Fisherman’s Paradise
Fisherman’s Paradise is a popular recreation area on Spring Creek in Benner Township, originally designed as a fisheries management facility and habitat improvement project.
Subject: Natural Environment
Limestone
Limestone has played an essential role in Centre County’s economic history. Widely used for both industrial and agricultural purposes, limestone has been mined in the county for more than 200 years.
Logging Industry
Before European colonists arrived, Pennsylvania was an estimated 97 percent forested. Centre County is in an ecological region in which the aboriginal forest was dominated by white pine and hemlock, both of which had lucrative industrial applications that attracted colonists and entrepreneurs.
ClearWater Conservancy
ClearWater Conservancy of Central PA is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to conserving and restoring natural resources across central Pennsylvania, notably the Spring Creek watershed.
Moshannon State Forest
Moshannon State Forest is a 190,000-acre forest in the Allegheny Plateau region of central Pennsylvania, managed by the Commonwealth for both ecosystem preservation and the production of timber for sale.
McCoy’s Dam
McCoy’s Dam on Spring Creek provided hydroelectric power for Centre County during the first half of the twentieth century. The dam, south of Milesburg, was idled for five decades before being razed in 2007 to improve the creek’s water quality.
Bear Meadows
Bear Meadows Natural Area is an 890-acre protected zone within Rothrock State Forest that is known for its unusual swamp and rare plants. It is protected both as a State Forest Natural Area and as a United States National Natural Landmark.
Scotia
Scotia was the scene of iron ore mining from the late 1700s to the 1940s, supplying ore to Centre County’s early iron furnaces and, years later, to Andrew Carnegie’s Pittsburgh steel mills.The iron pits are part of a larger area now known as the Scotia Barrens, covering parts of Half Moon, Patton, and Ferguson townships.
Allegheny Front Trail
The Allegheny Front Trail is a 42-mile loop through Moshannon State Forest that roughly encircles Black Moshannon State Park. Completed by volunteers in the 1990s, it is the longest hiking trail entirely within Centre County.
Mount Nittany
Mount Nittany is probably Centre County’s most famous geographical feature. Thanks to the Penn State football team, fans across the country are familiar with the name of the iconic ridge. As a result, Mount Nittany has become an integral part of the lore of the school and region.