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92-713: Germantown Pike (also known as Germantown Avenue for a portion of its length) is a historic road in Pennsylvania that opened in 1687, running from Philadelphia northwest to Collegeville . The road is particularly notable for the "imposing mansions" that existed in the Germantown neighborhood in Philadelphia. The road was left in ruins after the British destroyed it in the Revolutionary War during
184-984: A Farmer in Pennsylvania, To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies , which were published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle between December 2, 1767, and February 15, 1768. When the Founding Fathers convened in Philadelphia in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress . The Second Continental Congress , which began in May 1775, authored and signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, but when Philadelphia fell to
276-766: A century, the Pennsylvania General Assembly met at various places in the Philadelphia area before it began meeting regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years. However, events such as the Paxton Boys massacres of 1763 had made the legislature aware of the need for a central capital. In 1799, the General Assembly moved to the Lancaster Courthouse. The Pennsylvania General Assembly met in
368-467: A city street that runs south-southeast through urban areas of homes and businesses, passing to the east of Temple University Hospital and intersecting the southern terminus of Old York Road . The road passes under Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor and heads into the Fairhill neighborhood, where it curves to the south. Germantown Avenue turns to the southeast and the former Route 23 trolley tracks split to
460-575: A four-lane divided highway and passes under Norfolk Southern 's Morrisville Line before it heads into commercial areas, narrowing to a two-lane undivided road at the Chemical Road intersection. The road turns southeast and comes to an offset junction with Butler Pike in the community of Plymouth Meeting . Past here, Germantown Pike heads into Whitemarsh Township and runs through suburban residential areas with some businesses, passing southwest of Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School before heading to
552-523: A four-lane divided highway as it comes to an intersection with Sandy Hill Road to the southwest of Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth . At this point, Germantown Pike becomes State Route 3053 (SR 3053), an unsigned quadrant route . Germantown Pike turns into a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane and heads south through commercial areas. Past the Hickory Road intersection, the road becomes a six-lane divided highway and passes businesses as it heads to
644-520: A grant that incorporated all lands included in the original Virginia Company of Plymouth Grant and other lands. This grant was in conflict with the Dutch claim for New Netherland , which included parts of today's Pennsylvania. On June 24, 1664, the Duke of York sold the portion of his large grant that included present-day New Jersey to John Berkeley and George Carteret for a proprietary colony. The land
736-451: A heavy snowstorm, presumably because of a faulty flue . The General Assembly met at a nearby Methodist Church until a new capitol could be built. Following an architectural selection contest, Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb was asked to design and build a replacement building. However, the legislature had little money to allocate to the project. When they dubbed the roughly finished, somewhat industrial Cobb Capitol building complete,
828-515: A hill and gains a second westbound lane. Upon crossing Trooper Road, the roadway enters East Norriton Township and turns into a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane , passing more suburban development. The road curves to the east-southeast and becomes a two-lane road. After crossing Whitehall Road, Germantown Pike becomes a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane and passes between Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital to
920-457: A leader in technology and healthcare. Similarly, Philadelphia has a concentration of university expertise. Healthcare, retail, transportation, and tourism are some of the state's growing industries of the postindustrial era. As in the rest of the nation, most residential population growth has occurred in suburban rather than central city areas, although both major cities have had significant revitalization in their downtown areas. Philadelphia anchors
1012-420: A mix of farm fields and wooded residential areas, heading to the south of Methacton High School . The road turns to the southeast and passes through wooded suburban neighborhoods before coming to an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 363 (PA 363) in a commercial area in the community of Fairview Village . Germantown Pike continues through a mix of residential and commercial development as it descends
