what is central PA ( like susquehana area) like? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: transplants, home)

[brokenmadness77]

the part of PA I'm referring to is like Selinsgrove, Pottsville, Berwick, Williamsport, Lewistown, sunbury. I know that takes up alot of PA but I went on a people to people trip( which is a study abroad program) and most of the delegation group I went with came from the Susquehanna valley area. like what are the people like? is it nice there? is country or small town-like? if you can help, thanks!!!

[ki0eh]

This topic should likely be moved into the general PA forum, the NEPA forum usually focuses on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and east (Pocono) areas.

The portion of PA within a triangle defined by endpoints at Wilkes-Barre, State College, and Harrisburg has small towns in the 10-20,000 population range (Williamsport a little larger) with the next small town usually 1/2 hour drive away. The towns are in agricultural valleys separated by wooded ridges. If the valleys are limestone-y, farms are usually nicer and more likely to be Amish than in the shale-y valleys. If the town was fortunate enough to have a small college (such as Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove; Bloomsburg or Lewisburg, in the area but not listed; or Danville, also in the area and not listed, with the Geisinger medical complex) it usually has a bit more upmarket feel/better kept local stores and eateries, than places like Lewistown and Berwick that don't have a similar anchor institution.

Williamsport is large enough to have neighborhoods that feel both ways, the very small Lycoming College and the relatively small Penn Tech (historically an outgrown community college) don't really push it overall into a college-town vibe. It was literally a boom town in the 1880's when the timber of several counties was caught and milled there, with economic interests in extraction from northcentral PA renewed by shale gas.

Pottsville, in the [anthracite] coal region, is somewhat of an outlier in the towns listed. Even the accent is distinct, reflecting different origins. This area was defined more by mines than farms, but hasn't been suitable for gas drilling so generations of decline mostly continue. The lucky in Schuylkill County get a job running a forklift in a local distribution center, the less lucky do the same but drive closer to Allentown or Harrisburg or Hazleton.

[2nd trick op]

You're talking about several distinct, but somewhat overlapped, areas here. Pottsville, Shamokin and Hazleton are usually identified with the Southern Anthracite region, as depicted in native son John O'Hara's novels. Williamsport is sort of in an orbit of its own, and Lewistown is usually linked to State College and Altoona.

That leaves an area between Berwick and Selinsgrove, with an arm to Lewisburg and Milton on the West Branch, and somewhat centered on Bloomsburg and Danville (Columbia and Montour Counties). This area is pretty healthy economically, thanks to Bloomsburg and Bucknell Universities and the Geisinger Health System in Danville. Berwick is a former foundry town with a distinctive blue collar ambience, but has managed to "hold its own"; it's also the only local community with a distinctive "ethnic enclave" on the west side of the former foundry complex which bisects the town.

Sunbury is possibly the most unique community of all. Two hundred years ago, Northumberland County was much larger in area, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's circuit included sitting at Sunbury at one time. The town hasn't suffered any single economic setback. but hasn't grown much, save for the headquarters of Weis Markets, which seems to prefer a low profile. It's worth noting as well that, as in Harrisburg, new growth and upward mobility seem to concentrate on the west side of the Susquehanna.

[ki0eh]

In terms of the next larger city to orbit, the area around the confluence of the North and West branches of the Susquehanna has some ambiguity. Folks in Lewistown are probably more likely to commute to State College than anywhere else, and Altoonans are also more likely to go to State College. But Lewistown itself is in the Harrisburg TV market and 717 area code and people do make the long commute to Harrisburg. Berwick Borough in Columbia County is on Scranton TV but in the Harrisburg Catholic diocese, but can be indistinguishable from adjacent Salem Township, Luzerne County, which shares the Scranton diocese with Williamsport's Lycoming County. In state divisions, Selinsgrove/Sunbury (Snyder and Northumberland counties) usually get lumped with Williamsport.

