Smethport, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smethport, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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McKean County Courthouse
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Location of Smethport in McKean County, Pennsylvania.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | McKean |
| Settled | 1807 |
| Incorporated | 1853 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Borough council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.69 sq mi (4.36 km2) |
| • Land | 1.63 sq mi (4.21 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,430  |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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1,412 |
| • Density | 941.54/sq mi (363.54/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Zip code |
16749
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| Area code(s) | 814 |
| FIPS code | 42-71248 |
| Website | Borough of Smethport |
Smethport is a small town, also called a borough, in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of McKean County. The mayor of Smethport is Wayne V. Foltz. In 2020, about 1,430 people lived there.
Smethport is known as one of the coldest places in Pennsylvania. It even holds the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded in the state!
Contents
Discovering Smethport's Past
Smethport is located in a hilly area called the Pennsylvania Wilds. It's close to the Allegheny National Forest and Kinzua Bridge State Park. You can reach Smethport in about two hours from cities like Erie and Buffalo. The highest point on U.S. Route 6 east of the Mississippi River is near Smethport, at a place called Bush Hill.
How Smethport Began
Smethport was started in 1807 by Dutch land investors. They were exploring a large area of land they bought in Pennsylvania. The town was named after the De Smeths, a Dutch banking family who helped pay for the land.
The first business in Smethport was a sawmill built in 1822 by John Applebee. It used water power to cut wood. In 1826, Smethport became the main town for McKean County. It officially became a borough in 1853. The pond that powered the sawmill is now a beautiful part of Hamlin Park.
Smethport and the Civil War
Smethport has a connection to General Thomas L. Kane. He put together a group of soldiers called the Bucktail Regiment during the Civil War. Today, there's an active group in Smethport that re-enacts the Bucktail Regiment.
Timber and Toys
From the 1870s to the early 1900s, Smethport was a very important center for the hardwood timber industry. This meant a lot of trees were cut down and processed here. This timber boom brought a lot of money to the town. It allowed many large, fancy houses, called mansions, to be built. These mansions are now part of a historic area in Smethport.
Smethport is also famous for toys! The first magnetic toys in the United States were invented here in 1908. The popular Wooly Willy toy, which was a big hit in the 1950s and is still made today, was created in Smethport. Donald and James Herzog of the Smethport Specialty Company invented it. In 2004, Smethport was chosen as Pennsylvania's first Route 6 Heritage Community. This program helps promote tourism and history.
Exploring Smethport's Location
Smethport is located at coordinates 41°49′N 78°27′W / 41.817°N 78.450°W.
The United States Census Bureau says that the borough covers about 1.7 square miles (4.36 square kilometers) in total. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Smethport is quite high up, about 1,488 feet (454 meters) above sea level. It is also near Prospect Hill, which is the highest point in McKean County. Prospect Hill reaches about 2,495 feet (760 meters) above sea level.
Three creeks flow through Smethport: Blacksmith Run, Potato Creek, and Marvin Creek.
Smethport's Weather
Smethport has a climate with big changes between seasons. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold. This type of weather is called a humid continental climate.
The coldest temperature ever recorded in Pennsylvania was in Smethport. It was -42°F (-41°C) on January 5, 1904. Smethport also shares the record for the coldest February temperature in the state, which was -39°F (-39°C).
Smethport has also seen some of the heaviest rainfall in a short time. On July 18, 1942, a storm in Smethport brought 30.7 inches (780 mm) of rain in less than 5 hours!
