Fun Facts about Pennsylvania

Things to know about the Keystone State, where to go and what to see, and the biggest stars from the state 

From the LifeMinute.TV Team

July 12, 2021

National Pennsylvania Day is July 20, so we are examining the state’s best attributes and its most famous faces.

Known as the Keystone State, Pennsylvania may have been the second state to ratify the constitution, but it is a state of many firsts. It was the site of the first and second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775. The state also claims the first baseball stadium, computer, and piano.

Another sweet fact about the state? It is home to Hershey, the chocolate capital of the U.S. You can visit Hersheypark as well as historical places like the Gettysburg National Military Park where the Battle of Gettysburg was fought over a three-day period in 1863. The Civil War battle resulted in more than 51,000 estimated casualties. Other places to visit in PA include the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pittsburgh aka the Steel City, and Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, which has a rich history. Philadelphia served as the nation's capital for one decade in the 1790s, and it houses the Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, Independence Hall, and Congress Hall. Philly is also known for its cheesesteaks and for Rocky, the epic fictional boxer.

Many famous faces are from Pennsylvania, including Taylor Swift, Kobe Bryant, Sharon Stone, Tina Fey, Grace Kelly, Joan Jett, Patti LaBelle, Eve, and Will Smith. Smith's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air famously hails from “West Philadelphia born and raised.”