| Official Name: | Lewistown, Pennsylvania |
| Settlement Type: | Borough |
| Pushpin Map: | Pennsylvania#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Lewistown |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Pennsylvania |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Mifflin |
| Government Type: | Borough Council |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Deborah Bargo |
| Leader Title1: | Council President |
| Leader Name1: | Larry Searer |
| Leader Title2: | Council Vice President |
| Leader Name2: | Jim Steele |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1790 |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 1795 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 5.31 |
| Area Land Km2: | 5.26 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.05 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 2.05 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 2.03 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.02 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 8579 |
| Population Density Km2: | 1631.44 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 4226.11 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Coordinates: | 40.5975°N -77.5733°W |
| Elevation Ft: | 520 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
| Postal Code: | 17044 |
| Area Code: | 717 and 223 |
| Blank2 Name: | School district |
| Blank2 Info: | Mifflin County School District |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 42-43000 |
Lewistown is a borough in and the county seat of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States.[2] It is the principal city of the Lewistown, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Mifflin County.[3] It lies along the Juniata River, 61miles northwest of Harrisburg.
The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; in 1940, 13,017; and in 2000, 8,998. The population was 8,561 at the 2020 census.[4] Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", Lewistown, Pennsylvania is the largest.
The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" Lewis, a Quaker and a member of the state legislature. He gained designation of the borough, which was known then as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.[5]
During the late 19th century, Mifflin County became the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction. Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the construction of the Pennsylvania Canal and the railroads that followed that gave stimulus to Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
On April 16, 1861, as the American Civil War broke out, Lewistown sent its Logan Guards, a militia group formed in 1858, to defend the national capital of Washington, D.C. They were one of five companies, all recruited in Pennsylvania, to share the honor of being the first U.S. troops sent to the capital. Monument Square, situated at the intersection of Main and Market Streets in Lewistown, serves as a memorial to these men.
Lewistown lost its role as a major transportation hub, but still boasted a strong industrial economy into the 1970s, when the county's industries began a slow decline.
The effects of Hurricane Agnes in June 1972 crippled the local economy. On June 19, Hurricane Agnes made initial landfall along the Florida Panhandle as a weak Category 1 Hurricane. Agnes proceeded through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina before moving over the Atlantic off the North Carolina coast on June 21.
After regaining strength over the Atlantic, the storm made landfall again over southeastern New York on June 22 and moved westward in an arc over southern New York into north-central Pennsylvania. Hurricane Agnes became nearly stationary over Pennsylvania by morning of June 23, but was soon absorbed by a low-pressure system that slowly drifted northeastward from Pennsylvania into New York.
Rainfall from the storm over the Mid-Atlantic region ranged from 2inchesto3inchesin (toin) in the extreme upper basins of the Potomac and North Branch Susquehanna Rivers to 18inches near Shamokin, Pennsylvania, in the Main Stem Susquehanna River basin. An average of 6inchesto10inchesin (toin) of rain fell over the Mid-Atlantic region. The soil, already well watered by spring rains, could not absorb so much water so quickly.
While flooding from the Juniata River was somewhat controlled due to a dam at Raystown Lake, 44miles west of Lewistown, the county suffered extensive flooding from the river and major streams. This resulted in the permanent closure of many businesses along the river.
Most notably, the flood submerged much of the American Viscose Corporation plant, then a division of FMC Corporation. The facility, located on the banks of the Juniata River across from Lewistown proper, manufactured rayon fiber (primarily for rayon-belted automobile tires), polyester, and Avistrap.
FMC was one of two major employers in the area at the time, the other being the Standard Steel Works. The Viscose plant was only marginally profitable before the storm, and the cost to reopen was prohibitive. The demand for rayon fabric for trendy clothing shot upward a few years later. Rayon production, and with it, thousands of good-paying jobs, moved to another FMC plant in Front Royal, Virginia. The Lewistown polyester plant reopened, but it rehired only a fraction of the previous workforce. The site eventually became the Mifflin County Industrial Plaza and a variety of businesses have come and gone since then.
In the wake of the failure of Lewistown's industry, a long period of decline began. The 1990s saw the loss of several plants, including Masland and Lear, and Standard Steel filing for reorganization bankruptcy.