| Climate data for Smethport, PA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 57 (14) |
61 (16) |
80 (27) |
87 (31) |
94 (34) |
94 (34) |
95 (35) |
95 (35) |
92 (33) |
87 (31) |
71 (22) |
62 (17) |
95 (35) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 52 (11) |
54 (12) |
66 (19) |
78 (26) |
84 (29) |
86 (30) |
89 (32) |
88 (31) |
83 (28) |
76 (24) |
66 (19) |
54 (12) |
89 (32) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 31.2 (−0.4) |
34.8 (1.6) |
44.5 (6.9) |
57.6 (14.2) |
69.2 (20.7) |
76.8 (24.9) |
80.2 (26.8) |
77.9 (25.5) |
71.0 (21.7) |
60.6 (15.9) |
47.3 (8.5) |
35.5 (1.9) |
57.2 (14.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 21.9 (−5.6) |
24.2 (−4.3) |
33.4 (0.8) |
43.9 (6.6) |
54.5 (12.5) |
62.1 (16.7) |
66.3 (19.1) |
65.2 (18.4) |
58.7 (14.8) |
47.8 (8.8) |
37.9 (3.3) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
45.3 (7.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 12.8 (−10.7) |
13.8 (−10.1) |
21.7 (−5.7) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
39.9 (4.4) |
47.6 (8.7) |
52.7 (11.5) |
52.4 (11.3) |
46.4 (8.0) |
35.1 (1.7) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
18.8 (−7.3) |
33.3 (0.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −17 (−27) |
−15 (−26) |
−2 (−19) |
14 (−10) |
21 (−6) |
29 (−2) |
36 (2) |
35 (2) |
28 (−2) |
18 (−8) |
9 (−13) |
−7 (−22) |
−21 (−29) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −42 (−41) |
−37 (−38) |
−21 (−29) |
−1 (−18) |
10 (−12) |
21 (−6) |
28 (−2) |
23 (−5) |
19 (−7) |
9 (−13) |
−3 (−19) |
−29 (−34) |
−42 (−41) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.22 (82) |
2.57 (65) |
3.62 (92) |
3.81 (97) |
4.08 (104) |
5.26 (134) |
4.27 (108) |
4.20 (107) |
4.41 (112) |
3.63 (92) |
3.83 (97) |
3.75 (95) |
46.65 (1,185) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 16.5 (42) |
11.3 (29) |
9.5 (24) |
2.7 (6.9) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
4.7 (12) |
14.8 (38) |
59.9 (152.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 16.6 | 13.3 | 14.0 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 12.2 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 13.7 | 14.7 | 17.0 | 166.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 13.3 | 11.0 | 6.7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 11.5 | 48.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Smethport's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 313 | — | |
| 1870 | 231 | −26.2% | |
| 1880 | 872 | 277.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,150 | 31.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,704 | 48.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,817 | 6.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,568 | −13.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,733 | 10.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,840 | 6.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,797 | −2.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,725 | −4.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,883 | 9.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,797 | −4.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,734 | −3.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,684 | −2.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,655 | −1.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,430 | −13.6% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 1,412 | −14.7% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2010, there were 1,655 people living in Smethport. These people lived in 718 households, and 470 of these were families. The average household had about 2.38 people.
About 26% of the population was under 18 years old. About 18.9% of the people were 65 years or older. The average age in Smethport was 40 years old.
Local Businesses in Smethport
Smethport has been home to several interesting businesses:
- Smethport Specialty Company: This company made Wooly Willy and other magnetic toys. It was sold in 2008, and the factory closed in 2014.
- America's First Christmas Store: This shop opened in 1935. It was the first store in the country that sold Christmas items all year round. It closed in 2005.
- Hamlin Bank and Trust Company: This is a local bank started by Henry Hamlin in 1863. You can find more about them at Hamlin Bank.
- Chef Specialties Company: Started in 1940, this company was the first in America to make and sell pepper and spice mills. Visit their website at Chef Specialties.
- Backus Company: This company makes precision metal parts. It was founded in 1906.
Education in Smethport
Smethport is part of the Smethport Area School District. The district has one elementary school and one high school for students.
Fun Facts About Smethport
Smethport is known for one of the biggest short-duration storms ever recorded in the world. This means a huge amount of rain fell in a very short time!
Images for kids
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An aerial view of Smethport looking west, taken on May 4, 2008.
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Smethport High School (left) and Elementary School (right).
See also
In Spanish: Smethport para niños
