McKean County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids McKean County
U.S. county
McKean County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	September 1, 1826
Named for	Thomas McKean
Seat	Smethport
Largest city	Bradford
Area
• Total	984 sq mi (2,550 km2)
• Land	979 sq mi (2,540 km2)
• Water	5.0 sq mi (13 km2)  0.5%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	40,432
• Density	41/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	15th

McKean County is a rural area in Pennsylvania, USA. It is a "county," which is like a smaller region within a state. In 2020, about 40,432 people lived here. The main town, or "county seat," is Smethport.

McKean County was officially created in 1804 and started operating in 1826. It was named after Thomas McKean. He was a very important person who signed the United States Declaration of Independence. He also used to be the Governor of Pennsylvania.

This county is known as "The Black Cherry Capital of the World." It is located in the north-central part of Pennsylvania. It also includes part of the Allegheny National Forest and shares a border with New York.

Long ago, McKean County was important for its natural resources. People came here for oil and timber (wood). These resources are still a big part of the local economy today. Now, the county's economy also includes a university, a hospital, a federal prison, and many manufacturing companies.

Geography of McKean County

McKean County covers about 984 square miles. Most of this area, about 979 square miles, is land. The rest, about 5 square miles, is water. The weather here is a "humid continental climate." This means it has warm summers and cold winters. For example, in January, the average temperature in Bradford is about 23°F. In July, it's around 67.6°F.

Neighboring Counties

McKean County shares its borders with several other counties:

• Cattaraugus County, New York (to the north)
• Allegany County, New York (to the northeast)
• Potter County (to the east)
• Cameron County (to the southeast)
• Elk County (to the south)
• Forest County (to the southwest)
• Warren County (to the west)

Main Roads in McKean County

Many important roads run through McKean County. These highways help people travel around the area.

Protected Natural Areas

Parts of two important national protected areas are in McKean County:

• Allegheny National Forest
• Allegheny National Recreation Area

People of McKean County

The population of McKean County has changed over the years. In 1810, there were only 142 people. By 1950, it grew to over 56,000. In 2020, the population was 40,432.

Most people in McKean County are White. There are also smaller groups of Black or African American, Native American, and Asian people. About 1.6% of the population is Hispanic or Latino. Many families have German, Irish, Italian, English, or Swedish backgrounds.

In 2000, about 30.5% of households had children under 18 living there. The average family size was about 2.93 people. The median age of people in the county was 39 years old.

Bradford Micropolitan Area

McKean County is known as the Bradford, PA micropolitan statistical area. A micropolitan area is a city and its surrounding communities. It is a smaller version of a metropolitan area. In 2010, this area was the 13th most populated micropolitan area in Pennsylvania. It was the 277th most populated in the entire United States.

Education in McKean County

Map of McKean County, Pennsylvania School Districts

McKean County has many schools and places to learn.

Public School Districts

Children in McKean County attend schools in several public school districts:

• Bradford Area School District
• Kane Area School District (also serves part of Elk County)
• Oswayo Valley School District (mostly in Potter County, a small part in McKean County)
• Otto-Eldred School District
• Port Allegany School District (also serves part of Potter County)
• Smethport Area School District

Private Schools

There are also several private schools in the county:

• Bradford Area Christian Academy, Bradford
• Chestnut Street Christian School, Bradford
• Custer City Private School
• St. Bernard School, Bradford
• Learning Center Inc, Bradford
• United Christian Academy, Smethport

Libraries

Libraries are great places to read and learn. McKean County has several:

• Bradford Area Public Library
• Friends Memorial Public Library - Kane
• Hamlin Memorial Library - Smethport
• Mount Jewett Memorial Library
• Samuel W Smith Memorial Public Library - Port Allegany

Other Learning Places

• Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems - Custer City
• McKean County Historical Society's Museum at the Old Jail - Smethport
• Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center - Port Allegany
• Seneca Highlands IU 9 - Smethport
• University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

Fun and Recreation

McKean County has a beautiful state park for outdoor fun.

Kinzua Bridge State Park

Kinzua Bridge State Park is a special place in McKean County. It's located near Mount Jewett. This park is famous for the Kinzua Bridge. When it was first built, it was the highest and longest railroad bridge in the world!

The park is considered one of "Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks." It's also a "Historic Civil Engineering Landmark." Sadly, a tornado damaged much of the bridge in 2003. Even so, it's still a fascinating place to visit.

Communities in McKean County

Map of McKean County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).

McKean County has different types of communities. These include cities, boroughs, and townships.

City

• Bradford

Boroughs

• Eldred
• Kane
• Lewis Run
• Mount Jewett
• Port Allegany
• Smethport (This is the county seat, the main town for the county's government.)

Townships

Townships are another type of community, usually larger rural areas.

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or boroughs.

• Foster Brook
• Rew
• University of Pittsburgh Bradford

Smaller Unincorporated Communities

These are even smaller places that are not officially part of a city, borough, or CDP.

• Burning Well
• Coryville
• Cyclone
• Derrick City
• Farmers Valley
• Gifford
• Ludlow

Community Population Ranking (2010 Census)

Here's a list of the largest communities in McKean County, based on how many people lived there in 2010.

† county seat

See also

In Spanish: Condado de McKean para niños