| Picture Rocks, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
| Heading north on US Route 220 into Picture Rocks | |
| Map of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania highlighting Picture Rocks | |
| Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lycoming County | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lycoming |
| Settled | 1848 |
| Incorporated | 1857 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2) |
| • Land | 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation[1] | 646 ft (197 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 693 |
| • Density | 740.3/sq mi (285.8/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 17762 |
| Area code(s) | 570 |
| FIPS code | 42-60136[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1193116[1] |
Picture Rocks is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 693 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Picture Rocks was incorporated as a borough on September 27, 1875 from Wolf Township. But the history of Picture Rocks began long before European settlers first arrived in 1773. The name of the borough is derived from the pictographs that were left by some of the Native Americans that a previously inhabited the Muncy Creek valley. The paintings on the cliffs above Muncy Creek have long since disappeared. The town is built upon land that was once a Munsee Indian village. Evidence of this is found in the arrowheads and other relics that have been found in the vicinity of the creek.
The first warrant for property in the Picture Rocks area was issued by the Province of Pennsylvania to Henry Rody on June 3, 1773. The land was used very little and passed through several hands until 1848 when it was sold to A. R. Sprout and Amos Burrows who went on to become the founding fathers of Picture Rocks. Sprout and Burrows worked to clear the land that was thought to be worthless of the rocks, logs and brush that covered it. They also rebuilt an abandoned sawmill and established a factory that manufactured sashes, doors, and window blinds. This factory, the first of its kind in the area, caused a stir among the local carpenters who believed that the ready made building materials would curtail their profit making ability.
The town grew up around the factory and soon other manufacturers arrived to harness the water power provided by Muncy Creek. People interested in by a lot in Picture Rocks were required to sign an agreement stating that they would not open a saloon or engage in the trafficking of liquor. This law was made by the residents and founders of the town, a majority of them being Baptists.
The Baptists of Picture Rocks organized as a congregation in 1840 and met for a while in a school house. A traveling preacher arrived in Picture Rocks one Saturday evening and found the school to be unfit for Sunday gatherings. After delivering his Sunday morning sermon he rallied the members of the congregation around the cause of building a proper house of worship. Under the guidance of their new pastor the members of the Baptist Church built a log building that served has their church for 25 years that was replaced by a larger facility.
More borough history: The original factory site is located where the current Lewis Lumber Products is located. The factory's history includes the Burrows Brothers Furniture Company and was later sold to become the H & E (Handle and Excelsior Company). The borough also supported a Ladder Factory located at the intersection of Factory Street and US 220.
At the time of the borough's creation, Center Street was considered the main street for travelers. The original homes built by the Burrows and Sprout families still exist along Center Street and are easy to identify based upon their square shape with low pitched roof often with a widow's peak or lookout.
Borough resident John Wesley Little achieved regional fame for his watercolor landscapes and images of rural farms and animals. His studio/home is located along Water Street. His original praintings are highly sought after at local auctions.
The borough boasts two churches, the Baptist Church on Elm Street and the Methodist Church on Laurel Street.
Located within the East Lycoming School District, Picture Rocks is home to George A. Ferrell Elementary School. This K-6 elementary school is recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. The school was originally a fully inclusive school for students in first through twelth grades with its own sports program. The school joined with others in neighboring Hughesville and nearby Lairdsville to form the East Lycoming School District.
Picture Rocks is located at (41.280066, -76.711731),[3] in southeastern Lycoming County. It is bordered by Wolf Township to the west, Shrewsbury Township to the north and Penn Township to the east and south.[4] 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 borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²), all of it land.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 693 people, 274 households, and 198 families residing in the borough. The population density was 740.3 people per square mile (284.6/km²). There were 288 housing units at an average density of 307.7 per square mile (118.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.41% White, 0.29% Native American, 0.43% Asian, and 0.87% from two or more races.
There were 274 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $36,375, and the median income for a family was $45,568. Males had a median income of $31,103 versus $21,667 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,402. About 8.5% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.
Meginness, John Franklin (1892). "XXXI". History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania: including its aboriginal history; the colonial and revolutionary periods; early settlement and subsequent growth; organization and civil administration; the legal and medical professions; internal improvement; past and present history of Williamsport; manufacturing and lumber interests; religious, educational, and social development; geology and agriculture; military record; sketches of boroughs, townships, and villages; portraits and biographies of pioneers and representative citizens, etc. etc. (1st Edition ed.). Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co.. ISBN 0-7884-0428-8. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/pa/county/lycoming/history/Chapter-34.html. Retrieved 2007-02-22. "(Note: ISBN refers to Heritage Books July 1996 reprint. URL is to a scan of the 1892 version with some OCR typos)."
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