Mifflin County, Pennsylvania

Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County Courthouse
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded	September 19, 1789
Seat	Lewistown
Largest city	Lewistown
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	415 sq mi (1,075 km²) 413 sq mi (1,070 km²) 3 sq mi (8 km²), 0.66%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	46,682 113/sq mi (43.6/km²)
Website	www.co.mifflin.pa.us

Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown^[1]. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.

Geography

Mifflin County is located in, and has its boundaries defined by, the Ridge-and Valley Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania. US Route 322, a major divided highway, connects the county to the rest of the state on its route between Harrisburg and State College. US Route 522 also connects the county to the rest of the state on its route between Selinsgrove and Mount Union.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 415 square miles (1,074 km²), of which 412 square miles (1,067 km²) is land and 3 square miles (7 km²) (0.66%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Centre County (north)
• Union County (northeast)
• Snyder County (east)
• Juniata County (southeast)
• Huntingdon County (west)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	7,562		—
1800	13,609		80.0%
1810	12,132		−10.9%
1820	16,618		37.0%
1830	21,690		30.5%
1840	13,092		−39.6%
1850	14,980		14.4%
1860	16,340		9.1%
1870	17,508		7.1%
1880	19,577		11.8%
1890	19,996		2.1%
1900	23,160		15.8%
1910	27,785		20.0%
1920	31,439		13.2%
1930	40,335		28.3%
1940	42,993		6.6%
1950	43,691		1.6%
1960	44,348		1.5%
1970	45,268		2.1%
1980	46,908		3.6%
1990	46,197		−1.5%
2000	46,486		0.6%
2010	46,682		0.4%
[2][3]

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 46,486 people, 18,413 households, and 12,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile (44/km²). There were 20,745 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile (19/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.53% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.8% were of German, 19.2% American, 8.0% Irish and 7.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 5.7% report speaking Pennsylvania German, Dutch, or German at home.[1]

There were 18,413 households out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

Dialect, Accent, and Language

The dominant form of speech in Mifflin County is the Central Pennsylvania accent. Almost everyone in Mifflin County speaks English. The Amish and some Mennonites speak Pennsylvania German also known as Pennsylvania Dutch, a West Central German dialect, which is very remote from modern Standard German. The Amish and Mennonites also can speak English. Few non-Amish or Mennonites in Mifflin County today speak Pennsylvania German, but this was not true in the past.

Sports Allegiances

Due to close proximity to State College, PA, the most popular college sports team in Mifflin County is the Penn State football team. In professional football, loyalties are divided between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. Almost all Steelers and Eagles games are available live on network television, as Mifflin County receives stations from both the Steelers and Eagles broadcasting territories, though Baltimore Ravens games are also available through Harrisburg-based stations. The most popular baseball teams are the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies.

Historically, football has been the most popular high school sport, but over the past decade, the most successful teams have been in boys and girls basketball^{[citation needed]}. In the past, high school wrestling was more popular than basketball. Although basketball is now more popular than wrestling, wrestling remains more popular in Mifflin County and in Central Pennsylvania in general than in most parts of the United States^{[citation needed]}.

In line with the nation, NASCAR also enjoys popularity in Mifflin County. Local dirt track races and drag races are widely attended on weekends.

Media

Radio Stations

AM Radio Stations

• WIEZ 670 AM- Lewistown
• WKVA 920 AM- Burnham

FM Radio Stations

• WJRC 90.9- Lewistown
• WMRF 95.7- Lewistown
• WVNW 96.7- Burnham
• WCHX 105.5- Burnham

Television

Mifflin County does not have a local television station but it is provided with local coverage from the following stations outside of the county:

• WHTM 27 Harrisburg (ABC)
• WPMT 43 York (FOX)
• WHP 21 Harrisburg (CBS)
• WGAL 8 Lancaster (NBC)
• WLYH 15 Lancaster (CW)

Newspapers

• Lewistown Sentinel
• County Observer

Economy

Major Employers

• Philips
• Lewistown Hospital
• Standard Steel
• Buckell Plastics
• Trinity Packaging
• Marlette Homes
• Asher’s Chocolates (Formerly Goss Candies)
• Walmart
• Lowe’s
• Mifflin County School District

Map of Mifflin County Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Education

Public School Districts

Most of the county is served by the Mifflin County School District, with the exception of Wayne Township and the boroughs of Newton-Hamilton and Kistler, which are part of the Mount Union Area School District.

• Mifflin County School District
• Mount Union Area School District

Head Start PreSchool Programs

Head Start is a federally and state funded preschool program for low income children. The program serves 3 and 4 year olds. In order to participate the family income must be below federal poverty guidelines.

• Coleman Head Start Center^[5]
• McVeytown Head Start Center

Private Schools

• Sacred Heart provides a private, Catholic education until fifth grade.
• Belleville Mennonite School provides a Mennonite education from kindergarten through grade twelve.
• Mifflin County Christian Academy located in Decatur Township provides Christian Fundamentalist education from kindergarten through grade twelve as well as day care.
• Beth-El Christian Day School located in Belleville, PA provide a Christian Fundamentalist education from kindergarten through grade twelve.

Colleges & Universities

Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technology Center located in Lewistown provides post high school degrees in nursing, auto mechanics and electrical services and numerous other technology driven careers.
The Lewistown branch of the South Hills School of Business and Technology offers associates degrees and other certifications in various areas of business, technology, and some health care.

The Penn State Learning Center in Lewistown offers both two-year and four-year degrees. Recently, the Learning Center opened a state-of-the-art science lab to be used by students attending the Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing.

Harrisburg Area Community College now offers some classes at Lewistown Area High School.

Municipalities

Map of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

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

Boroughs

Burnham Juniata Terrace Kistler

Lewistown McVeytown Newton Hamilton

Townships

Armagh Township Bratton Township Brown Township Decatur Township Derry Township

Granville Township Menno Township Oliver Township Union Township Wayne Township

Census-designated places

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.

Belleville Highland Park Milroy

Reedsville Yeagertown

See also

• List of municipal authorities in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania

References

1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
2. ^ http://factfinder2.census.gov
3. ^ http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/
4. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
5. ^ Snyder, Union, Mifflin Child Development Report. Feb 2010

External links

• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division, "2005 General Highway Map of Juniata and Mifflin Counties". Note: shows boroughs, townships, roads, villages, some streams. URL accessed on April 5, 2006.
• JuniataRiverValley.org Note: Visitor Bureau

Coordinates: 40°37′N 77°37′W / 40.61°N 77.62°W / 40.61; -77.62