- Harrisburg; 48,540
- 46,055 square miles (119,283 square kilometers)
- Per Capita Income:
- U.S. $31,663
- Date Statehood Achieved:
- December 12, 1787
In 1681 William Penn, an English Quaker, received a royal proprietorship to what became Pennsylvania. Almost a century later, his capital, Philadelphia, witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the framing of the U.S. Constitution. European immigrants, many of them iron- and steelworkers, founded trade unions that evolved into the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). German, Slav, and Italian neighborhoods enliven Pittsburgh today.
Still heavily industrialized, Pennsylvania produces much of the nation's steel, but retail, manufacturing, and other services employ more workers.
- Industry: Machinery, printing and publishing, forest products, metal products
- Agriculture: Dairy products, poultry and eggs, mushrooms, cattle, hogs, grains
—Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition
This might be the prettiest-named ugly place in the America.
This Pennsylvania city compliments its rich history with must-visit museums and an authentic downtown.
See trip details for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, one of our best family trips from National Geographic.
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