Union County, Pennsylvania

Union County,  Pennsylvania, in the central portion of PA, is located in the beautiful Susquehanna Valley Region.  Offering tranquil beauty in a rural setting; rolling mountain ridges, fertile valleys, pristine forestland, and glistening brooks and streams stem from the winding Susquehanna River.

Union County offers a slower pace of life, and community standards that date back to the nation's beginnings.  Central Pennsylvania is considered the 'Cradle of American History' and pride in local heritage runs strong here.  Amish families still travel in their horse-drawn carriages to the well-preserved downtown districts of Union County villages.

The 2000 Census numbered Union County's population at almost 42,000, scattered over 300 square miles of land.  Lewisburg serves as the county seat with a population of almost 6,000 residents. Located at the intersection of Interstate 80 and US Route 15, Union County lies within an hour's drive of Harrisburg, Scranton and Williamsport, giving it an available workforce of almost 600,000 people.  A three-hour drive from the sprawling metropolises of Philadelphia, New York, and Washington DC, businesses found in Union County have access to 40% of the U.S. population as well as 45% of its manufacturers.

Union County, PA, holds on to its small town values and heritage while keeping a strong fiscal commitment to its residents with future planning.  The Union County Industrial Development Corporation works with the state of Pennsylvania in offering many tax breaks and incentives to draw in corporations and firms.  A 440-acre portion of Union County is a designated Keystone Opportunity Zone , and a multi-functional business park, the Great Stream Commons, stands ready for new businesses to move in.  Unique in being more than just business-minded, the Commons will contain acres of ball fields, green open spaces, boat launches, and fishing piers on the Susquehanna.  Union County residents are known as hard working, committed people, with many employed in the manufacturing industry.  Workforce training is provided by the joint efforts of Union as well as Lycoming County, in tandem with the Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Union County residents enjoy a relatively mild climate, with January average temperatures of 26 degrees, and cool summer temperatures averaging 73 degrees.  Winter brings the joys of skiing at Ski Sawmill Mountain Resort and Sno Mountain, where Pennsylvania's version of the Winter Olympics is held during the Keystone State Winter Games.  Much of Union County and the Susquehanna Valley Region contain Federal Land devoted to preserving the area's lush natural resources.  Thousands of acres are used for state game lands, where hunters and trappers search for deer, bear and grouse.  The Susquehanna River and its many tributaries are a paradise for fishermen, offering perch, trout, bass and other varieties to catch.

Though a mainly rural area, Union County has much to offer in the way of culture and entertainment.  The Williamsport Community Arts Center and the Weis Center for Performing Arts provide a variety of performances, with both professional and local talent.  The Slifer House Museum, the Packwood House Museum and Mifflinburg Buggy Museum all preserve Union County's rich national heritage.

Union County was one of the first to become a designated Green County by the EPA, showing the deep care and resolve its residents hold to preserve what today is a unique way of life.

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