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#17328016680451104-727: A vital and historic role in the American Revolution and the ultimately successful quest for independence from the British Empire , hosting the First and Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia , which formed the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander in 1775, and unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence the following year. On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania
1196-518: A wooded area. From here, Germantown Avenue heads into the Mount Airy neighborhood, where it passes a mix of homes and businesses in the neighborhood. Farther southeast, the road comes to an intersection with Washington Lane, where SR 4007 splits southwest along Washington Lane and Germantown Avenue becomes SR 4005. Germantown Avenue continues into the Germantown neighborhood and passes more urban residential and commercial development, heading through
1288-849: Is in Duncannon in Perry County . According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 12,691 homeless people in Pennsylvania. Among Pennsylvania residents, as of 2020, nearly three out of four, 74.5%, are native to the state and were born in Pennsylvania, 18.4% were born in a different U.S. state, 1.5% were born in Puerto Rico , U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 5.6% were foreign born. Foreign-born Pennsylvanians are largely from Asia (36.0%), Europe (35.9%), and Latin America (30.6%) with
1380-464: Is the fifth-most populated state in the U.S. after California , Texas , Florida , and New York . In 2019, net migration to other states resulted in a decrease of 27,718, and immigration from other countries resulted in an increase of 127,007. Net migration to Pennsylvania was 98,289. Migration of native Pennsylvanians resulted in a decrease of 100,000 people. 7.2% of the population was foreign-born as of 2021. Pennsylvania's center of population
1472-471: Is the southeastern Delaware Valley , which includes and surrounds Philadelphia, the state's largest and nation's sixth-most populous city. The second-largest metropolitan area, Greater Pittsburgh , is centered in and around Pittsburgh , the state's second-largest city. The state's subsequent five most populous cities are Allentown , Reading , Erie , Scranton , and Bethlehem . Pennsylvania's history of human habitation extends thousands of years before
1564-805: The British in the Philadelphia campaign , the Continental Congress moved west, where it met at the Lancaster courthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and then to York . In York, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation , largely authored by Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson, that formed 13 independent States into a new union. Later, the Constitution was written, and Philadelphia
1656-854: The Delaware River in the east and the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania. The second tribe, the Susquehannock , spoke an Iroquoian language and were based in Western Pennsylvania from New York state in the north to West Virginia in the southwest, including the Susquehanna, Allegheny , and Monongahela rivers near present-day Pittsburgh . European disease and constant warfare with several neighboring tribes and groups of Europeans weakened these two tribes, and they were grossly outpaced financially as
1748-482: The Delaware River to the east, 80°31' W to the west, and the 42° N to the north, except for a short segment on the western end where a triangle extends north to Lake Erie . The state has five geographical regions: Allegheny Plateau , Ridge and Valley , Atlantic Coastal Plain , Piedmont , and Erie Plain . Pennsylvania's diverse topography produces a variety of climates, though the entire state experiences cold winters and humid summers. Straddling two major zones,
1840-681: The Dominican Republic , China , Mexico , and Vietnam . Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth is a baseball stadium in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania . It is the home field of the college baseball team of Villanova University , the Wildcats . The stadium holds 750 spectators. Prior to the venue's construction, Villanova played on campus at McGeehan Field until 1998 and at Richie Ashburn Field from 1999 to 2002. This article about
1932-554: The Fishtown neighborhood. Here, the road crosses Girard Avenue , which carries SEPTA's Route 15 trolley line. Following this, Germantown Avenue continues southeast past urban development and reaches its terminus at an intersection with Front Street and Laurel Street underneath I-95 and SEPTA's Market–Frankford Line . What is now Germantown Pike was originally a cart road dating back to 1687 that ran from Philadelphia northwest to Germantown and Plymouth Meeting. The Germantown Pike
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#17328016680452024-884: The Hurons and Iroquois blocked them from proceeding west into Ohio during the Beaver Wars . As they lost numbers and land, the Hurons abandoned much of their western territory and moved closer to the Susquehanna River, and the Iroquois and Mohawk tribes moved further north. Northwest of the Allegheny River was the Iroquoian Petun , who were fragmented into three groups during the Beaver Wars:
