Crawford

Crawford County, with a population of approximately 90,000, is situated in northwestern Pennsylvania and was established in 1800. Named for Colonel William Crawford — a soldier, surveyor, farmer, and lifelong friend of George Washington — Crawford County reflects the rich rural traditions of its diverse settlers and first inhabitants. Visitors and residents alike enjoy the county's treasures throughout the year.

Covering an area of 1,013 square miles, Crawford County is mainly agricultural, with a strong industrial base centered on tool and plastics manufacturers in the Meadville area. A solid base of goods and service-oriented businesses is complemented by a flourishing tourism industry, based on Crawford County's natural beauty and the region's environmental health. Communities share a rich and varied cultural life linked by country roads, railroads, and scenic trails.

Due to its unique geological history, Crawford County's landscape is unique in its variety. The terrain changes from plains and broad low valleys in the west to near-mountainous features in the east. In between is a vast area of rolling hills, clean streams, glacial lakes, and marshes. A tributary of the Allegheny River, French Creek, one of the world's most biologically diverse streams, runs through the county. Also calling Crawford County home is the 8,777-acre Erie National Wildlife Refuge — one of only two in the entire commonwealth.

Shoppers appreciate the variety of unique antiques, original artwork and sculpture, custom crafts, unusual gifts, homemade food items, and more, which are available in the plentiful specialty shops throughout the county. A vast outdoor flea market offering a wide range of items, including animals, fowl, produce, antiques, and miscellaneous goods, draws bargain hunters from several states.

The county offers a wealth of information for history, genealogy, preservation, and architecture buffs. Crawford County is home to three active historical societies, an informative genealogical research service, numerous historic markers, gorgeous historic homes, and elaborate buildings, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The county also offers three fine golf courses, shooting and archery ranges, hiking and biking trails, horseback riding trails, sports courts, beautiful parks, fishing lakes, and a conservation area. Those who love the great outdoors appreciate modern and primitive campsites throughout the county.

Pymatuning Dam

Museums

Located in Meadville, the Baldwin-Reynolds House was once home to Supreme Court Justice Henry Baldwin (1780-1840) and, at other times, two of Meadville's mayors. Purchased by the Meadville Historical Society, the house now includes an ice house, tannery, garden, and spring-fed pond.
Dr. Mosier (1855-1938) was born in Crawford County and studied at the University of Maryland. As a physician, he performed all of the usual duties of an early 20th-century general practitioner.
Have you ever wondered where the first colonial settlement in northwest Pennsylvania was located? Well, look no further than Meadville. In 1787, at the age of 36, David Mead and his brother, John, went scouting the northwestern Pennsylvania wilderness for a new location to settle.
Probably one of the most extensive historical sites in northwest Pennsylvania's Oil Heritage Region, the Drake Well Museum in Titusville is located on the site of the birthplace of the modern oil industry.
The Cambridge Springs Historical Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the years of the mineral water boom. Its displays of artifacts, relics, and memorabilia, along with changing exhibits, fill the first and second floors of the 1908 City Hall building.
South of Linesville on Hartstown Road is the Linesville Fish Hatchery, a fun place for people of all ages to learn about fish cultivation and get up close and personal with the fish in the observation tank.
The Blue Heron Art Gallery and Cultural Center was formed in June 2007 under the auspices of the Volant Community Development Corporation.
The Johnson-Shaw Stereoscopic Museum in Meadville, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Keystone View Company, once the world's largest producer of stereoviews—devices used to view paired photographs in 3D.
Meadville Railroad Depot Museum was established thanks to the collaboration of the French Creek Valley Railroad Historical Society, the NWPA Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association, the Crawford County Historical Society, and the Crawford County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The historic Conneaut Lake Community Hall and former Police Station now serves as the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Museum with hundreds of photos and artifacts.

Organizations

The purpose of establishing Crawford County Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Crawford County.
Linesville Historical Society is located in downtown Linesville at 120 Erie Street - on the corner of Erie and South Pymatuning.
French Creek Valley Railroad Historical Society collects, organizes, describes, preserves, and makes available records and items related to the railroad history of Crawford County, its residents, and related items.
In 1999, the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society was established as a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the area's history. With an active membership of over 200, the society has continued to hold monthly meetings and events that educate and share in this heritage.