[g500]

The Susquehanna Valley is mostly rural with lots of small towns, and a few larger population centers. You can trace the development of the region to agriculture. Later there was a boom in the coal and logging industries, which peaked in the late 19th century (logging) to mid-20th century (coal). The river was the mode of transportation for logs, while the railroad the mode of transportation for coal. Some towns such as Williamsport earned great wealth from logging, while the Scranton area had expanded around coal mining.

The Susquehanna Valley of today is home to government, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture. The area is home to about three million people. It is predominately conservative. The only exceptions are the Scranton and Harrisburg metropolitan areas which tend to be more swing voting. The geography of the region is defined by the Appalachian Mountains which are thickly-forested mountain ridges with narrow valleys rich in nutrients. The valleys are commonly used for farming or for urban development. Once you reach Harrisburg you have arrived at the end of the Appalachian mountain range, which opens up to the Cumberland/Lebanon Valley.

US-15 serves as one of the main throughways for the region. It can get congested in Shamokin Dam because it has stop lights, and a major bypass project is underway to avoid this. US-15 is a main connector from upstate NY/Rochester to central PA. There is also Interstate 81, which does not run along the river, but is a major transportation artery serving as the primary trucking route for the Northeast US, running from Syracuse through the Susquehanna Valley and ending up in Knoxville.

Overall, the region has a lot to offer and is rich in history. It has a stunning landscape. It is made up of many different Pennsylvania cultures. Outsiders are welcome as long as they are respectful. The larger cities of the region offer an urban/suburban lifestyle and are much more ethnically-diverse. Central PA is also within a days drive to major metropolitan areas including NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Pittsburgh, Boston, and Toronto.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by 2nd trick op

You're talking about several distinct, but somewhat overlapped, areas here. Pottsville, Shamokin and Hazleton are usually identified with the Southern Anthracite region, as depicted in native son John O'Hara's novels. Williamsport is sort of in an orbit of its own, and Lewistown is usually linked to State College and Altoona.

That leaves an area between Berwick and Selinsgrove, with an arm to Lewisburg and Milton on the West Branch, and somewhat centered on Bloomsburg and Danville (Columbia and Montour Counties). This area is pretty healthy economically, thanks to Bloomsburg and Bucknell Universities and the Geisinger Health System in Danville. Berwick is a former foundry town with a distinctive blue collar ambience, but has managed to "hold its own"; it's also the only local community with a distinctive "ethnic enclave" on the west side of the former foundry complex which bisects the town.

Sunbury is possibly the most unique community of all. Two hundred years ago, Northumberland County was much larger in area, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's circuit included sitting at Sunbury at one time. The town hasn't suffered any single economic setback. but hasn't grown much, save for the headquarters of Weis Markets, which seems to prefer a low profile. It's worth noting as well that, as in Harrisburg, new growth and upward mobility seem to concentrate on the west side of the Susquehanna.

Sunbury today may as well be in the Coal region. Its housing values aren't much higher either. It is just as depressed as they are. Gaining more transplants from the Large cities. That do not come for the jobs. Many stay till they get in trouble or begin to fear things they are involved are being discovered and might get caught? Some see good schools with no gangs a reason to stay too. As Northumberland County will aid them too. These new residents really add nothing to the tax paying base either.

The College river towns fare much better. Housing values much higher and overall education levels maintained. Crossing the river and out of Northumberland/Schuylkill Counties. Is when housing values to a bit more affluence is found.

[Icy Tea]

I drive through that area a few times a year. Sunbury is small but has a quaint little downtown and city park. There's a big flood wall blocking the view of the river which is too bad but I think it saved the town during Hurricane Agnes. Maybe it strikes me as boring but the whole area pretty much is.
Lewisburg just across the river has a more commercial vibe to it. There are shops and stores and strip malls along Route 15 and when you get up near Bucknell College it gets more developed. Just west of there its rolling hills and farms and hamlets. I enjoy that areas scenery and quiet rural look. The area seems to have prisons as a job opportunity. I know if you live in the coal regions you commute somewhere to work, probably pretty far away.
Pottsville is on the southern border of the Coal regions and I suspect most people there commute south to Reading and Allentown. I hate the traffic going through there.