2116-534: The Nicetown–Tioga neighborhood, passing urban areas of homes and businesses and crossing under US 1 (Roosevelt Expressway). Germantown Avenue runs through urban development and passes over Conrail Shared Assets Operations ' Richmond Industrial Track immediately before coming to an intersection with US 13 (Hunting Park Avenue). The road continues southeast and reaches an intersection with PA 611 ( Broad Street ) and Erie Avenue. From here, Germantown Avenue becomes
2208-896: The Northeast megalopolis and is associated with the Northeastern United States . Pittsburgh is part of the Great Lakes megalopolis and is often associated with the Rust Belt . During the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States , the small town of Shanksville, Pennsylvania , received worldwide attention after United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township , located 1.75 miles (2.82 km) north of
2300-476: The Perkiomen Creek into the borough of Collegeville . From here, Germantown Pike heads east as a two-lane undivided county road, passing a mix of fields and commercial development as it passes south of a factory. The road passes a mix of homes and businesses in the community of Evansburg before it heads into forested areas of Evansburg State Park and crosses Skippack Creek . Germantown Pike curves to
2392-517: The Secretary of War under President Abraham Lincoln . Control of the machine was subsequently passed on to Cameron's son J. Donald Cameron , whose ineffectiveness resulted in a transfer of power to the more shrewd Matthew Quay and finally to Boies Penrose . The post-Civil War era, known as the Gilded Age , saw the continued rise of industry in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was home to some of
2484-791: The Spanish–American War . Pennsylvania was an important industrial center in World War I , and the state provided over 300,000 soldiers for the military. On May 31, 1918, the Pittsburgh Agreement was signed in Pittsburgh to declare the formation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia with future Czechoslovak president Tomáš Masaryk . In 1922, 310,000 Pennsylvania miners joined the UMW General coal strike , which lasted 163 days and shut down most coal mines within
2576-594: The U.S. Highway System was created in 1926; US 120 was designated concurrent with PA 13 . In 1927, US 422 replaced the US 120/PA 13 designation along this stretch of Germantown Pike. In the 1930s, Germantown Pike and Germantown Avenue between Church Road in Barren Hill and Chew Street in Philadelphia was signed as part of US 422 Byp. while US 309 was cosigned with US 422 Byp. along Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia between Bethlehem Pike and Allens Lane. Germantown Pike
2668-734: The United States . Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km) of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary . Of the original Thirteen Colonies , Pennsylvania is the only state that does not border the Atlantic Ocean . The boundaries of the state are the Mason–Dixon line (39°43' N) to the south, Twelve-Mile Circle on the Pennsylvania- Delaware border,
2760-523: The United States . It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryland to its south, West Virginia to its southwest, Ohio and the Ohio River to its west, Lake Erie and New York to its north, the Delaware River and New Jersey to its east, and the Canadian province of Ontario to its northwest via Lake Erie . Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 through a royal land grant to William Penn ,
2852-609: The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia . The university, one of nine colonial colleges , was the first college established in Pennsylvania and one of the first in the nation. Today, it is an Ivy League university, which is routinely ranked among the world's best universities. Dickinson College in Carlisle , founded by Benjamin Rush and named after John Dickinson, was the first college founded after Revolutionary War and
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2944-624: The county commission and freedom of religion , which were subsequently replicated in many of the Thirteen Colonies . What had been Upland on the Pennsylvania side of the Pennsylvania-Delaware border was renamed Chester County when Pennsylvania instituted its colonial governments on March 4, 1681. Penn signed a peace treaty with Tamanend , leader of the Lenape, which began a long period of friendly relations between
3036-509: The seventh-largest metropolitan area in the country and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, and Pittsburgh is the center of the nation's 27th-largest metropolitan areas. As of 2020, the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania is the nation's 69th-largest metropolitan area. Pennsylvania also has six additional metropolitan areas that rank among the nation's 200-most populous metropolitan areas. Philadelphia forms part of
3128-691: The 15th U.S. president and was the first president to be born in Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg , the major turning point of the American Civil War , took place near Gettysburg in July 1863. An estimated 350,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union Army forces, including 8,600 African American military volunteers . The politics of Pennsylvania were for decades dominated by the financially conservative Republican -aligned Cameron machine , established by U.S. Senator Simon Cameron , later
