 The town's tree-lined streets lie in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, 30 miles west of the Allegheny River's headwaters.Originally known as Canoe Place, the town's name was changed to Port Allegany in 1838.It is unusual among places in Pennsylvania that make reference to the Allegheny River; it used the spelling "Allegany," more commonly encountered in place names in neighboring New York.