Aaronsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aaronsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania
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Log house
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Location of Aaronsburg in Centre County
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Location of Centre County in Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Centre |
| Township | Haines |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.89 sq mi (2.29 km2) |
| • Land | 0.89 sq mi (2.29 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,180 ft (360 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 593 |
| • Density | 670.06/sq mi (258.59/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
16820
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| FIPS code | 42-00100 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1168362 |
Aaronsburg is a small community in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it is a special area the government uses to collect information about people. In 2010, about 613 people lived here.
Contents
History of Aaronsburg
Aaronsburg was started in 1786 by a man named Aaron Levy. The town is named after him. It was one of the first towns in Pennsylvania to be planned and named by a Jew.
Aaron Levy's Vision
Aaron Levy hoped Aaronsburg would become a very important town. He even designed its streets to be neat and orderly. He wanted it to be the main town, or county seat, for the area. However, this never happened because there wasn't enough water nearby. The county seat for Centre County is now Bellefonte.
Levy was a successful merchant, which means he bought and sold goods. He came to Pennsylvania from Amsterdam between 1760 and 1770. He traded with local Native American groups and supplied goods to the government. After a treaty was signed in 1768, he moved west. He opened a store to trade with farmers and Native Americans near the Susquehanna River.
Aaronsburg During the American Revolution
During the American Revolutionary War, Aaron Levy moved back to Lancaster. He helped pay for the war by lending money to the Continental Congress. This was the group that led the American colonies during the war. His loans were never fully paid back.
In 1779, Levy bought a large piece of land in Centre County. He then planned and laid out the town of Aaronsburg on this land. He set aside a special area called Aaron's Square for public use. He also named one of the streets Rachel's Way, after his wife. In 1789, he gave land to the Salem Evangelical Church. This land was for building a church and a school.
The Aaronsburg Story Pageant
In 1949, a special event called a pageant was held in Aaronsburg. It celebrated the town's unique history. It honored Aaron Levy, who was Jewish, and his gift of a pewter communion set to the Salem Lutheran Church. This kind gesture inspired many people. About 50,000 people came to Aaronsburg for this event. Famous people like Ralph Bunche and Cornel Wilde attended. Later, Ronald Reagan also visited. A short film and a book called "The Aaronsburg Story" by Arthur H. Lewis were made about this special day.
The Aaronsburg Historic District is a special area in the town. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it is recognized as an important historical place.
Geography of Aaronsburg
Aaronsburg is located in the eastern part of Centre County. It is in the northwest corner of Haines Township. The town of Millheim is just to its west. Aaronsburg sits in the Penns Valley, which is a beautiful valley. It is at the bottom of Shriner Mountain.
Pennsylvania Route 45 is a main road that goes through Aaronsburg. This road goes west to Millheim and then to State College. It goes east to Lewisburg, which is on the Susquehanna River.
The United States Census Bureau says that Aaronsburg covers about 0.888 square miles (2.29 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the CDP.
People of Aaronsburg (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 485 | — | |
| 2010 | 613 | 26.4% | |
| 2020 | 593 | −3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
According to the 2010 US census, 613 people lived in Aaronsburg. There were 240 households and 175 families. Most of the people (99.3%) were White. A very small number were Native American (0.2%) or from two or more races (0.3%). About 0.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
There were 257 housing units in the area. In 240 households, about 28.3% had children under 18 living with them. Most households (59.6%) were married couples. About 27.1% of households were not families.
The average age of people in Aaronsburg was about 40.9 years old. About 24.1% of the population was under 18. About 16.6% of people were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were about 105 males.
Notable people
- Daniel Otto: A fraktur artist. Fraktur is a special type of folk art with colorful drawings and calligraphy.
- John H. Stover: (1833–1889) He was born in Aaronsburg. He later became a United States Congressman for Missouri.
See also
In Spanish: Aaronsburg (condado de Centre) para niños