3220-558: The 1777 Battle of Germantown , and was not rebuilt until 1809. Portions of Germantown Pike were signed as U.S. Route 422 (US 422) before the latter was rerouted along a freeway alignment to King of Prussia . Germantown Pike begins at an intersection with Ridge Pike in Lower Providence Township , Montgomery County a short distance east of the Perkiomen Bridge that carries Ridge Pike over
3312-553: The 45th President of the United States Donald Trump occurred. Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west. Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km ), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km ) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km ) are inland waters, and 749 square miles (1,940 km ) are waters in Lake Erie . It is the 33rd-largest state in
3404-428: The 48 states. The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard served as an important naval base, and Pennsylvania produced important military leaders, including George C. Marshall , Hap Arnold , Jacob Devers , and Carl Spaatz . During the war, over a million Pennsylvanians served in the armed forces, and more Medals of Honor were awarded to Pennsylvanians than to individuals from any other state. The Three Mile Island accident
3496-516: The Americas began, at least two major Native American tribes inhabited Pennsylvania. The first, the Lenape , spoke an Algonquian language and inhabited the eastern region of the state, then known as Lenapehoking . It included most of present-day New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley and Delaware Valley regions in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. The Lenape's territory ended somewhere between
3588-746: The Dutch began settling the Delmarva Peninsula by establishing the Zwaanendael Colony on the site of present-day Lewes, Delaware . In 1638, Sweden established the New Sweden Colony in the region of Fort Christina on the site of present-day Wilmington, Delaware . New Sweden claimed and, for the most part, controlled the lower Delaware River region, including parts of present-day Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, but settled few colonists there. On March 12, 1664, King Charles II of England gave James, Duke of York
3680-427: The General Assembly refused to occupy the building. In 1901, political and popular indignation prompted a second contest that was restricted to Pennsylvania architects; Joseph Miller Huston of Philadelphia was chosen to design the present Pennsylvania State Capitol that incorporated Cobb's building into a magnificent public work, finished and dedicated in 1907. James Buchanan , a Franklin County native, served as
3772-409: The Netherlands confirmed the English conquest on July 21, 1667, although there were temporary reversions. On September 12, 1672, during the Third Anglo-Dutch War , the Dutch reconquered New York Colony / New Amsterdam , establishing three County Courts, which went on to become original Counties in present-day Delaware and Pennsylvania. The one that later transferred to Pennsylvania was Upland. This
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3864-439: The Petun of New York, the Wyandot of Ohio, and the Tiontatecaga of the Kanawha River in southern West Virginia. South of the Allegheny River was a nation known as Calicua, which may have been part of the Monongahela culture . In the 17th century, the Dutch and the English each claimed both sides of the Delaware River as part of their colonial lands in America. The Dutch were the first to take possession. By June 3, 1631,
3956-563: The Quakers and the Indians. Additional treaties between Quakers and other tribes followed. The Treaty of Shackamaxon of William Penn was never violated. Between 1730 and when the Pennsylvania Colony was shut down by Parliament with the Currency Act in 1764, the Pennsylvania Colony made its own paper money to account for the shortage of actual gold and silver. The paper money was called Colonial Scrip . The Colony issued bills of credit, which were as good as gold or silver coins because of their legal tender status. Since they were issued by
4048-487: The US 202 intersection, Germantown Pike becomes undivided and heads past more businesses, gaining a center left-turn lane as it passes southwest of an office park. Upon crossing Arch Road, Germantown Pike enters Plymouth Township and becomes a four-lane undivided road, heading southeast through suburban residential areas and passing through the community of Plymouth Valley . The road turns south and then southeast as it passes homes and some commercial establishments, becoming
4140-447: The US 422 designation from Germantown Pike and Germantown Avenue. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania ( / ˌ p ɛ n s ɪ l ˈ v eɪ n i ə / PEN -sil- VAY -nee-ə , lit. ' Penn's forest country ' ), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Pennsilfaani ), is a U.S. state spanning the Mid-Atlantic , Northeastern , Appalachian , and Great Lakes regions of
4232-429: The city's population as of 2000. In the 20th century, as Pennsylvania's historical national and even global leadership in mining largely ceased and its steelmaking and other heavy manufacturing sectors slowed, the state sought to grow its service and other industries to replace the jobs and economic productivity lost from the downturn of these industries. Pittsburgh's concentration of universities has enabled it to be
