Click Here to Return to Milestones
We live in a colorful state! In our travels around Pennsylvania, we frequently discover a tiny crossroads village with a delightful name. Many of these names add color to the local area literally!
For example, Red Lion, White Haven and Blue Ridge Summit! Not forgetting Green Park, Yellow House, Orange, Black Lick, Grays Landing, Brownfield and Rose Valley!
Among the colors, white seems to be the most common. We find White Deer, White Hall, White House, White Oak, Whitemarsh, Whitestown, and White Mills. To Green, we can add Green Lane, Green Tree, Greenville, Greenpoint, Green Spring, and Green Village. The Reds came through with Red Cross, Red Rock and Red Hill. Other colorful towns in the Keystone State are Black Horse, Upper Black Eddy, Black Gap, Blue Ball, Yellow Spring and Orangeville. A rainbow in our backyard!
The animal kingdom has not been forgotten in the parade of village names. Our famous Beaver is most prevalent, with seven communities named after it besides our county seat. The Deer comes on strong, too. We find Deer Lake, White Deer, Buckstown, Buck Hill Falls, Elkland, Elk River, Doe Run, and Fawn Grove.
Representing other native denizens, we find Beartown, Bear Creek, Bear Lake, Fox Chapel and Wolfdale. The town of Mammoth hasn't seen its namesake around for a good many years. A more recent disappearance is remembered in Buffalo Mills and New Buffalo.
Odd combinations occasionally turn up, like Lionville and Lamb's Creek. And, of course, Red Lion and Panther. And White Horse and Colt Station.
Some towns are for the birds! Like Bird-in-Hand, Swanville, Turkey City, Pigeon, Woodcock and Oriole. Not forgetting Bald Eagle, New Eagle, Mount Eagle, Eagle Rock and Eagles Mere.
For the reptiles, we have Turtlepoint and Turtle Creek. The fish leave their scent with Trout Run, Troutville and Piketown. The invertebrate animals are poorly represented, with only Coral to be found. Of course, we do have a Fossilville! And we mustn't forget Unicorn.
The trees are not forgotten. The Oaks are in there with Oak Forest, White Oak and eight more. Laurel Run heads a list of five more towns recalling our state flower. We find Walnut, Walnut Bottom, Walnutport, West Hickory, Hickory Grove and Hickory Hill.
Pine Grove and Piney Creek head a list of several more pines, while Spruce Hill, Spruce Creek, Hemlock and Cedar Run complete the evergreen roster.
For the maples we find Sugar Grove and Mapleton. Beech Creek, Willow Grove and Willow Street are there, along with some fruit trees, Plum, Plum Run, Cherry Tree and Cherryville. Chestnut Grove remains a memorial to the once proud chestnut tree, and soon to be included in this category is the village of Elm.
Closer to the ground, we find Cranberry, Rose Tree, Briar Creek, Greenbriar, Fern Glen, Ivyland, Strawberry Ridge and not to be forgotten, Weedville and Grass Flat!
This is not unusual in a state where Mars, Venus and Moon Run are located. And don't forget, you can find both Eden and Paradise in Pennsylvania, if you know where to look!