Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

Huntingdon is a borough in and the county seat of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located along the Juniata River, approximately 32 mi east of Altoona and 98 mi west of Harrisburg, in an agricultural and fruit-growing region, with valuable forests and deposits of iron, coal, fire clay, and limestone. In the past, Huntingdon had manufactures of flour, machinery, radiators, furniture, stationery, woolen goods, lumber, etc. It also was the junction of the Huntington & Broad Top Mountain RR with the Pennsylvania Railroad, and a port on the Main Line of Public Works of the Pennsylvania Canal. Huntingdon is home to Juniata College, originally founded by the Church of the Brethren in 1876. It is also the largest borough located closest to Raystown Lake. Its population was 7,093 people at the 2010 census. It is the principal borough in the Huntingdon, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Huntingdon was settled in 1767 by the Rev. Dr. William Smith on the site of a famous Indian council ground, near the spot where Standing Stone Creek flows into the Juniata River. The spot was marked by the erection of a "Standing Stone Monument" erected at the borough centenary and rumored to exist before the founding of the original village which was called Standing Stone. The land was purchased by Dr. Smith in 1766 for 300 British Pounds. He later renamed the settlement in honor of Selina, the Countess of Huntingdon, England. The original charter of incorporation to a borough was adopted in 1796. In 1900, Huntingdon was the home of 6,053 people; in 1910, 6,861 people; and in 1940, 7,170 people.

Hurricane Ivan
During Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the borough was hit hard with flooding. The high school football field, Route 26 underpass under the railroad tracks, and many other areas in and around Huntingdon were flooded. The only way in an out of the borough was a township-owned road located in Oneida Township that goes up on top of Stone Creek Ridge. It was the worst flooding since Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

2009 America's Coolest Small Towns
Huntingdon was named by Budget Travel magazine's readers as 5th Coolest Small Town in the United States in a poll conducted by them. Results were announced on The Early Show, April 15, 2009 with Budget Travel's editor in chief, Nina Willdorf with Harry Smith.

The Huntingdon Borough Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Geography
Huntingdon is located at 40.49528°N, -78.01306°W (40.495187, -78.013147).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.5 sqmi, of which 3.5 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (2.55%) is water.

Adjacent Municipalities
All municipalities are located in Huntingdon County unless otherwise noted.
 * Smithfield Township
 * Henderson Township
 * Oneida Township

Water Source
The source of the city water for Huntingdon borough and Smithfield Township is Standing Stone Creek, with the water treatment facility being located in the east end of the borough.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 7,093 people, 2,674 households, and 1,461 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,026.6 people per square mile (779.5/km²). There were 2,911 housing units at an average density of 831.7 per square mile (319.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.61% White, 1.93% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.51% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.

There were 2,674 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were married couples living together, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.4% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the borough the population was spread out with 17.7% under the age of 18, 24.4% from 18 to 24, 19.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $35,057, and the median income for a family was $54,621. The per capita income for the borough was $19,070. About 6.3% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

Newspapers

 * The Daily News
 * Standing Stone News

Radio
Huntingdon's only radio stations are WHUN Hunny 106.3FM, ESPN Radio AM 1150, and the Juniata College station WKVR 92.3FM but radio broadcasts from other markets can also be heard:

Television
Huntingdon receives all television programming from the Johnstown-Altoona-State College, PA media market.

Colleges and Universities

 * Juniata College- founded 1876
 * DuBois Business College - Huntingdon campus
 * Pennsylvania Highlands Community College - Huntingdon center (located in Walker Township)

School District
Huntingdon is served by Huntingdon Area School District, home of the Bearcats.

High Schools

 * Huntingdon Area Senior High School- opened in 1960 (renovated 2004)- Grades 9-12

Middle Schools

 * Huntingdon Area Middle School- opened in 2012- Grades 6-8

Elementary Schools

 * Standing Stone Elementary School- opened in 1999- Grades K-5-Huntingdon borough
 * Southside Elementary School- opened in 1997 - Grade K-5-Walker Township

Private Education

 * Calvary Christian Academy- Grades K-12
 * Huntingdon Christian Academy- Grades K-12 (located in Walker Township)

Transportation

 * Huntingdon (Amtrak station)

Notable people

 * Hugh Brady, military commander
 * Dylan Lane, game show host
 * Robert Elliott Speer, American religious leader
 * Horace Porter, Civil War General and US Diplomat
 * Chuck Knox, American football coach with the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks; attended Juniata College and married a Huntingdon native
 * Richard Murray Simpson, U.S. Representative
 * Matthew Rush, pornographic actor.
 * Jackson Berkey, American composer, pianist and singer, best known for his work with Mannheim Steamroller
 * Curtis Wright, Country song writer and former member of Shenandoah (band)
 * Fayette Avery McKenzie, Professor of Sociology, Juniata College