4324-420: The development of labor unions helped them gain living wages. However, the rise of unions also led to a rise of union busting with several private police forces springing up. Pennsylvania was the location of the first documented organized strike in North America, and Pennsylvania was the location of two hugely prominent strikes, the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and the Coal Strike of 1902 . The eight-hour day
4416-421: The downtown area of Germantown at the Chelten Avenue intersection. From here, the road continues southeast through more urban areas in the Germantown neighborhood. Germantown Avenue curves south and passes under SEPTA's Chestnut Hill East Line and Main Line and over CSX's Trenton Subdivision northeast of the Wayne Junction station serving the SEPTA lines. From here, the sett surface ends and road heads into
4508-432: The earliest known signs of human activity in Pennsylvania and perhaps all of North America, including the remains of a civilization that existed over 10,000 years ago and possibly pre-dated the Clovis culture . By 1000 CE, in contrast to their nomadic hunter-gatherer ancestors , the native population of Pennsylvania had developed agricultural techniques and a mixed food economy. By the time European colonization of
4600-417: The fifth and currently the sixth-largest city after decades of being among the top three. After 1990, as information-based industries became more important in the economy, state and local governments put more resources into the old, well-established public library system. Some localities, however, used new state funding to cut local taxes. New ethnic groups, especially Hispanics and Latinos , began entering
4692-463: The first. At the time, Pennsylvania was the most ethnically and religiously diverse of the thirteen colonies. Because a third of Pennsylvania's population spoke German , the Constitution was presented in German so those citizens could participate in the discussion about it. Reverend Frederick Muhlenberg , a Lutheran minister and the first Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives , acted as chairman of Pennsylvania's ratifying convention. For half
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#17328016680454784-448: The foundation of the colonial Province of Pennsylvania in 1681. Archaeologists believe the first settlement of the Americas occurred at least 15,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Period , though it is unclear when humans first inhabited present-day Pennsylvania. Between 10,000 and 16,000 years ago, Native Americans crossed the two continents, arriving in North America . Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Jefferson Township includes
4876-515: The government and not a banking institution, they were interest-free, largely defraying the expense of the government and therefore taxation of the people. It also promoted general employment and prosperity, since the government used discretion and did not issue excessive amounts that inflated the currency. Benjamin Franklin had a hand in creating this currency, whose utility, he said, was never to be disputed. The currency also met with "cautious approval" by Adam Smith . In 1740, Franklin also founded
4968-433: The land be called New Wales, but there were objections to that name, so he recommended Sylvania (from the Latin silva : "forest, woods"). The King named it Pennsylvania (literally "Penn's Woods") in honor of Admiral Penn. The younger Penn was embarrassed at this name, fearing that people would think he had named it after himself, but King Charles would not rename the grant. Penn established a government with two innovations,
5060-567: The largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Heinz Company was also founded during this period. These huge companies exercised a large influence on the politics of Pennsylvania; as Henry Demarest Lloyd put it, oil baron John D. Rockefeller "had done everything with the Pennsylvania legislature except refine it". Pennsylvania created a Department of Highways and engaged in a vast program of road-building, while railroads continued to see heavy usage. The growth of industry eventually provided middle class incomes to working-class households after
5152-399: The largest steel companies in the world. Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Steel Company in Pittsburgh and Charles M. Schwab founded Bethlehem Steel in Bethlehem . Other titans of industry, including John D. Rockefeller and Jay Gould , also operated in Pennsylvania. In the latter half of the 19th century, the U.S. oil industry was born in Western Pennsylvania , which supplied
5244-417: The majority of the state, except for the southeastern corner, has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ). The southern portion of the state has a humid subtropical climate. The largest city, Philadelphia , has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ). Summers are generally hot and humid. Moving toward the mountainous interior of the state, the winter climate becomes colder,
