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Fun Facts The male deer, or buck, grow antlers each year. These Antlers are used as weapons during mating season and then are shed. The female deer is called a doe. Doe can give birth to twins or even triplets per season, if well fed. A baby deer is called a fawn (shown left). There is a large deer population in Pennsylvania. Deer were very important to the survival of settlers and Indian tribes. Deer were used as food and buckskin |
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Fun Facts The Pennsylvania Ruffed Grouse,sometimes called the partridge, is a plump reddish-brown bird with feathered legs. The coloring makes it possible for the ruffed grouse to hide in the wilds. The grouse is known for the drumming sound that is made by the males to attract a mate. For more information, see the Game Commission. Remember to use your back button key to return to the challenge. |
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Fun Facts The Great Dane was a hunting breed that changed to a working breed. Pennsylvania was a hunting Commonwealth that became a leading working community. The Great Dane came from England just as did William Penn, the founder of this Commonwealth. The Great Dane is pictured in a painting in the Governor's reception room by Pennsylvania artist Violet Oakley as the "Best Friend" of William Penn. Naming an official dog would recognize the service and loyalty of all dogs in Pennsylvania. |
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Fun Facts Mountain Laurel is an evergreen shrub. It has leathery leaves which are poisonous to livestock. During the middle of June, the mountain laurel are in full bloom with large clusters of pink or white flowers. Laurel symbolizes victory and merit. |
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Fun Facts This is the only trout native to Pennsylvania. They are found in small cold mountain streams and lakes and spring fed limestone streams. |
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Fun Facts A firefly or lightning bug is a small beetle. They give off heatless flashes of green-yellow to red-yellow light. These flashes, called bioluminous light, are signals to attract a mate. Fireflies eat snails and worms. |
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Fun Facts Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the US in milk production, butter production, Italian cheese production, and ice cream production. Pennsylvania Dairy cows produce more than 10 billion pounds of milk every year. There are 639,000 milk cows on 10,200 dairy farms. Americans eat about 7.7 pounds of mozzarella cheese (pizza topping)per person per year. They also eat about 13 quarts of ice cream per person per year. |
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Fun Facts The Hemlock is the most typical tree in Pennsylvania forests. It was used by the early settlers to build their log cabins. The hemlock offers shelter from the weather and homes for many animals. The Hemlock is an evergreen tree that has small cones and short dark leaves. Since Hemlocks do not lose their needles, they symbolize faith in immortality. |
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Fun Facts Penngift Crownvetch was first discovered by Dr Fred Grau in 1935 on a farm and researched by Penn State University. It got its name because the farmer gave the plant to the university as a gift, and it was studied at Penn State and found to be unique to Pennsylvania. Penngift Crownvetch is known for serving as a feed for livestock, nitrogen feeding plant for soil, and controls erosion of soil. |
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Fun Facts Phacops rana, which means "frog eyes", is a specific type of trilobite. The fossil remains of a small water bug known as a trilobite can be found easily in the rock in Pennsylvania. For more information, go to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources but remember to use your back button to return. :-) |
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Fun Facts The restored United States Brig Niagara is the Flagship of Pennsylvania. The Niagara, the flagship of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, helped defeat a British squadron at the Battle of Lake Erie, on September 10, 1813. Its home port is Erie. For more information, go to the US Brig Niagara. Remember to use your back button to return to this page |
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Fun Facts All of the 425 K4 Locomotives were built in Pennsylvania. They were the main passenger locomotive of the Pennsylvania Railroad for 30 years. There are only two surviving K4 locomotives. You can find Number 3750, built in March of 1920, on display in Strasburg at the Pennsylvania Railroad museum. You can find Number 1361, built in May of 1918, under going restoration in Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pa. It will return and operate at the Railroaders' Museum in Altoona sometime in October of 1999. |
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Fun Facts There were only 139 GG1 locomotives built. Number 4859 was built at the Pennsylvania Railroad's Juniata Shop in Altoona, December 1937. This engine pulled the first electric train into Harrisburg on January 15, 1938 and was in active service until November 21, 1979. During its 41 years of service, this locomotive powered troop trains in World War II as well as coal and passenger trains. It can be viewed at the Transportation Center in Harrisburg. |
