Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

Lebanon County Education, Geography, and History

Lebanon County is a county located in the state of Pennsylvania. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 133,568. Its county seat is Lebanon. The county was formed from portions of Dauphin and Lancaster counties in 1813, with minor boundary revisions in 1814 and 1821.

Lebanon County comprises the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Lebanon County Name

Named for old Lebanon Township. Lebanon is a Biblical name meaning "White Mountain."

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Lebanon County History

Created on was created on February 16, 1813, from parts of Dauphin and Lancaster Counties and named for old Lebanon Township. Lebanon is a Biblical name meaning "White Mountain." Lebanon, the county seat, was laid out in 1750. It was incorporated as a borough on March 28, 1799, but the citizens did not accept incorporation. It was finally chartered as a borough on February 20, 1821 and as a city in 1885.

Palatine Germans from New York were the first large group, first arriving in 1732. Conrad Weiser became their leader. Today 42 percent of the residents still claim German descent. Indian attacks troubled the area from 1755 to 1763, and the Hanover Resolves of 1774 anticipated the Revolution. Jacob Albright established the Evangelical Association whose Albright College was located in Myerstown from 1895 to 1928. A turnpike in 1817 followed by the Union Canal in 1828 opened up business markets. Iron mines, especially those of the Coleman family, led to iron making. Cornwall Furnace was productive from 1742 to 1883; Cornwall's iron mine operated into the 1970s. There was an important limestone industry, and items manufactured included carriages, shoes, cigars, Miller Organs, whiskey, and Lebanon Bologna. Agriculture leads the economy today, the county being a leader in livestock and dairy products- sixth in the state- and an important grain producer. It is one of only four counties in which half or more of the area is farmed. The first National Guard annual training camps were at Mount Gretna. Since World War II, the Federal dollar input in the county has been high because of Indiantown Gap Military Reservation.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 363 square miles (939 km²), of which, 362 square miles (937 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.20%) is water

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Schuylkill County (northeast)
• Berks County (east)
• Lancaster County (south)
• Dauphin County (west)

Education

Colleges and universities

Harrisburg Area Community College (Lebanon Campus)
Lebanon Valley College
Evangelical Seminary

Public school districts

Annville-Cleona School District
Cornwall-Lebanon School District
Eastern Lebanon County School District
Lebanon School District
Northern Lebanon School District
Palmyra Area School District

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