Williamsport, Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Williamsport, Pennsylvania | |
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| Nickname: Billtown, The Port | |
| Motto: Home of the Little League World Series | |
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  Williamsport, Pennsylvania
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| County | Lycoming |
| Settled | 1769 |
| Incorporated | 1806 (borough) |
| 1866 (city) | |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Gabe Campana |
| Area | |
| - Total | 9.5 sq mi (24.7 km²) |
| - Land | 8.9 sq mi (23.0 km²) |
| - Water | 0.7 sq mi (1.7 km²) |
| Elevation | 518 ft (158 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 30,706 |
| - Density | 3,456.3/sq mi (3,456.3/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code(s) | 570 |
| FIPS code | 42-85312[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1213655[2] |
| Website: City of Williamsport | |
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County,[3] Pennsylvania in the United States. The population was 30,706 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Williamsport-Lock Haven, Pennsylvania Combined Statistical Area.
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[edit] History
Williamsport was incorporated as a borough on March 1, 1806, and as a city on January 15, 1866. The city is the original home of Little League Baseball, founded in 1939 as a three-team league.
In the late 1800s Williamsport was known as "The Lumber Capital of the World" because of its thriving lumber industry. It also was the birthplace of the national newspaper Grit in 1882. Williamsport once had more millionaires per-capita than anywhere in the world. The area's local high school, the Williamsport Area High School, uses The Millionaires as its mascot.
[edit] City "firsts"
1778 - The first purpose built cemetery is opened on what is now the site of Calvary United Methodist Church on West Fourth Street.[4]
1786 - The first house was built in Williamsport. James Russell built his inn on what is now the corner of East Third and Mulberry Streets in downtown.[4]
1796 - The first recorded childbirth in Williamsport was James Russell the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Russell and grandson of James Russell of the Russell Inn.[4]
1796 - The first school is built as a one room log addition to the building that would eventually become the first Lycoming County Courthouse. Caleb Bailey was the first teacher.[4]
1799 - The first post office is built at the corner of Third and State Streets in what is now downtown. The post office was later converted to a saloon.[4]
1801 - The first store is opened by William Winter on Third Street.[4]
1849 - The first Market Street Bridge is built over the West Branch Susquehanna River. It was opened as a toll bridge to cover the state's costs of $23,797.[4]
1854 - The first brewery is opened. The brewery was sold to Henry Flock in 1865. This brewery was run by the Flock family until the 1940s. The Flock's business survived Prohibition by converting to a dairy.[4]
[edit] Geography and climate
Williamsport is located at (41.244428, -77.018738),[5] and is bordered by the West Branch Susquehanna River to the south (with Armstrong Township, South Williamsport, Duboistown and Susquehanna Township south of the river), Loyalsock Township to the east and north, Old Lycoming Township to the north and Woodward Township to the west. As the crow flies, Lycoming County is about 130 miles (209 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 165 miles (266 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.7 km²).8.9 square miles (23.0 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.7 km²) of it (6.92%) is water.[5]
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High °F | 69 | 71 | 87 | 92 | 96 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 102 | 91 | 83 | 69 |
| Norm High °F | 33.2 | 37.1 | 47.8 | 60.2 | 71.3 | 78.9 | 83.2 | 81.4 | 73.3 | 61.8 | 49 | 37.8 |
| Norm Low °F | 17.9 | 19.9 | 28.2 | 37.8 | 47.8 | 56.8 | 61.7 | 60.4 | 52.8 | 40.9 | 32.7 | 23.7 |
| Rec Low °F | -20 | -13 | -2 | 15 | 28 | 36 | 43 | 38 | 28 | 20 | 8 | -15 |
| Precip (in) | 2.85 | 2.61 | 3.21 | 3.49 | 3.79 | 4.45 | 4.08 | 3.38 | 3.98 | 3.19 | 3.62 | 2.94 |
| Source: USTravelWeather.com [1] | ||||||||||||
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 30,706 people, 12,219 households, and 6,732 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,456.3 people per square mile (1,335.1/km²). There were 13,524 housing units at an average density of 1,522.3/sq mi (588.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.11% White, 12.73% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.
There were 12,219 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.9% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.9% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% 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 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 18.0% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,946, and the median income for a family was $33,844. Males had a median income of $26,668 versus $20,196 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,707. About 13.7% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
Williamsport operates on a "Strong Mayor" form of governing, meaning the mayor has the power to do something without consent of the city council. The current mayor of the City of Williamsport is Gabe Campana.
See also: List of Mayors of Williamsport, Pennsylvania
[edit] Economy
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
Williamsport is well-known for the Lycoming aircraft engines made by Textron. Brodart, a book publishing company, is also based in Williamsport.
[edit] Neighborhoods
- Center City, between Hepburn Street and Basin Street, south of Little League Blvd
- Grampian Hills, the area around and north of Grampian Blvd.
- Millionaire's Row, along W. 4th Street
- Newberry, west of Lycoming Creek
- Park Avenue, south of Williamsport Hospital
- Vallamont, the area north of Rural Ave and west of Market St.
