Located in the southwestern quadrant
of the state, the Allegheny Ridge is a landscape which has
witnessed centuries of Native American life, westward expansion
of European settlers across the formidable Allegheny Mountains,
and the rise and passing of the canal, railroad, coal and
steel eras.
In an age of satellite communications
and effortless travel, it is difficult to appreciate the meaning
of a natural barrier. But in the early 19th Century, geographical
features like the Allegheny Ridge presented almost insurmountable
obstacles. Rising steeply 1200 feet above the western Pennsylvania
towns of Altoona and Hollidaysburg, and extending for a thousand
miles, the Ridge stood in the way of national expansion and
the vast resources of the west. The challenge of surmounting
the Ridge with roads, canals, and rail became the symbol of
America's new technical prowess and the emergence of Pennsylvania
as an industrial giant.
The Allegheny Ridge is a living resource
of national significance which has been extensively documented
and recognized. Its communities and industries illustrate
how nature was harnessed to produce the underpinnings of our
modern world. The area also preserves a unique pattern of
regional settlement which emerged around these industries.
The diverse yet interconnected culture of the Ridge lives
in neighborhoods where strong blue collar values maintain
ethnic churches, social groups, and long-standing traditions.
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