5336-435: The north and Norristown Farm Park to the south. The road loses the center turn lane heads into residential areas with some commercial establishments, crossing CSX 's Stony Creek Branch at-grade. Germantown Pike becomes a four-lane divided highway and passes businesses, crossing Swede Road in the community of Penn Square . The road continues southeast through commercial areas and comes to an intersection with US 202 . Past
5428-442: The north-central region with York , Carlisle , and the state capital Harrisburg on the Susquehanna River in the east-central region of the state. Altoona and Johnstown are in the state's west-central region. The state's three-most populated cities, in order of size, are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. As of the 2020 U.S. census , Pennsylvania had a population of 13,011,844, up from 12,702,379 in 2010. Pennsylvania
5520-415: The northeast of a golf course. The road crosses Joshua Road in the community of Lafayette Hill and continues past a mix of homes and businesses. Germantown Pike makes a turn to the east at the Church Road intersection and heads through wooded residential areas, crossing into Springfield Township and curving southeast after passing south of a golf course. Upon crossing Northwestern Avenue, SR 3053 ends and
5612-627: The number of cloudy days increases, and snowfall amounts are greater. Western areas of the state, particularly locations near Lake Erie , can receive over 100 inches (250 cm) of snowfall annually, and the entire state receives plentiful precipitation throughout the year. The state may be subject to severe weather from spring through summer into autumn. Tornadoes occur annually in the state, sometimes in large numbers, such as 30 recorded tornadoes in 2011; generally speaking, these tornadoes do not cause significant damage. Cities in Pennsylvania include Philadelphia , Reading , Lebanon , and Lancaster in
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#17328016680455704-473: The old Dauphin County Court House until December 1821 when the Federal -style Hills Capitol, named for Lancaster architect Stephen Hills , was constructed on a hilltop land grant of four acres set aside for a seat of state government in Harrisburg by the son and namesake of John Harris, Sr. , a Yorkshire native who founded a trading post and ferry on the east shore of the Susquehanna River in 1705. The Hills Capitol burned down on February 2, 1897, during
5796-429: The remainder from Africa (5%), North America (3.1%), and Oceania (0.4%). The state's largest ancestry groups, expressed as a percentage of total people who responded with a particular ancestry for the 2010 census, were German 28.5%, Irish 18.2%, Italian 12.8%, African Americans 9.6%, English 8.5%, Polish 7.2%, and French 4.2%. As of 2018, the top countries of origin for Pennsylvania's immigrants were India ,
5888-403: The road heads into the city of Philadelphia in Philadelphia County as Germantown Avenue, a two-lane undivided city street. The road heads into the Chestnut Hill neighborhood and passes southwest of Chestnut Hill College before heading into forested areas of Wissahickon Valley Park and crossing Wissahickon Creek . Germantown Avenue curves east and continues through wooded areas, passing to
5980-429: The road in 1804. In 1870, the Germantown and Perkiomen Turnpike Company was taken over by the city of Philadelphia and the tolls were removed. When Pennsylvania first legislated routes in 1911, the portion of Germantown Pike between Sandy Hill Road in Plymouth Meeting and Philadelphia was designated as Legislative Route 145. The portion of Germantown Pike from Sandy Hill Road to Philadelphia was designated as US 120 when
6072-416: The son of the state's namesake . Prior to that, between 1638 and 1655, a southeast portion of the state was part of New Sweden , a Swedish Empire colony. Established as a haven for religious and political tolerance, the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania was known for its relatively peaceful relations with native tribes, innovative government system , and religious pluralism . Pennsylvania played
6164-483: The south of Morris Arboretum . The road turns southeast and gains a second eastbound lane as it passes southwest of the Woodmere Art Museum , narrowing to two lanes at the Bells Mill Road intersection. Germantown Avenue passes through wooded residential areas and passes to the southwest of Chestnut Hill Hospital. The road heads into the downtown area of Chestnut Hill and passes south of SEPTA 's Chestnut Hill Bus Loop, where Germantown Avenue becomes surfaced with sett and
6256-500: The south to follow 10th and 11th streets. The road continues southeast through urban areas as a two-lane street, where Germantown Avenue becomes discontinuous between Norris Street and Berks Street due to a shopping center. From here, Germantown Avenue resumes and runs south-southeast through urban residential and commercial areas, crossing Cecil B. Moore Avenue . The road becomes one-way westbound between 4th Street and Thompson Street. Germantown Avenue becomes two-way again and heads into
6348-445: The southeast and becomes the border between Lower Providence Township to the southwest and Skippack Township to the northeast as it leaves the state park and passes through the community of Providence Square . At this point, the road becomes the border between Lower Providence Township to the southwest and Worcester Township to the northeast before curving east-southeast to fully enter Worcester Township. Germantown Pike passes through
