Cummings Township, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Cummings Township is a township in Lycoming County
, Pennsylvania
, in the United States. The population was 355 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport
, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. Cummings Township is home to two of the 120 Pennsylvania state parks, Little Pine State Park
and Upper Pine Bottom State Park
.
in 1832 from parts of Mifflin
and Brown Townships
. It was named for John Cummings who was an assiociate judge in the local court system at the time. Early industry in the county included quarries of flag and building stone and lumber.
The Little Pine and Pine Valleys in Cummings Township were used by the Iroquois
and Algonkian
tribes as a hunting
ground. Historians believe that there may have been a Shawnee
village and burial ground just to the north of Little Pine State Park
on Little Pine Creek.
By the mid 19th century the demand for lumber reached Upper Pine Bottom area, where White pine
and hemlock
covered the surrounding mountainsides. Lumbermen came and harvested the trees and sent them down Pine Creek
to the West Branch Susquehanna River
to the Susquehanna Boom
and sawmill
s at Williamsport
. James and John English were the first to build a sawmill
in the area in the Little Pine Area. They built two sawmills in 1809 on Little Pine Creek
. In 1816, the village of English Mills sprang up around the two sawmills. The lumber era at Little Pine lasted until 1909, when the last log raft was floated down Little Pine Creek. Remnants of the lumber era can be seen today in and around the park.
Waterville is the most significant population center in Cummings Township. Michael and Henry Wolf arrived in the area from Berks County
in 1817. The helped to establish Waterville by building a sawmill and clearing some land for farming. A post office was established in Waterville in 1849. Other early business establishments were two stores and a hotel, which stands today.
Tiadaghton State Forest lands were acquired by the state by the early 1900s. The site which became the park was "Upper Pine Bottom Class B Public Campground" by 1924 (Class B Public Campgrounds were on secondary highways and had a lean-to shelter for camping). During the Great Depression
, the Civilian Conservation Corps
built a pavilion at the site in 1936, but it is no longer extant. The park was not officially transferred from the Bureau of Forests to State Parks until 1962.
to the west, McHenry, Pine
and Cogan House Townships to the north, Mifflin Township
to the east, and Watson Township
to the south. 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 69.4 square miles (179.7 km²).68.9 square miles (178.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (0.69%) is water. The township lies entirely in the Pine Creek
drainage basin. Little Pine Creek
, one of Pine Creek's major tributaries, has its confluence
with Pine Creek in the unincorporated
village
of Waterville.
Cummings Township contains two Pennsylvania state parks. Little Pine State Park
is on Little Pine Creek and Pennsylvania Route 4001, 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Waterville. Upper Pine Bottom State Park
is on Upper Pine Bottom Run and Pennsylvania Route 44
, west of Pine Creek and Waterville. Portions of Tiadaghton State Forest
are also located in the township.
in the dense woods of the Glaciated
Allegheny Plateau
in south-central Cummings Township. It lies in the deep valley of Pine Creek, Pine Creek Gorge
, at the mouth of Little Pine Creek. Pennsylvania Route 44
travels through Waterville, heading south-southeastward along Pine Creek to the borough of Jersey Shore
. The city of Williamsport
, the county seat
of Lycoming County, is to the east.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 355 people, 153 households, and 106 families residing in the township. The population density
was 5.2 people per square mile (2.0/km²). There were 400 housing units at an average density of 5.8/sq mi (2.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 99.72% White and 0.28% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population.
There were 153 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples
living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.69.
In the township the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 107.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $38,594, and the median income for a family was $42,292. Males had a median income of $33,125 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $18,626. About 6.2% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 5.4% 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 355 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. Cummings Township is home to two of the 120 Pennsylvania state parks, Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Little Pine State park is along of Little Pine Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek, in the midst of the Tiadaghton State Forest. A dam on the creek has created a lake...
and Upper Pine Bottom State Park
Upper Pine Bottom State Park
Upper Pine Bottom State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is in Cummings Township on Pennsylvania Route 44 and is surrounded by the Tiadaghton State Forest. It is on Upper Pine Bottom Run, which gave the park its name and is a...
.
History
Cummings Township was formed by the Pennsylvania General AssemblyPennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
in 1832 from parts of Mifflin
Mifflin Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 1,145 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Brown Townships
Brown Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Brown Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 111 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. It was named for John Cummings who was an assiociate judge in the local court system at the time. Early industry in the county included quarries of flag and building stone and lumber.
The Little Pine and Pine Valleys in Cummings Township were used by the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
and Algonkian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
tribes as a 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...
ground. Historians believe that there may have been a Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
village and burial ground just to the north of Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Little Pine State park is along of Little Pine Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek, in the midst of the Tiadaghton State Forest. A dam on the creek has created a lake...
on Little Pine Creek.
By the mid 19th century the demand for lumber reached Upper Pine Bottom area, where 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
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada, is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec to Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian...
covered the surrounding mountainsides. Lumbermen came and harvested the trees and sent them down Pine Creek
Pine Creek (Pennsylvania)
Pine Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The creek is long...
to 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 Susquehanna Boom
Susquehanna Boom
The Susquehanna Boom was a system of cribs and chained logs in the West Branch Susquehanna River, designed to catch and hold floating timber until it could be processed at one of the nearly 60 sawmills along the river between Lycoming and Loyalsock Creeks in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the...
and 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....
s at 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...
