Potter County, Pennsylvania Explained

County:Potter County
State:Pennsylvania
Founded Date:September 1
Founded Year:1826
Seat Wl:Coudersport
Largest City Wl:Coudersport
City Type:borough
Area Total Sq Mi:1082
Area Land Sq Mi:1081
Area Water Sq Mi:0.2
Area Percentage:0.02%
Census Yr:2020
Pop:16396
Density Sq Mi:15
Web:https://visitpottertioga.com/
Ex Image:Pottercourthousecoudersport.jpg
Time Zone:Eastern
District:15th

Potter County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, its population was 16,396,[1] making it the fifth-least populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Coudersport.[2] The county was created in 1804 and later organized in 1836.[3] It is named after James Potter, who was a general from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Due to its remoteness and natural environment, it has been nicknamed “God's Country”.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

The county is part of the North Central Pennsylvania region of the state.

History

Major Isaac Lyman, an American Revolutionary war veteran was one of the first permanent settlers in Potter County. Major Lyman is recognized as the founder of Potter County. He was paid $10 for each settler he convinced to move to Potter County. He built his home in 1809 in nearby Lymansville, now known as Ladona, just east of Coudersport along Rt. 6. Major Lyman also built the first road to cross Potter County and Potter County's first sawmill and gristmill.[10]

Lyman had a colorful personal history. After the death in childbirth of his first wife, Sally Edgecombe, he remarried; later, he left his second wife and started a third family in Potter County. The second Mrs. Lyman was determined not to suffer on her own. She sought out the major, travelling from Bolton Landing, New York, to Potter County with the help of their son, Burrell, who was 18 at the time. Major Lyman lived with these two families in Potter County. Historical accounts of the living situation vary. Some say that Lyman kept both wives under one roof. Others state that two log homes for the families were on the same piece of property. Descendants of Major Lyman's three families still live and work in Potter County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which (0.02%) is covered by water.[11]

Three major watersheds meet, forming a triple divide, in Potter County: Chesapeake Bay, St. Lawrence River, and Mississippi River. Moreover, the main stem by volume of the entire Mississippi river system, the Allegheny River, has its source in central Potter County, near Cobb Hill.

Potter has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Coudersport range from 22.0 °F in January to 66.4 °F in July.[12]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

As of the census[13] of 2000, 18,080 people, 7,005 households, and 5,001 families resided in the county. The population density was 17/mi2. The 12,159 housing units had an average density of 11/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 98.06% White, 0.29% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. About 0.57% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. By ancestry, 27.3% were of English, 26.9% were of German, 9.9% Irish and 5.8% Italian.

Of the 7,005 households, 31.5% had children under 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were not families. About 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.54, and the average family size was 3.02.

In Potter County, the age distribution was 26.0% under 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.

2020 census

Potter County Racial Composition[14] !Race!Num.!Perc.
White (NH)15,49494.5%
Black or African American (NH)430.26%
Native American (NH)250.15%
Asian (NH)690.42%
Other/mixed (NH)5183.16%
Hispanic or Latino2471.5%

Politics and government

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Politics and elections

Potter County is one of the most Republican counties in Pennsylvania. In 2004, George W. Bush received 5,640 votes (71%) to 2,268 votes (29%) for John Kerry. The county has voted for the Republican in every presidential election since 1964. In 2006, Rick Santorum received 3,476 votes (63%) to 2,012 votes (37%) for Bob Casey, Jr., making it Santorum's strongest county in his defeat. Lynn Swann also received more than 60% of the Potter County vote in his defeat. In 2016, Donald Trump and Pat Toomey were overwhelmingly elected in Potter County for the U.S. presidential election and U.S. Senate election, respectively. Trump won 80.31% of the vote over Hillary Clinton, while Toomey won 77.79% of the vote over Katie McGinty. In the 2016 state attorney general race, John Rafferty won 79.15% of the vote.[15]

Voter registration

As of February 21, 2022, there are 10,961 registered voters in Potter County.[16]

State Senate[17]

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Local government

Potter County constitutes Judicial District 55 in the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.[18] The Court of Common Pleas for District 55 is located in Coudersport, and staffed by a single judge, President Judge Stephen P.B. Minor.[19] Since about 2001, Potter County's Court of Common Pleas has become a center for filing no-fault divorces in Pennsylvania, most of which do not involve any Potter County residents. Under Pennsylvania's unusual venue rules, divorce cases involving a Pennsylvania resident may be filed anywhere in the state so long as neither party objects. As of 2009, the over 6,000 divorces filed per year in Potter County raised several hundred thousand dollars in revenue for the county's general fund.[20]

all areas in the county use the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) in a law enforcement capacity, either with part-time police departments or with no other police departments.[21]

Education

Public school districts

School districts include:[22]

Private schools

List from National Center for Education Statistics[23]

Libraries

Pennsylvania EdNA – Educational Entities, 2013

Recreation

Potter County is home to 8 state parks and many more acres of state forest and gamelands.