The early 2000s saw the loss of Scotty's Fashions, Mann Edge Tool, Overhead Door shuttering its sectional division, and Ford New Holland shuttering its Belleville plant. This led to the related closing of the Belleville Foundry.
In 2011, Standard Steel merged with Japanese company Sumitomo Industries and is now known as Nippon Steel. This merger effectively saved the jobs of 500 union laborers as well as many others in the area. First Quality, an adult incontinence products manufacturer, opened a facility in Lewistown that employs approximately 400 people. Geisinger purchased Lewistown Hospital in 2013 and expanded services, including a helicopter pad, the Geisinger LIFE program, and a new clinic in nearby Reedsville.
In the 2020s, Lewistown has seen growth in new small businesses by young entrepreneurs, including restaurants and retail. The construction of an enhanced highway system between Lewistown and State College was completed in 2020 and better connects the two communities.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2sqmi, all land. The town's borders lie along the Juniata River.
The source of the borough's city water comes from the Laurel Creek Reservoir, which is located in Seven Mountains going towards State College.
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,338 people, 3,742 households, and 2,030 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4138.7sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 4,345 housing units at an average density of 2156.7sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.2% White, 1.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.
There were 3,742 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.8% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21, and the average family size was 2.93.
In the borough, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $26,584, and the median income for a family was $38,356. The per capita income for the borough was $16,447. About 22.8% of families and 27.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 47.0% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
The Embassy Theatre, McCoy House, Mifflin County Courthouse, Montgomery Ward Building, and Wollner Building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
| FM stations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call letters | Frequency | Format | Location | Owner | |
| WRYV | 88.7 | Christian Contemporary | Milroy | Invisible Allies | |
| WTLR | 89.9 | Religious | State College | Central Pennsylvania Christian Institute | |
| WJRC | 90.9 | Christian Contemporary | Lewistown | Salt and Light Media Ministries, Inc. | |
| WIBF | 92.5 | Country | Mexico | Seven Mountains Media (Kristin Cantrell) | |
| WBUS | 93.7 | Classic Rock | Boalsburg | Forever Broadcasting | |
| WQKX | 94.1 | CHR | Sunbury | Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation | |
| WMRF | 95.7 | Hot AC | Lewistown | Seven Mountains Media (Kristin Cantrell) | |
| WVNW | 96.7 | Country | Burnham | WVNW, Inc. | |
| WFGY | 98.1 | Country | Altoona | Forever Broadcasting | |
| WMAJ | 99.5 | Hot AC | Centre Hall | Seven Mountains Media (Kristin Cantrell) | |
| W262DO | 100.3 | Light AC | Lewistown | WVNW, Inc. | |
| WFGE | 101.1 | Country | Tyrone | Forever Broadcasting | |
| WCHX | 105.5 | Mainstream Rock | Burnham | Mifflin County Communications, Inc. | |
| WDBF | 106.3 | Country | Mount Union | Seven Mountains Media (Kristin Cantrell) | |
| WQJU | 107.1 | Religious | Mifflintown | Central Pennsylvania Christian Institute | |
| AM stations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call letters | Frequency | Format | Location | Owner | |
| WLUI | 670 | News/Talk | Lewistown | Seven Mountains Media (Kristin Cantrell) | |
| WKVA | 920 | Light AC | Burnham | WVNW, Inc. | |
| WHUN | 1150 | News/Talk | Huntingdon | Seven Mountains Media (Kristin Cantrell) | |
| WJUN | 1220 | Sports | Mexico | Seven Mountains Media (Kristin Cantrell) | |
Lewistown was one of the first three communities that formed the cable company later known as Cox Communications.
The Borough of Lewistown is served by the Mifflin County School District. It is also home to the only local Catholic Elementary school, Sacred Heart of Jesus http://www.sacredheartschool.com, which educates children of any religion in grades K–5.
Lewistown is home to the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, which is the only such facility in the state. Firefighting in Lewistown is very important, as volunteer firefighters have strong allegiance to the multiple independent fire companies in the borough to which they devote their time.