. James and John English were the first to build 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....
in the area in the Little Pine Area. They built two sawmills in 1809 on Little Pine Creek
Little Pine Creek
Little Pine Creek is a tributary of Pine Creek in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Little Pine Creek is formed by the confluence of Blockhouse Creek and Texas Creek, approximately upstream of Pine Creek. Blacks Creek joins Blockhouse Creek approximately above. of Little Pine...
. In 1816, the village of English Mills sprang up around the two sawmills. The lumber era at Little Pine lasted until 1909, when the last log raft was floated down Little Pine Creek. Remnants of the lumber era can be seen today in and around the park.
Waterville is the most significant population center in Cummings Township. Michael and Henry Wolf arrived in the area from Berks County
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
in 1817. The helped to establish Waterville by building a sawmill and clearing some land for farming. A post office was established in Waterville in 1849. Other early business establishments were two stores and a hotel, which stands today.
Tiadaghton State Forest lands were acquired by the state by the early 1900s. The site which became the park was "Upper Pine Bottom Class B Public Campground" by 1924 (Class B Public Campgrounds were on secondary highways and had a lean-to shelter for camping). During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
built a pavilion at the site in 1936, but it is no longer extant. The park was not officially transferred from the Bureau of Forests to State Parks until 1962.
Geography
Cummings Township is bordered by Clinton CountyClinton County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
to the west, McHenry, Pine
Pine Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Pine Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 329 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and Cogan House Townships to the north, Mifflin Township
Mifflin Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 1,145 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to the east, and Watson Township
Watson Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Watson Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 550 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to the south. 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 69.4 square miles (179.7 km²).68.9 square miles (178.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (0.69%) is water. The township lies entirely in the Pine Creek
Pine Creek (Pennsylvania)
Pine Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River in Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, and Clinton counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The creek is long...
drainage basin. Little Pine Creek
Little Pine Creek
Little Pine Creek is a tributary of Pine Creek in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Little Pine Creek is formed by the confluence of Blockhouse Creek and Texas Creek, approximately upstream of Pine Creek. Blacks Creek joins Blockhouse Creek approximately above. of Little Pine...
, one of Pine Creek's major tributaries, has its confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
with Pine Creek in the unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Waterville.
Cummings Township contains two Pennsylvania state parks. Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park
Little Pine State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Cummings Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Little Pine State park is along of Little Pine Creek, a tributary of Pine Creek, in the midst of the Tiadaghton State Forest. A dam on the creek has created a lake...
is on Little Pine Creek and Pennsylvania Route 4001, 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Waterville. Upper Pine Bottom State Park
Upper Pine Bottom State Park
Upper Pine Bottom State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is in Cummings Township on Pennsylvania Route 44 and is surrounded by the Tiadaghton State Forest. It is on Upper Pine Bottom Run, which gave the park its name and is a...
is on Upper Pine Bottom Run and Pennsylvania Route 44
Pennsylvania Route 44
Pennsylvania Route 44 is a -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is designated from Interstate 80 and Pennsylvania Route 42 in Buckhorn to the New York state line near New York State Route 417 in Ceres Township....
, west of Pine Creek and Waterville. Portions of Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest
Tiadaghton State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #12. The forest is chiefly in western and southern Lycoming County, with small portions in Clinton, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties....
are also located in the township.
Waterville
Waterville is an unincorporated communityUnincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in the dense woods of the Glaciated
Glaciated Allegheny Plateau
The Glaciated Allegheny Plateau is that portion of the Allegheny Plateau that lies within the area covered by the last glaciation. As a result, this area of the Allegheny Plateau has lower relief and more gentle slopes than the relatively rugged Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau...
Allegheny Plateau
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
in south-central Cummings Township. It lies in the deep valley of Pine Creek, Pine Creek Gorge
Pine Creek Gorge
Pine Creek Gorge, also known as, The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, is situated in approximately 160,000 acres of the Tioga State Forest in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania along Pine Creek. The Canyon begins south of Ansonia, near Wellsboro, along U.S. Route 6 and continues for approximately...
, at the mouth of Little Pine Creek. Pennsylvania Route 44
Pennsylvania Route 44
Pennsylvania Route 44 is a -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is designated from Interstate 80 and Pennsylvania Route 42 in Buckhorn to the New York state line near New York State Route 417 in Ceres Township....
travels through Waterville, heading south-southeastward along Pine Creek to the borough of Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania
Jersey Shore is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is on the West Branch Susquehanna River, west by south of Williamsport. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the past, Jersey Shore held farms, railroad shops, cigar factories, a...
. The city of 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 county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lycoming County, is to the east.
Demographics
Census
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 355 people, 153 households, and 106 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 5.2 people per square mile (2.0/km²). There were 400 housing units at an average density of 5.8/sq mi (2.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 99.72% White and 0.28% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population.
There were 153 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% 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, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.69.
In the township the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 107.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $38,594, and the median income for a family was $42,292. Males had a median income of $33,125 versus $21,250 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 $18,626. About 6.2% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 5.4% 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....