Elk County, located in the scenic Allegheny Mountains of north-central Pennsylvania, is named and known for the wild, free-roaming elk herd that has become a valuable source of tourism. Sportsmen are attracted to this hunting and fishing paradise, which includes the Allegheny National Forest and the headwaters of the Susquehanna River system. Camping and canoeing entice visitors to the natural beauty of this wilderness setting. Elk County is a world leader in the fields of carbon and powdered metallurgy. A modern paper mill enriches the local economy, and thousands of people each year visit the Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous, which is part of the Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania. The historic photographs featured in Elk County illustrate the industry, character, and faith of the county's residents from pioneer spirit to present progress through the wealth of its vibrant and enduring communities.

In the middle of the Allegheny Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains, Fox Township, Pennsylvania, in Elk County, was one of the last settled areas in the eastern United States. Known as part of the Great Buffalo Swamp, it was a community that was nearly impossible to reach because of geographical limitations. Settlers started to arrive in this wilderness around 1800, although the township was not officially established until 1814. Settled by Englishmen, Germans, Irish, Swedes, and Italians, Fox Township is an area with great ethnic diversity. At first an agricultural community, the township became a center of the coal mining industry with the arrival of the railroads after the Civil War. Nearly all of the coal mines closed after World War II, and today the township is home to powdered metal industry leaders such as Rebco, GKN, SinterFire, and Kersey Tool & Die.