6440-404: The southeast, Pittsburgh in the southwest, and the tri-cities of Allentown , Bethlehem , and Easton in the central east, known as the Lehigh Valley . The northeast includes the former anthracite coal mining cities of Scranton , Wilkes-Barre , Pittston , Nanticoke , and Hazleton . Erie is located in the northwest. State College is located in the central region. Williamsport is in
6532-439: The state is forested . While it has no ocean shoreline, it has 140 miles (225 km) of waterfront along Lake Erie and the tidal Delaware River. Pennsylvania is the fifth-most populous state in the United States , with over 13 million residents as of the 2020 United States census . The state is the 33rd-largest by area and has the ninth-highest population density among all states. The largest metropolitan statistical area
6624-581: The state to fill low-skill jobs in agriculture and service industries. For example, in Chester County , Mexican immigrants brought the Spanish language , increased Catholicism , high birth rates, and cuisine when they were hired as agricultural laborers; in some rural localities, they made up half or more of the population. Stateside Puerto Ricans built a large community in the state's third-largest city, Allentown , where they comprise over 40% of
6716-579: The state's manufacturing-based economy contributed to the development of much of the nation's early infrastructure, including key bridges, skyscrapers , and military hardware used in U.S.-led victories in World War I , World War II , and the Cold War . Pennsylvania's geography is highly diverse. The Appalachian Mountains run through the center of the state; the Allegheny and Pocono mountains span much of Northeastern Pennsylvania ; close to 60% of
6808-827: The state. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge established the Allegheny National Forest under the authority of the Weeks Act of 1911. The forest is located in the northwest part of the state in Elk , Forest , McKean , and Warren Counties for the purposes of timber production and watershed protection in the Allegheny River basin. The Allegheny is the state's only national forest. Pennsylvania manufactured 6.6 percent of total U.S. military armaments produced during World War II , ranking sixth among
6900-534: The state." The ensuing hostilities became known as Pontiac's War . After the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, delegate John Dickinson of Philadelphia wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances . The Congress was the first meeting of the Thirteen Colonies , which convened at the request of the Massachusetts assembly; nine of the 13 colonies sent delegates. Dickinson then wrote Letters from
6992-549: The town. All 40 civilians and 4 Al-Qaeda hijackers on board were killed. The hijackers had intended to crash the plane into either the United States Capitol or The White House . After learning from family members via air phone of the earlier attacks on the World Trade Center , however, Flight 93's passengers revolted against the hijackers and fought for control of the plane, causing it to crash. It
7084-533: The unification of the states. Established in 1773, it was ratified on September 9, 1783, five days after the Treaty of Paris . James Smith wrote that in 1763, "the Indians again commenced hostilities, and were busily engaged in killing and scalping the frontier inhabitants in various parts of Pennsylvania. This state was then a Quaker government, and at the first of this war the frontiers received no assistance from
7176-498: The unused tracks of SEPTA's former Route 23 trolley (now a bus route) begin to follow the road. Germantown Avenue comes to an intersection with the southern terminus of Bethlehem Pike , where it becomes part of SR 4007. The road passes to the north of Chestnut Hill West station , which serves as the terminus of SEPTA's Chestnut Hill West Line , and continues southeast through downtown Chestnut Hill. Germantown Avenue crosses Cresheim Creek and passes under an abandoned railroad line in
7268-516: The vast majority of kerosene for years thereafter. As the Pennsylvania oil rush developed, Pennsylvania's oil boom towns, such as Titusville , rose and later fell. Coal mining, primarily in the state's Coal Region in the northeast region of the state, also was a major industry for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1903, Milton S. Hershey began construction on a chocolate factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania ; The Hershey Company grew to become
7360-789: The west of the Plymouth Meeting Mall . Germantown Pike crosses Plymouth Road in the community of Hickorytown and reaches the Mid-County Interchange, where it comes to the Norristown interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike ( Interstate 276 , I-276) that also provides access to northbound I-476 ( Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension ) before a partial interchange with I-476 that provides access to southbound I-476 and access from northbound I-476. Following this, Germantown Pike becomes
