Armstrong Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Armstrong Township is a township in Lycoming County
, Pennsylvania
, in the United States. The population was 717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport
, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
in 1842. It is named in honor of James Armstrong, a prominent lawyer
. The first European settlers arrived in Armstrong Township in 1773. Thomas Hartley, Michael Graybill, George Leffler, and John Kern all received warrants for land on February 11, 1773. Hartley then purchased the properties of Graybill, Leffler and Kern on March 31, 1773. This was to avoid a Province of Pennsylvania
law that stated that no one man could purchase more than one tract of land. Marcus Huling appears to have been the first permanent settler in Mosquito Valley, which makes up the greatest portion of Armstrong Township. Huling settled in the eastern portion of Mosquito Valley, near where Culbertson's Path
crossed. Huling and family cleared land, built a cabin
, a sawmill
, and distillery in 1795. Huling's son, Thomas, carried on the family businesses until his death. Interestingly, although the Huling's were apparently successful businessmen, they never saw fit to settle their debt on the land that they had developed. Upon Thomas Huling's death, the land was foreclosed and was left to be reclaimed by nature until the arrival of German
farmer
s in 1832.
Mosquito Valley was cleared by the lumber companies that made nearby Williamsport
the
"Lumber Capital of the World." Lumberjacks harvested the old-growth forests of white pine
and hemlock. They then floated the logs down Mosquito Run to the sawmills close to the mouth of the creek. As the valley was cleared of trees, farmers moved into the area and began several successful orchard
and dairy
operations.
Armstrong Township is not limited to Mosquito Valley alone. Bald Eagle Mountain
runs through the northernmost portions of it. From this ridge, several mountain streams find their source. The lumber barons from Williamsport flocked to Mosquito Run in the south and western sections of the township and to Hagerman's Run in the eastern portion of the township. The barons built summer cottages on both streams, fished for trout
in the waters, and built small dams for recreational swimming and ice skating
. They also built several trout hatcheries in Mosquito Valley.
The Williamsport
Municipal Water Authority quickly saw the value of the fresh water that was in abundant supply in both Mosquito and Hagerman's Runs. It acquired water rights to the streams and eventually bought up most of the farmland in the southwestern portion of Armstrong Township in the early 1920s as part of its watershed
. Visitors to the "water company" lands can see the stone remains of the early settlers homesteads spread throughout the watershed. This mass purchase of farmland in Armstrong County has accounted for the steep decline in population since 1890. Mosquito Run and Hagerman's Run still provide drinking water for Williamsport.
The water authority built a multi-million dollar water filtration plant in the 1990s in Mosquitio Valley. With the construction of this plant the lands of the water authority were opened as a nature preserve to the general public. All visitors are required to sign in at the offices at the filtration plant on the end of Mosquito Valley Road in Armstrong Township. The watershed is a nature preserve. The following is list of prohibited activities in the watershed: No dogs, hunting
, fishing
, littering, artifact hunting, motorized vehicles, horseback riding, camping
, fires, or swimming. All visitors are requested to park their vehicles in the designated parking areas. The nature preserve is closed during certain hunting seasons, when it is open to hunters who have acquired special permits issued by the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority.
, South Williamsport
, and the West Branch Susquehanna River
to the north (with Williamsport
, Loyalsock Township, and Montoursville
north of the river), Brady
and Clinton Townships to the south and east, Washington Township
to the south, and Limestone
, Bastress and Susquehanna Townships
to the west. 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 township has a total area of 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²).25.0 square miles (64.8 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.11%) is water.
of 2000, there were 717 people, 294 households, and 204 families residing in the township. The population density
was 28.6 people per square mile (11.1/km²). There were 334 housing units at an average density of 13.3/sq mi (5.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 99.30% White, 0.42% African American, 0.14% Native American, and 0.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population.
There were 294 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $34,844, and the median income for a family was $42,031. Males had a median income of $32,188 versus $21,417 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $18,423. About 6.5% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
-Appalachian Mountains and Allegheny Plateau:Lycoming County is divided between the Appalachian Mountains in the south, the dissected Allegheny Plateau in the north and east, and the valley of the West Branch Susquehanna River between these.-West Branch Susquehanna River:The West Branch of the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, in the United States. The population was 717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Armstrong Township was formed from part of Clinton TownshipClinton Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Clinton Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 3,947 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in 1842. It is named in honor of James Armstrong, a prominent lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. The first European settlers arrived in Armstrong Township in 1773. Thomas Hartley, Michael Graybill, George Leffler, and John Kern all received warrants for land on February 11, 1773. Hartley then purchased the properties of Graybill, Leffler and Kern on March 31, 1773. This was to avoid a Province of Pennsylvania
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
law that stated that no one man could purchase more than one tract of land. Marcus Huling appears to have been the first permanent settler in Mosquito Valley, which makes up the greatest portion of Armstrong Township. Huling settled in the eastern portion of Mosquito Valley, near where Culbertson's Path
Culbertson's Path
Culbertson's Path was a Native American trail in north central Pennsylvania in the United States, which connected the Great Island Path with the Sheshequin Path. The eastern / southern end of the path was on the West Branch Susquehanna River at what is now the unincorporated village of Allenwood in...
