Centre County

Vital Record Resources - Image of Centre County Courthouse

Centre County

Centre County was formed in 1800 from Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, and Huntingdon counties. The county seat is Bellefonte.

For records prior to 1800, consult the records of these counties, depending on the county in which your area was located at the time.

Centre County History

The area of Pennsylvania known as Centre County was originally inhabited by the Shawnee Indians, who later came under control of the Iroquois.  The first records of colonial exploration of the region came from James Potter in 1764, and the first white settler made his home there in 1769.

Schaeffer House, Route 220, Nittany, Centre County, PA. Pennsylvania Centre County Nittany, 1933

By the early 1770’s Potter returned and brought Scots-Irish settlers with him. The first official survey of the region was done in 1776, and land was divided among proprietors. Most early settlers made their living from wheat farming, until 1784 when iron ore was discovered, and over time iron making attracted many new settlers to the area.  Much of Centre County’s population is of German and Irish descent.  Many of the German immigrants settled in the Penn’s valley area.  

Graveyard with barn, silo, and trees in background
Graveyard and Barn, State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Edwin Rosskam photographer, 1941

Centre County was officially formed in 1800 from sections of Mifflin, Northumberland, Lycoming and Huntingdon counties. The name derives from its geographical central location within the state.

Between 1818 and 1820, the borders between Centre, Union and Lycoming Counties changed slightly, with another border adjustment between Centre-Lycoming in 1836.  In 1839, several Centre county towns were surrendered to newly formed Clinton County.

Between 1800 and 1850, Centre and its surrounding counties made up the leading iron producing region in the nation.  Bituminous coal has also been a strong source of income for the county.  Centre County also remains one of Pennsylvania’s leading areas for agricultural production.

Today, the area covers 1,115 square miles which is mostly made up of farms and forests.

Centre_County_map_showing_townships
Centre County Township Map courtesy of Kristin Bryson and Bare Roots Publishing

Photo credit: Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, Michael Schaeffer, Dean E Kennedy, Dean E Kennedy, John E Boodon, and C Bauchspies, Kennedy, Dean E, photographer. Schaeffer House, Route 220, Nittany, Centre County, PA. Pennsylvania Centre County Nittany, 1933. Documentation Compiled After. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/pa0229/.

Photo credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives. LC-USF34-012795-D

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