford County and named for
Somerset,
United Kingdom. Its
county seat is
Somerset. It is part of the
Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,081
square miles (2,800
km²), of which, 1,075 square miles (2,783 km²) of it's land and 7 square miles (17 km²) of it (0.60%) is water.
Somerset County is one of the snowiest inhabited locations in the United States, with parts of the county averaging 200+ inches of snow each winter. The county's elevation above sea level relative to surrounding areas causes snow from both Atlantic Ocean Nor'easters and Great Lakes lake effect to fall from October through early April. Snow has been recorded in Somerset County in every month except July, although local lore has it that even July saw snow in 1816, "the year without a summer."
Adjacent counties
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 80,023 people, 31,222 households, and 22,042 families residing in the county. The
population density was 74 people per square mile (29/km²). There were 37,163 housing units at an average density of 35 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.39%
White, 1.59%
Black or
African American, 0.08%
Native American, 0.21%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander, 0.31% from
other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race. 41.5% were of
German, 10.4%
American, 7.4%
Italian, 6.4%
Irish, 6.4%
Polish and 5.8%
English ancestry according to
Census 2000.
There were 31,222 households out of which 29.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were
married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% 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 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.
Recent history
Somerset County gained worldwide attention in 2001 when a hijacked airliner,
United Airlines Flight 93, crashed near the town of
Shanksville in the
September 11 Terrorist Attacks. (See
USS Somerset, a
U.S. Navy warship which is to be named in commemoration of the Flight 93 tragedy).
Less than a year later, in July 2002, Somerset County again made worldwide news when nine
coal miners were rescued from several hundred feet underground from the
Quecreek mine after an intense multi-day struggle.
In April 2004, the
Pentagon credited
Joseph Darby of
Jenners, Somerset County, as the lone soldier who came forward to halt and expose the
Abu Ghraib prisoner-of-war abuse scandal in
Baghdad,
Iraq.
Somerset County in Arts and Literature
Nineteenth century poet
James Whitcomb Riley, the "Hoosier Poet", immortalized Somerset County and its bucolic countryside in his poem "'Mongst the Hills of Somerset". The poem's opening line is the unforgettable "'Mongst the hills of Somerset, I wish I were a'roamin' yet."
The Mountain Playhouse in
Jennerstown, Pennsylvania was one of the nation's first "summer-stock" theatres. The Mountain Playhouse has maintained a full schedule of live theatre productions nightly from May through October each year for the last sixty years.
Municipalities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:
cities,
boroughs,, and, in at most two cases,
towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Somerset County:
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the
U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other
unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
Census-designated places
Davidsville
Friedens
Jerome
Other Unincorporated Communities
Jenners
Springs
Education
Public School Districts
Berlin Brothersvalley School District
Conemaugh Township Area School District
Meyersdale Area School District
North Star School District
Rockwood Area School District
Salisbury-Elk Lick School District
Shade-Central City School District
Shanksville-Stonycreek School District
Somerset Area School District
Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District
Windber Area School District
Recreation
There are 4 Pennsylvania state parks in Somerset County.
Kooser State Park
Laurel Hill State Park
Laurel Mountain State Park
Laurel Ridge State ParkFurther Information
Get more info on 'Somerset County Pennsylvania'.
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