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National Register of Historic Places listings in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County is in Pennsylvania, USA.

Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, is a place rich in history! Many buildings, bridges, and other sites here are so special that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important places across the United States. It's like a special hall of fame for historic sites!

You can find 42 different places and areas in Huntingdon County on this list. Two of these are even more important and are called National Historic Landmarks. This means they are super significant to the history of the entire country.


What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places worth saving. It's managed by the National Park Service. When a place is added to this list, it means it's recognized as important for its history, architecture, or culture. This helps people understand and protect these special sites for future generations.

Historic Treasures of Huntingdon County

Huntingdon County has many different kinds of historic places. You'll find old mills, strong bridges, important industrial sites like furnaces, and even entire historic neighborhoods! These places tell stories about how people lived, worked, and traveled long ago.

East Broad Top Railroad: A Historic Train Ride

One of the most exciting historic sites is the East Broad Top Railroad. It's a National Historic Landmark, which means it's super important! This old railroad, located near Orbisonia, was built to carry coal and other goods. It's one of the oldest narrow-gauge railroads in the United States that is still mostly in its original form. Imagine trains from a long time ago, chugging along these tracks! It's a real step back in time.

East Broad Top 15
An old train from the East Broad Top Railroad.

Greenwood Furnace State Park: Iron Making History

GreenwoodFurnacePA
The historic furnace at Greenwood Furnace State Park.

Greenwood Furnace State Park is another fascinating place. It used to be a busy iron-making village. Here, people made iron using huge furnaces. The park now protects the remains of this old industry. You can see the furnace and learn about how iron was made in the past. It's a great spot to explore history and enjoy nature at the same time. The Greenwood Lake Dam is also part of this historic area, showing how water power was used.

Pulpit Rocks: A Natural Landmark

The Pulpit Rocks are also a National Historic Landmark. These unique rock formations are found along an old turnpike, which was a main road long ago. They are not just natural wonders but also have historical importance, perhaps as a landmark for travelers or a place with local legends.

Pulpit Rocks
The interesting rock formations at Pulpit Rocks.

Old Mills and Furnaces

Many other places on the list show how people used to work. The H.O. Andrews Feed Mill in Mapleton was a place where grain was processed. The Hudson Grist Mill in Saltillo is another example of an old mill. These mills were vital for grinding grains into flour and feed.

Huntingdon County also has many historic furnaces and forges, like the Barree Forge and Furnace, Colerain Forges Mansion, Huntingdon Furnace, and Juniata Iron Works. These places were central to the iron industry, which was very important in Pennsylvania's history. They show how raw materials were turned into useful metal products. The Minersville Coke Ovens are also a reminder of the coal and iron industries.

Historic Bridges

Several old bridges are also on the list, like the Baker Bridge, Birmingham Bridge, Corbin Bridge, and Runk Bridge. These bridges are important because of how they were built and how they helped people travel across rivers and creeks. The St. Mary's Covered Bridge is a beautiful example of an old covered bridge, which were common long ago.

Baker Bridge
The historic Baker Bridge over Great Trough Creek.
ST. MARY'S COVERED BRIDGE
The St. Mary's Covered Bridge.

Important Buildings and Districts

The Huntingdon Armory is a historic building in Huntingdon. An armory is a place where military equipment is stored and soldiers train. The Huntingdon Borough Historic District and Mount Union Historic District are entire areas with many historic buildings. Walking through these districts is like stepping back in time, seeing the architecture and layout of older towns.

Other interesting places include the Brumbaugh Homestead, an old family farm, and the Benjamin B. Leas House. The Lloyd and Henry Warehouse shows how goods were stored and traded. The Lewis Smalley Homestead is another example of a historic farm. These places give us a glimpse into the daily lives of people from the past.

Places That Were Once Listed

Sometimes, a place might be removed from the National Register. This can happen if the building is changed too much, or if it's destroyed. The Mount Union Refractories Company was once on the list but was later removed. Even if a place is removed, its history is still important to remember.

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