Moshannon: The Elk River Place

The name Moshannon comes from the Lenape language, most likely from Mos'hanna'unk, meaning elk river place. Early colonists recorded the creek's name as Moss-Hanne, and they wrote it down as best they could. Over generations it settled into Moshannon.

Elk once moved through these Pennsylvania valleys in great numbers, and the name survives them: there is a Moshannon Creek, a Moshannon State Forest, a Black Moshannon State Park, and this small census-designated place in Centre County. It is a quiet reminder that Native American geography still underlies every road and map in this part of Pennsylvania, even if the elk and the Lenape are long gone from this particular valley.