7452-593: Was built as a turnpike by the Germantown and Perkiomen Turnpike Company, with construction on the road beginning in 1801. The turnpike began at 3rd and Vine streets in Philadelphia and continued northwest to the east end of the Perkiomen Bridge in Collegeville, with milestones making the distance from Philadelphia along the road. The Germantown and Perkiomen Turnpike Company completed construction of
7544-550: Was eventually adopted, and the coal and iron police were banned. At the beginning of the 20th century, Pennsylvania's economy centered on steel production, logging , coal mining , textile production, and other forms of industrial manufacturing . A surge in immigration to the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries provided a steady flow of cheap labor for these industries, which often employed children and people who could not speak English from Southern and Eastern Europe . Thousands of Pennsylvanians volunteered during
7636-710: Was not yet in British possession, but the sale boxed in the portion of New Netherland on the West side of the Delaware River. The British conquest of New Netherland began on August 29, 1664, when New Amsterdam was coerced to surrender while facing cannons on British ships in New York Harbor . The conquest was completed in October 1664, when the British captured Fort Casimir in what today is New Castle, Delaware . The Treaty of Breda between England, France, and
7728-543: Was once again chosen to be cradle to the new nation. The Constitution was drafted and signed at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, now known as Independence Hall , the same building where the Declaration of Independence was previously adopted and signed in 1776. On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania was the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution , five days after Delaware became
7820-556: Was partially reversed on February 9, 1674, when the Treaty of Westminster ended the Third Anglo-Dutch War and reverted all political situations to the status quo ante bellum . The British retained the Dutch Counties with their Dutch names. By June 11, 1674, New York reasserted control over the outlying colonies, including Upland, and the names started to be changed to British names by November 11, 1674. Upland
7912-439: Was partitioned on November 12, 1674, producing the general outline of the current border between Pennsylvania and Delaware. On February 28, 1681, Charles II granted a land charter to Quaker leader William Penn to repay a debt of £16,000 (around £2,100,000 in 2008, adjusting for retail inflation) owed to William's father. The transaction represents one of the largest land grants to an individual in history. Penn proposed that
8004-549: Was realigned off its former alignment through Norristown along Ridge Pike, Airy Street, and Sandy Hill Road and was realigned off Ridge Pike and Ridge Avenue into Philadelphia, replacing the US 422 Alt. designation. On May 23, 1984, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved realigning US 422 to a freeway alignment between east of Pottstown and US 202 in King of Prussia , removing
8096-414: Was removed, and US 422 switched alignments with US 422 Alt. east of Barren Hill; this resulted in US 422 Alt. being designated along Germantown Pike and Germantown Avenue between Church Road in Barren Hill and Washington Lane in Philadelphia. In the 1960s, US 422 was realigned to follow Germantown Pike and Germantown Avenue between Ridge Pike near Collegeville and Washington Lane in Philadelphia. The route
8188-441: Was the most significant nuclear accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history. The state was hard-hit by the decline and restructuring of the steel industry and other heavy industries during the late 20th century. With job losses came heavy population losses, especially in the state's largest cities. Pittsburgh lost its place among the top ten most populous cities in the United States by 1950, and Philadelphia dropped to
8280-657: Was the only one of the four aircraft hijacked that day that never reached its intended target and the heroism of the passengers has been commemorated. Since 2003, the Tekko anime convention has been held annually in Pittsburgh. In October 2018, the Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation , a conservative Jewish synagogue, experienced the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting , which resulted in 11 fatalities. On July 13, 2024, near Butler, Pennsylvania , an assassination attempt on
8372-576: Was the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution . In July 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg , fought over three days in and around Gettysburg , was the bloodiest and most decisive battle of the American Civil War , claiming over 50,000 Union and Confederate fatalities and repelling Robert E. Lee 's invasion of the North, leading to the Union's preservation . Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries,
8464-402: Was widened to a multilane road between Barren Hill and Philadelphia during the 1940s. In the 1940s, US 422 replaced the US 422 Byp. designation along the road while US 309 Truck was designated onto Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia between US 309 (Allens Lane) and US 1 Byp. / US 13 Byp. (Hunting Park Avenue). In the 1950s, US 309 was realigned off Germantown Avenue, the US 309 Truck designation
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