Overview

Introduction to Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in Centre county, is 98 miles NW of Lancaster, Pennsylvania (center to center) and 120 miles E of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Part of the surrounding State College metro area, the town is not isolated.

Bellefonte History

The area was originally settled in 1795. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord conducted a land-speculation visit in this region in the 1790s. Since there was a natural spring in the area, he named the community "Bellefonte," which in French means "beautiful fountain." William Lamb, who owned a local mill, sold it to James Dunlop. Dunlop, together with his son-in-law, James Harris, laid out the town. In 1806, Bellefonte was officially incorporated as a borough. Following the discovery of iron in the area, the community of Bellefonte experienced significant growth and development.

Bellefonte and Nearby Attractions

  • Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum
  • Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
  • Hershey's Chocolate World
  • Williams Grove Amusement Park
  • Juniata College Museum of Art
  • Black Moshannon State Park

Things To Do In Bellefonte

Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum preserves the home of Scottish-Irish Revolutionary War officer, David Boal. The streets of Bellefonte are lined with Victorian houses like the Hastings Mansion, the Bush House, and the town's first jail, all of which were constructed in the 1800s. Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is a 1,500-acre park featuring exhibits that tell the story of the first railroad that was constructed over the Allegheny Mountains. Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum, Mifflinburg Buggy Museum, Railroaders Memorial Museum, and Baker Mansion are some of the other museums and historic sites in the region. In addition, Bellefonte, which is close to the 3,394-acre Black Moshannon State Park, features bike trails and a lake, as well as facilities for fishing, hiking, swimming, camping, and canoeing. Among the other popular attractions near Bellefonte are Williams Grove Amusement Park, Hershey's Chocolate World, Bald Eagle State Park, and Greenwood Furnace State Park.

Bellefonte Transportation

Harrisburg International Airport is the nearest major airport.

Bellefonte Higher Education

Colleges close to Bellefonte are Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University Park, and Juniata College.

Demographics

People

Total Population6,289
Male Share of the Population49.2%
Female Share of the Population50.8%
Senior Citizens19%
Employed Population 16+3,376
Age of the Population43

Families

% of people married48.4%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher42.3%
Median Earnings25+$35,471
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$26,000
Median Earnings With High School Degree$25,225

Wealth

Median Family Income$60,438
% Above Poverty Level94.2%
% Below Poverty Level5.8%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time18 minutes
% Working from Home1.6%
% Walking and Biking to Work1.9%
% Using Public Transportation1.9%

Housing

People Living Alone33.2%
Median Gross Rent$847
Median House Value$182,600

Ancestry

Irish12.4%
Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)10.5%
English7.9%
Polish6.2%
Italian5.4%
French Except Basque3.1%
Welsh2.5%
Scottish2.3%
Arab1.8%
Hungarian1.4%
Greek1.2%
Moroccan1%
German0.9%
Dutch0.9%
Iraqi0.8%
Romanian0.7%
Norwegian0.7%
Slovak0.7%
Canadian0.6%
Croatian0.5%
Swiss0.3%
Russian0.3%
Czech0.3%
Brazilian0.3%
West Indian0.2%
Slovene0.2%
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Bellefonte Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyCentre County
Standard Zip Codes16823
Phone Area Codes814
Time ZoneAmerica/New_York
Approximate Latitude40.91
Approximate Longitude-77.76

Bellefonte Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationSTATE COLLEGE
Distance9.1 miles
Jan Temp18 to 33 F
Apr Temp38 to 58 F
Jul Temp62 to 81 F
Oct Temp41 to 60 F
Annual Precip39.7 inches
StationLOCK HAVEN SEWAGE PLANT
Distance22.2 miles
Jan Temp16 to 34 F
Apr Temp35 to 61 F
Jul Temp60 to 84 F
Oct Temp38 to 64 F
Annual Precip41 inches
StationLEWISTOWN
Distance25.4 miles
Jan Temp19 to 36 F
Apr Temp38 to 62 F
Jul Temp61 to 84 F
Oct Temp40 to 64 F
Annual Precip40.8 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Beech Creek775$52,273
Centre Hall1,244$73,036
Howard670$73,750
Milesburg964$64,712
Snow Shoe876$80,469
State College42,256$90,807

Bellefonte Public Libraries

Centre Co Lib & Hist Museum
203 NORTH ALLEGHENY ST
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
(814) 355-1516

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More Information for Librarians

Bellefonte Public Schools

Bellefonte Area Hs
830 E Bishop St
ZIP: 16823
(814) 355-4833
High
Total Enrollment 816
Bellefonte Area Ms
100 N School St
ZIP: 16823
(814) 355-5466
Middle
Total Enrollment 632
Bellefonte El Sch
100 W Linn St
ZIP: 16823
(814) 355-5519
Primary
Total Enrollment 396
Benner El Sch
490 Buffalo Run Rd
ZIP: 16823
(814) 355-2812
Primary
Total Enrollment 258
Marion-walker El Sch
100 School Dr
ZIP: 16823
(814) 357-2425
Primary
Total Enrollment 334

Bellefonte Private Schools

Centre County Christian Academy
100 Hertzler Dr
ZIP: 16823
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 26
Sunset View School
894 Hubler Ridge Rd
ZIP: 16823
Elementary
Total Enrollment 27
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