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Pennsylvania Log Homes & PA Log Cabins

Log Homes in Pennsylvania are very common and popular with the slopping, wooded and mountainous terrain. Due to the diverse topography, Pennsylvania produces a variety of climates. Straddling two major climate zones, the majority of the state, with the exception of the southeast corner, has a humid continental climate. Pennsylvania log homes are well suited for this climate and the energy efficiency of solid cedar log homes in PA can save homeowners thousands in heating and cooling costs.

The capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg, but the most populous cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie. Mountain Creations supplies Northern White Cedar log home packages throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

ORIGIN OF STATE NAME: Named for Admiral William Penn, father of the founder of Pennsylvania. NICKNAME: The Keystone State. CAPITAL: Harrisburg. ENTERED UNION: 12 December 1787 (2nd). SONG: "Pennsylvania." MOTTO: Virtue, Liberty and Independence. COAT OF ARMS: A shield supported by two horses displays a sailing ship, a plow, and three sheaves of wheat; an eagle forms the crest. Beneath the shield an olive branch and a cornstalk are crossed and below them is the state motto. FLAG: The coat of arms appears in the center of a blue field. OFFICIAL SEAL: obverse: A shield displays a sailing ship, a plow, and three sheaves of wheat with a cornstalk to the left, an olive branch to the right, and an eagle above, surrounded by the inscription "Seal of the State of Pennsylvania." reverse: A woman representing Liberty holds a wand topped by a liberty cap in her left hand and a drawn sword in her right as she tramples a lion representing Tyranny; the legend "Both Can't Survive" encircles the design. ANIMAL: White-tailed deer. BIRD: Ruffed grouse. DOG: Great Dane. FISH: Brook trout. INSECT: Firefly. FLOWER: Mountain laurel. TREE: Hemlock. BEAUTIFICATION AND CONSERVATION PLANT: Penngift crownvetch. BEVERAGE: Milk. FOSSIL: Phacops rana. LEGAL HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents' Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Flag Day, 14 June; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TIME: 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

Although Pennsylvania lies entirely within the humid continental zone, its climate varies according to region and elevation. The regions with the warmest temperatures and the longest growing seasons are the low-lying southwest Ohio valley and the Monongahela valley in the southeast. The region bordering Lake Erie also has a long growing season, as the moderating effect of the lake prevents early spring and late autumn frosts. The first two areas have hot summers, while the Erie area is more moderate. The rest of the state, at higher elevations, has cold winters and cool summers.

In 2002, there were 5,328,251 housing units in Pennsylvania, 4,821,279 of which were occupied; 71.7% were owner-occupied. About 56.9% of all units were single-family, detached homes. About 31.7% of all units were built in 1939 or earlier. Faced with a decaying housing stock, Philadelphia during the 1970s and 1980s encouraged renovation of existing units along with the construction of new ones, effectively revitalizing several neighborhoods. About 22% of all units were built statewide in the period from 1970 to 1989. In 2002, utility gas and fuel oil were the most common sources of energy for heating. It was estimated that 95,671 units lacked telephone services, 20,146 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 28,034 lacked complete kitchen facilities.

In 2002, 45,114 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $102,871. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,062. Renters paid a median of $577 per month. During fiscal year 2002, Pennsylvania received over $277.7 million in community planning and development aid from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Pennsylvania ranked 6th in population in the US with an estimated total of 12,335,091 in 2002, an increase of 0.4% since 2000. Between 1990 and 2000, Pennsylvania's population grew from 11,881,643 to 12,281,054, an increase of 3.4%. The population is projected to reach 12.7 million by 2025.

As recently as 1940, Pennsylvania was the 2nd most populous state in the US. By the 1980 census, however, the state had slipped to 4th place, with a population of 11,863,895; it dropped to 5th place in 1990 with a population of 11,881,643.

In 2000, the median age for Pennsylvanians was 38. In the same year, 23.8% of the populace was under age 18 while 15.6% were age 65 or older. The population density in 2000 was 274 persons per sq mi.

The largest city in the state, Philadelphia, was the 5th-largest US city as of 2002, with a population of 1,492,231. Philadelphia's population has declined since 1970, when 1,949,996 people lived there. The population of its metropolitan area also declined during the 1970s, but then increased from 4,716,559 in 1980 to 4,922,257 in 1990 and stood at an estimated 4,949,867 in 1999. Further, the larger Philadelphia–Wilmington (Del.)–Trenton (N. J.) consolidated metropolitan area increased from 5,680,509 in 1980 to an estimated 5,999,034 in 1999. Pittsburgh's population declined from 616,806 in 1950 to an estimated 327,898 in 2002 in the city proper, and the Pittsburgh metropolitan area population decreased from 2,348,000 in 1970 to 2,331,336 in 1999.

The 2002 estimated populations of Pennsylvania's other major cities were Allentown, 106,105, and Erie, 102,122. Other cities with large populations include Reading, Scranton, Bethlehem, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Altoona, and Wilkes-Barre.