ABC Fun Facts about Pennsylvania

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ABC Fun Facts about Pennsylvania

• Walnut Ridge Second Grade Class
• 2008-2009

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A is for Amish

• The farmlands of Pennsylvania are among the
  most productive in the nation. The Amish dont
  own cars and dont use electricity. They are also
  known for their craftsmanship.

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B is for Big Mac

• The Big Mac was created by Jim Delligatti
  who was operating several McDonalds restaurants
  in the Pittsburgh area. Customers loved the Big
  Mac so much that it was sold nationally in 1968.
  The Big Mac is made with two all beef patties,
  special sauce, lettuce, pickles, cheese, onions,
  on a sesame seed bun. The Big Mac is one of the
  company's best known products.

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C is for Crayola

• Crayola is in Easton, Pennsylvania. It was
  founded by Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith in
  1885. In 1903 they made the first kids crayons
  ever.

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D is for Declaration of Independence

• The thirteen original American colonies were
  at war with Great Britain over their freedom to
  become independent states and no longer be a part
  of the British Empire. Thomas Jefferson was
  chosen by a committee to write the draft.

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E is for Edward Drake

• The first oil well drilled was in
  Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859. On August
  27,1859, Edward Drake drilled to a depth of 69 ½
  feet. It was not until the next morning that they
  noticed oil floating in a hole. The well is named
  after him.

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F is for Farris Wheel

• The Ferris Wheel is named after George
  Washington Ferris Jr. He was a Pittsburgh,
  Pennsylvania bridge builder. He built the Ferris
  Wheel for the 1893 Worlds Fair which was held in
  Chicago.

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G is for Gettysburg

• The Battle of Gettysburg was fought during
  the Civil War. It was also where President
  Abraham Lincoln gave his most famous speech. The
  Gettysburg address was one of the greatest
  speeches in history, stressing Lincolns wish to
  end slavery.

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H is for Hershey

• Hershey is the largest chocolate maker in
  North America. It was started by Milton S.
  Hershey. At the age of 50 he began building the
  site of his chocolate factory. The Hershey
  Company markets such iconic brands as Hershey's,
  Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers,
  and Ice Breakers.

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I is for Incline

• The Monongahela Incline, called The Mon
  Incline by locals, is the oldest and steepest
  incline in the United States. It is also the
  nations oldest cable car operation.

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J is for Johnstown Flood

• The Great Flood of 1889, as it became known
  locally, occurred on May 31, 1889. The flood
  killed over 2,200 people. It caused 17 million
  dollars worth of damage. It was the first major
  disaster relief effort handled by the new
  American Red Cross, led by Clara Barton. Support
  for victims came from all over the United States
  and 18 foreign countries.

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K is for Keystone State

• The word Keystone comes from architecture
  an refers to the central, wedge-shaped stone in
  an arch , which holds all the other stone in
  place.

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L is for Liberty Bell

• The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia,
  Pennsylvania is one of the most famous symbols of
  the American Revolutionary War. It stands for
  liberty and justice.

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M is for Monopoly

• Monopoly was invented by Charles Brace
  Darrow. Darrow was born in Germantown a
  neighborhood by Philadelphia (the part of
  Germantown he lived in is now called Mount Airy).
  His house still stands at 40 Westview Street. He
  had sold Monopoly to Parker Brothers. Parker
  Brothers is a game manufacturer and brand.

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N is for Namath

• Joseph William Namath was born May 31, 1943
  in Beaver Falls Pennsylvania, known as Broadway
  Joe or Joe Willie. He is a former NFL player.
  He played most of his career with the New York
  Jets. He played the NFL in the 1960s and 1970s
  He was known of wearing a full-length fur coat
  on the sidelines.

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O is for Ohiopyle State Park

• Ohiopyle State park has 19,052 acres of
  rugged natural beauty. The focal point is the
  Youghiogheny River Gorge. The Youghiogheny River
  provides the best whitewater boating in the
  Eastern U.S.

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P is for Punxsutawney Phil

• Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog resident of
  Punxsutawney Pennsylvania. On February 2
  (Groundhog Day) of each year since 1887, the
  town of Punxsutawney has a celebration in his
  honor and wait to find out if Phil sees his
  shadow. If he sees his shadow we get six more
  weeks of winter. If he doesnt, spring is on the
  way.

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Q is for Quecreek Mine

• The group of nine miners became
  trapped 240 ft. Underground on July 24, 2002.
  The men were in the mine for 77 hours.
  The miners were pulled out on July 28,
  2002. The unique fact about the Quecreek
  Mine rescue that occurred in July 2002 was
  that every trapped miner survived and was
  rescued.

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R is for Rogers

• Fred Rogers was born in Latrobe,
  Pennsylvania on June 9, 1952. He was the host of
  Mister Rogers Neighborhood, filmed in
  Pittsburgh. It is the second longest running
  series on PBS after Sesame Street.

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S is for Snyders

• In 1944 most people were concerned about the
  war. But Edward S. Snyder enjoyed traveling.
  During this time he learned about potato chips.
  He returned to Hanover, PA to try making a
  business of it. Today, Snyders Potato chips are
  sold in 12 states along the Atlantic coast.

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T is for Tastykakes

• In 1914 Philip Baur and Herbert Morris went
  into business in Philadelphia to produce baked
  goods. Morris wife liked them so much that she
  said they were tasty. They eventually named the
  business Tasty Baking Company, and came up with
  the catchy name TastyKakes.

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U is for the Underground Railroad

• The Underground Railroad, was a network of
  people who helped slaves escape to the north.
  Slaves traveled to Pennsylvania because of its
  location on the Mason-Dixon line.

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V is for Valley Forge

• Valley Forge is were American Revolutionary
  leader George Washington kept his winter quarters
  in Pennsylvania northwest of Philadelphia. Valley
  Forge is now a National historic Park.

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W is for Williamsport

• This Pennsylvania city is the original home
  of Little League Baseball, founded in 1939 as a
  three team league. Every year the Little League
  World Series is played in Williamsport.

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X is for Xtra, Xtra! Read all about it!

• The first daily newspaper was published in
  Philadelphia on September 21, 1784.

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Y is for Mr. Yuk

• Mr. Yuk was created in 1971 as the mascot
  for the poison control center at the Childrens
  hospital of Pittsburgh. Over time the use of Mr.
  Yuk stickers has gained a certain amount of
  nationwide usage in the United States. Small
  green stickers can be affixed to any container of
  a poisonous substance.

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Z is for Zambelli Fireworks

• Fire worker Antonio Zambelli ventured from
  Italy in 1893 to establish the Zambelli Fireworks
  manufacturing Company in New Castle Pennsylvania,
  which is known as the Fireworks Capital of the
  world. Building on the grand tradition Antonio
  began, generations of Zamblli are now known
  worldwide for setting the industry standard in
  Pyrotechnics.

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Locations in ABC Book
Titusville
New Castle
Mt. Airy
Ellwood City
Williamsport
Easton
Beaver Falls
Pittsburgh
Hershey
Valley Forge
Latrobe
Johnstown
Philadelphia
Gettysburg
Quecreek
Berlin
Ohiopyle
Mason-Dixon Line
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Mrs. DeLoias Second Grade Class

• Maddie
• Ethan
• Jake
• Katie
• Alex S.
• Abby
• Francesca
• Bella
• Alex F.
• Caitlyn
• Cassie
• Josh

• Reed
• Carly
• Brady
• Maura
• Noah
• Reeve
• Mackenzie
• Vanessa
• Hunter
• Tara
• Ricky
• Adrienne
• Joey