crossed. Huling and family cleared land, built a cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
, a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
, and distillery in 1795. Huling's son, Thomas, carried on the family businesses until his death. Interestingly, although the Huling's were apparently successful businessmen, they never saw fit to settle their debt on the land that they had developed. Upon Thomas Huling's death, the land was foreclosed and was left to be reclaimed by nature until the arrival of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s in 1832.
Mosquito Valley was cleared by the lumber companies that made nearby Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
the
"Lumber Capital of the World." Lumberjacks harvested the old-growth forests of white pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
and hemlock. They then floated the logs down Mosquito Run to the sawmills close to the mouth of the creek. As the valley was cleared of trees, farmers moved into the area and began several successful orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
and dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
operations.
Armstrong Township is not limited to Mosquito Valley alone. Bald Eagle Mountain
Bald Eagle Mountain
Bald Eagle Mountain, once known locally as Muncy Mountain, is a stratigraphic ridge in central Pennsylvania, United States, running east of the Allegheny Front and northwest of Mount Nittany. It lies along the southeast side of Bald Eagle Creek, and south of the West Branch Susquehanna River, and...
runs through the northernmost portions of it. From this ridge, several mountain streams find their source. The lumber barons from Williamsport flocked to Mosquito Run in the south and western sections of the township and to Hagerman's Run in the eastern portion of the township. The barons built summer cottages on both streams, fished for trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
in the waters, and built small dams for recreational swimming and ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
. They also built several trout hatcheries in Mosquito Valley.
The Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
Municipal Water Authority quickly saw the value of the fresh water that was in abundant supply in both Mosquito and Hagerman's Runs. It acquired water rights to the streams and eventually bought up most of the farmland in the southwestern portion of Armstrong Township in the early 1920s as part of its watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. Visitors to the "water company" lands can see the stone remains of the early settlers homesteads spread throughout the watershed. This mass purchase of farmland in Armstrong County has accounted for the steep decline in population since 1890. Mosquito Run and Hagerman's Run still provide drinking water for Williamsport.
The water authority built a multi-million dollar water filtration plant in the 1990s in Mosquitio Valley. With the construction of this plant the lands of the water authority were opened as a nature preserve to the general public. All visitors are required to sign in at the offices at the filtration plant on the end of Mosquito Valley Road in Armstrong Township. The watershed is a nature preserve. The following is list of prohibited activities in the watershed: No dogs, hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, littering, artifact hunting, motorized vehicles, horseback riding, camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, fires, or swimming. All visitors are requested to park their vehicles in the designated parking areas. The nature preserve is closed during certain hunting seasons, when it is open to hunters who have acquired special permits issued by the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority.
Geography
Armstrong Township is bordered by DuboistownDuboistown, Pennsylvania
Duboistown is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,280 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, South Williamsport
South Williamsport, Pennsylvania
South Williamsport is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,412 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, and the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
to the north (with Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
, Loyalsock Township, and Montoursville
Montoursville, Pennsylvania
Montoursville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,777. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for Madame Montour, a Native American leader and skilled interpreter...
north of the river), Brady
Brady Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Brady Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 494 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and Clinton Townships to the south and east, Washington Township
Washington Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Washington Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 1,613 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to the south, and Limestone
Limestone Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Limestone Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 2,136 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Bastress and Susquehanna Townships
Susquehanna Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Susquehanna Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 993 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to the west. As the crow flies
As the crow flies
"As the crow flies" or beelining is an idiom for the shortest route between two points; the geodesic distance.An example is the great-circle distance between Key West and Pensacola, at either end of the U.S...
, 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
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²).25.0 square miles (64.8 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.11%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 717 people, 294 households, and 204 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 28.6 people per square mile (11.1/km²). There were 334 housing units at an average density of 13.3/sq mi (5.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 99.30% White, 0.42% African American, 0.14% Native American, and 0.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population.
There were 294 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $34,844, and the median income for a family was $42,031. Males had a median income of $32,188 versus $21,417 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $18,423. About 6.5% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
See also
For histories of the other townships in Lycoming County see- History of the Townships of Lycoming County, PennsylvaniaHistory of the Townships of Lycoming County, PennsylvaniaLycoming County was formed from Northumberland County on April 13, 1795. At the time it was formed the county was much larger than it is today. It took up most of the land that is now north central Pennsylvania....