Nittany Valley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nittany Valley
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Region
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Aerial photo of Nittany Valley looking east from Milesburg with Bald Eagle Mountain on the left and Mount Nittany on the upper right
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Centre |
| Elevation | 1,154 ft (352 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 25,502 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Zip |
16823
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| Area code(s) | 814 |
Nittany Valley is a long valley in Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was formed by natural forces over a very long time. The valley is located between two mountain ridges: Bald Eagle Mountain to the west and Mount Nittany to the east.
The northern part of the valley is closed off by a high plateau. But the southern end is open where Mount Nittany finishes. Water from the valley flows into Bald Eagle Creek. This happens through gaps in Bald Eagle Mountain. These gaps were carved by streams like Spring Creek and Fishing Creek. The western side of the valley, between Bald Eagle Mountain and a smaller ridge called Sand Ridge, is also known as the Little Nittany Valley.
Nittany Valley is a mix of different landscapes. You'll find farms, forests, and places where rocks are dug up (quarries). Bellefonte is the biggest town fully inside the valley. It is also the county seat of Centre County. Other important places here include the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution - Rockview, the Nittany Mall, and University Park Airport. The main campus of Pennsylvania State University is located at the southern end of the valley. This area is often called "Happy Valley".
Getting Around Nittany Valley
Traveling through Nittany Valley is easy with several major roads. Interstate 80, also known as the Keystone Shortway, crosses the valley from west to east. It enters the valley near Milesburg, Pennsylvania and leaves through a natural gap in Mount Nittany.
A local train line, the Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad, also runs through the valley. It comes from Milesburg and follows Spring Creek to Bellefonte. From Bellefonte, the tracks split. One goes northeast to Pleasant Gap, and the other goes southwest to Lemont and State College.
Pennsylvania Route 26 is the main road that runs north to south through the valley. A new part of Interstate 99 will also follow this route to connect with Interstate 80.
How Nittany Valley Was Formed
Nittany Valley is part of the Ridge and Valley region of the Appalachian Mountains. Millions of years ago, the land here was flat layers of sedimentary rock. During a time called the Appalachian orogeny, these rock layers were pushed and folded upwards. This created a giant arch, like a huge mountain, called the Nittany Arch.
This ancient mountain was once as tall as the Himalayas are today! Over a very long time, wind and water slowly wore away (eroded) the top of this huge mountain. The softer rocks eroded faster, creating the valley we see today. The harder rocks remained, forming the surrounding mountains like Mount Nittany and Bald Eagle Mountain.
This process is an example of inverse topography. It means that where there was once a towering mountain, there is now a valley. The oldest rock layers, which were deep inside the mountain, are now visible in the middle of the valley on Sand Ridge. Younger rocks are found on the sides of the valley and on the mountain ridges.