The county is also the location of the annual "God's Country Marathon" race between Galeton and Coudersport.

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, the four types of incorporated municipalities are cities, boroughs, townships, and in at most two cases, towns. These boroughs and townships are located in Potter County:

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Road district (defunct)

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Potter County.[29]

county seat

RankCity/town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2010 Census)
1 CoudersportBorough2,546
2GaletonBorough1,149
3ShinglehouseBorough1,127
4RouletteCDP779
5UlyssesBorough621
6AustinBorough562
7Sweden ValleyCDP223
8OswayoBorough139

See also

External links

41.74°N -77.9°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census - Geography Profile: Potter County, Pennsylvania. United States Census Bureau. December 18, 2022.
  2. Web site: Find a County. June 7, 2011. National Association of Counties.
  3. Web site: Pennsylvania: Individual County Chronologies. The Newberry Library. Pennsylvania Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. 2008. March 13, 2015. March 25, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150325044238/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/PA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm. dead.
  4. Web site: Nazis, Ku Klux Klan fliers and a dog named Adolf: Is this small US town a hotbed for white nationalism?. ABC News. Zoe Daniel & Emily Olson. 2019. July 18, 2020.
  5. Web site: Aryan Nation shares its message of hate. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dennis B. Roddy. 2002. July 18, 2020.
  6. Web site: About August Kreis. Southern Poverty Law Center. July 18, 2020.
  7. News: Aryan Nation seeks revival. Arizona Republic. November 2, 2001.
  8. Web site: Neo-Nazi group plans event in Potter County. The Bradford Era. Alex Davis. 2016. July 18, 2020.
  9. Web site: Former Bangor neo-Nazi setting up camp in Potter County. Pocono Record. Susan Koomar. 2001. July 18, 2020.
  10. Web site: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/do/digitalbookshelf/26464947/26464947_part_02.pdf. https://web.archive.org/web/20070704214229/http://www.libraries.psu.edu/do/digitalbookshelf/26464947/26464947_part_02.pdf . July 4, 2007 .
  11. Web site: 2010 Census Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. March 10, 2015. August 22, 2012.
  12. Web site: PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University .
  13. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  14. Web site: P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Potter County, Pennsylvania.
  15. Web site: Pennsylvania Elections – County Results. www.electionreturns.pa.gov. November 25, 2016.
  16. Web site: Voter registration statistics by county . Dos.state.pa.us . February 23, 2022.
  17. Web site: Find Your Legislator. Center. Legislativate Data Processing. The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly.. en. May 11, 2017.
  18. Web site: Judicial Districts. Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. September 13, 2017.
  19. Web site: Judge's Chambers. Potter County, Pa.. September 13, 2017.
  20. News: "Untying the knot" in Potter, Cameron Counties. https://web.archive.org/web/20170913231655/http://www.endeavornews.com/news/2009-06-20/front_page/006.html. September 13, 2017. EndeavorNews. June 20, 2009.
  21. Web site: Klibanoff. Eleanor. Half of Pa. municipalities rely fully on state police. WHYY-TV. 2016-05-04. 2024-07-23.
  22. Web site: 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Potter County, PA. U.S. Census Bureau. 2024-07-24. - Text list
  23. ies, National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, Private School Universe Survey 2008
  24. Web site: Coudersport Public Library . https://web.archive.org/web/20140112172107/http://coudersportlibrary.org/blog/ . January 12, 2014 .
  25. Web site: Galeton Public Library.
  26. Web site: Genesee Area Library | More Than Just Books! . https://web.archive.org/web/20140111093116/http://geneseelibrary.com/new/ . January 11, 2014 .
  27. Web site: Oswayo Valley Memorial Library . https://web.archive.org/web/20140111091629/http://ovmlibrary.org/blog/ . January 11, 2014 .
  28. Web site: Ulysses Public Library.
  29. Web site: US Census Bureau 2010 Census. Center for New Media and. Promotions. www.census.gov. March 23, 2018.