[edit] Transportation
Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), located several miles east of the city in the borough of Montoursville, has fourteen flights daily to and from Philadelphia International Airport via US Airways (as of January 2008).[6] Susquehanna Trailways provides daily long distance bus service from a station in the downtown to Elmira, New York, Harrisburg, New York City, and Philadelphia.[7] Local bus service within Williamsport and to other places in Lycoming County near the river is offered by River Valley Transit.[8]
Williamsport is served by several major highways, including Interstate 180, U.S. Route 15 (which is the route of the future Interstate 99), and U.S. Route 220.[9] Train freight service (west to Avis and east to Muncy) is provided by the Lycoming Valley Railroad, which has its main yard in the Newberry section of Williamsport, and offers connections to the Norfolk Southern and Canadian Pacific railroads.[10] The West Branch Susquehanna River is not navigable, but a dam at Hepburn Street provides a large lake for recreational boating, including outings on the mock paddlewheeler Hiawatha from Susquehanna State Park.[11]
[edit] Current developments
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The Williamsport Downtown Gateway Revitalization Project, begun in 2004, has been set into place in order to attract more people (both citizens of the Williamsport community and visitors) to the Downtown Williamsport area, as the last major transit project accomplished the exact opposite and has rerouted people around the city for years.
Construction on the Market Street Bridge, the first of many projects, began in June 2004. Physical work is expected to take four years, ending in 2008; three planned for the new bridge, and the last is scheduled for work on Via Bella.
The first two-lane bridge has been built just upstream of the existing structure. Demolition of the old bridge has been completed. Another two-lane structure will be built at the same location as the old bridge. The new upstream bridge will carry Route 15 southbound traffic, while the new downstream bridge will carry Route 15 northbound traffic.
A new 8+ screen movie theater on West 4th Street, opened on May 2, 2008; these are the first regular-schedule first-run movie screens in Williamsport proper in several years. The closest regular, first-run theater is at the Lycoming Mall, at least fifteen miles (24 km) away from the city center.
Other initiatives planned include the construction of a riverside amphitheater next to the new Market Street Bridge, a multi-purpose arena where hockey and ice skating would be available, a conference center with a pedestrian cable-stayed bridge spanning from the amphitheater across the highway to the center, and some other officials have even suggested the construction of an Imax theater in the downtown area.
Williamsport "First Fridays" is a new addition to Williamsport monthly tradition. On the first Friday of each month, businesses, restaurants, and personal shops in the area come together to display a set theme (local photography, works of local artists, etc.) in each of their storefronts in order to bring pedestrians into the city.
[edit] Education
Williamsport is the home of two colleges, Lycoming College and Pennsylvania College of Technology, as well as the Newport Business Institute, Barone Beauty School and Empire Beauty School. Williamsport Area School District consists of:
- Cochran Elementary School
- Hepburn Lycoming Elementary School
- Jackson Elementary School
- Round Hills Elementary School
- Sheridan Elementary School
- Stevens Elementary School
- Curtin Middle School
- Lycoming Valley Middle School
- Roosevelt Middle School
- Williamsport Area High School
Williamsport Area School District has a renowned music program, ranked in the Top 100 in the country.
Catholic Schools include Saint John Neumann Regional Academy, which has five campuses in Lycoming County and provides education for pre-Kindergarten thru 12th grade students. The Center is a non profit organization that provides underprivileged children with tutoring services, dance classes, and many other fun activities.
[edit] Libraries
The James V. Brown Library is Williamsport's public library. The library offers books, DVDs, CDs, wireless Internet access, local history archives, the Lycoming County Law Library, and premium online reference resources. James V. Brown is a Family Place library, offering preschool and early learning opportunities, as well as programming for teens and adults. The library has recently begun construction of a new Children's Wing.
Lycoming College's Snowden Library is another library in Williamsport.
[edit] Sports
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamsport Crosscutters | NYPL, Baseball | Bowman Field | 1994 | 2 |
The Little League World Series is held annually on the other side of the West Branch Susquehanna River in South Williamsport, where Little League Baseball now has its headquarters. Williamsport also hosts the Williamsport Crosscutters, a minor league baseball club of the New York-Penn League.
[edit] Media
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Local newspapers include the Williamsport Sun Gazette, Webb Weekly and The Williamsport Guardian.
The local news/talk radio stations are WRAK/WRKK 1400/1200 kHz, and WWPA 1340 kHz. Williamsport is ranked #271 by Arbitron in terms of its radio market.
Local online media includes Williamsport.com (Business Directory & Community Events Guide), Billtown Live (events & index), Billtown Blog(commentary) and Billtown Boards) (discussion).
[edit] Notable residents
- William Schreyer, financier[12]
- Gary Brown, American football player
- Ernest Callenbach, writer
- Jack Losch, American football player
- George Luks, Ashcan School painter[13]
- Henry J. Lutcher, businessman
- Mike Mussina, baseball player
- Bob Pellegrini, American football player
- Sal Rosato, American football player[14]
- Tina Russell, adult film actress
- James Hall Huling, U.S. Congressman
- H. Beam Piper, science fiction author
- Severin Roesen (1815? - 1872), still-life painter
- Carl Stotz, founder of Little League Baseball[15]
- H. Paul Shuch, SETI scientist
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lou Hunsinger Jr.. Lycoming County, Williamsport Firsts. Williamsport Sun-Gazette. Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
- ^ a b US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "IPT Scheduled Flights". Williamsport Regional Airport. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ "Susquehanna Trailways Bus Daily Routes". Susquehanna Trailways. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ "River Valley Transit: Bus Routes and Schedules". River Valley Transit. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division. 2007 General Highway Map Lycoming County Pennsylvania [map], 1:65,000. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ :Lycoming Valley Railroad". North Shore Railroad System. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ "Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat". River Valley Transit. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ www.psu.edu/ur/archives/intercom_1997/Sept15/news.html.
- ^ www.askart.com/AskART/L/george_benjamin_luks/george_benjamin_luks.aspx.
- ^ www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ROSATSAL01.
- ^ www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0887007.html.
[edit] External links
- Williamsport, Pennsylvania is at coordinates Coordinates:
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