Luzerne County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luzerne County
County
Seal
Topographical map of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Location of Luzerne County in Pennsylvania
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Region	Northeastern Pennsylvania
Metro area	Wyoming Valley
Formed	September 25, 1786
Named for	Chevalier de la Luzerne
County seat	Wilkes-Barre
Largest city	Wilkes-Barre
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	906 sq mi (2,350 km2)
• Land	890 sq mi (2,300 km2)
• Water	16 sq mi (40 km2)
Highest elevation	2,460 ft (750 m)
Lowest elevation	512 ft (156 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	325,594
• Density	359.38/sq mi (138.76/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Area codes	570/272

Luzerne County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 906 square miles (2,350 km²), of which 890 square miles (2,300 km²) is land and 16 square miles (41 km²) is water. It is Northeastern Pennsylvania's second-largest county by total area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 325,594, making it the most populous county in the northeastern part of the state. The county seat and most populous city is Wilkes-Barre. Other populous communities include Hazleton, Kingston, Nanticoke, and Pittston. Luzerne County is included in the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a total population of 555,426 as of 2017. The county is part of the Northeastern Pennsylvania region of the state.

On September 25, 1786, Luzerne County was formed from part of Northumberland County. It was named after Chevalier de la Luzerne, a French soldier and diplomat during the 18th century. When it was founded, Luzerne County occupied a large portion of Northeastern Pennsylvania. From 1810 to 1878, it was divided into several smaller counties. The counties of Bradford, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming were all formed from parts of Luzerne County.

The county gained prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining region, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. At its peak in 1930, the county's population was 445,109. Many factories and coal mines closed by the early 21st century. Like most regions in the Rust Belt, Luzerne County witnessed population loss and urban decay. However, in recent years, the economy has grown moderately; warehousing has replaced manufacturing as the main industry.

History

Photo taken just before the Lattimer massacre (1897)

Children working in Wilkes-Barre's coal industry (1906)

Child laborers at a Pittston coal mine (1911). The photo was taken by Lewis Hine.

The Luzerne County Historical Society maintains the storehouse for the collective memory of Luzerne County and its environs. It records and interprets the history, traditions, events, people and cultures that have directed and molded life within the region.

18th century

• 1769: The Pennamite-Yankee War (or the Yankee-Pennamite Wars) began when settlers from Connecticut and Pennsylvania fought over land claims along the North Branch of the Susquehanna River in the present Wyoming Valley.
• July 1, 1778: During the Revolutionary War, Fort Jenkins (a patriot stockade in present-day West Pittston) was surrendered to the British (under Major John Butler). It was later burned to the ground. In 1928, a bridge connecting West Pittston and Pittston City was constructed and named in its honor.
• July 3, 1778: A force of British soldiers, led by John Butler, with the assistance of about 700 Indians, attacked and killed nearly 300 Wyoming Valley settlers. Today in the Borough of Wyoming, a monument marks the gravesite of the victims from the Battle of Wyoming.
• July 4, 1778: Fort Pittston (located in what is now Pittston City) surrendered to the British and some of it was partially destroyed. It was later restored and used until the end of the Revolutionary War.
• September 1778: Revenge for the Wyoming defeat was taken by American Colonel Thomas Hartley who, with 200 soldiers, burned nine to twelve Seneca, Delaware and Mingo villages along the Susquehanna River in northeast Pennsylvania, including Tioga and Chemung.
• September 11, 1780: Reports of Tory activity in the region caused Captain Daniel Klader and a platoon of 40 to 50 men from Northampton County, Pennsylvania, to investigate. Captain Klader's men made it as far north as present-day Conyngham, when they were ambushed by the Seneca nation and by the Tories. 18 of Klader's men were killed in what is known as the Sugarloaf Massacre.
• September 25, 1786: Luzerne County was formed from part of Northumberland County. It was named after Chevalier de la Luzerne, French ambassador to the United States.

19th century

• September 6, 1869: A mine fire killed 110 people in Avondale, an unincorporated community in Plymouth Township.
• June 28, 1896: The Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Mine in Pittston City caved-in and killed 58 miners.
• September 10, 1897: Sheriff James Martin formed a posse and fired on a group of unarmed miners in what is known today as the Lattimer massacre. Luzerne is infamous for being the last county whose sheriff legally formed a posse to restore order in a time of civil unrest.

20th century

• 1908 – 1912: The anthracite coal mining industry, and its extensive use of child labor in the early part of the 20th century, was one of the industries targeted by the National Child Labor Committee and its hired photographer, Lewis Hine. Many of Hine's subjects were photographed in the mines and coal fields in and around Pittston during this time. The impact of the Hine photographs led to the enactment of child labor laws across the country.
• 1915: A mine fire in Laurel Run, Pennsylvania, caused a section of the town to be relocated.
• June 5, 1919: An explosion at the Baltimore Colliery in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, killed 92 miners.
• 1930s – 1980s: Pittston City emerged as a national center for clothing manufacturing. Thousands of workers, mainly women, labored in many factories throughout the Greater Pittston area. One such woman was Susan Sebastianelli of Pittston Township. Most were members of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) that gained higher wages, workplace health & safety improvements, and employee rights. The ILGWU was active in civic and political life throughout Pennsylvania.
• 1934: The right arm of Hughestown, Pennsylvania, resident, Harry Tompkins, was crushed by an Erie Railroad train. This resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court case, Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, which laid the foundation for a large part of modern American civil procedure.
• January 22, 1959: The Knox Mine disaster in Port Griffith, Jenkins Township, claimed the lives of 12 people and essentially shut down the mining industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
• June 1972: Hurricane Agnes was responsible for massive flooding in and around Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
• 1974–1989: Alleged ghost hauntings took place in the home of Jack and Janet Smurl in West Pittston. This resulted in the 1991 film The Haunted.
• 1992: The opening scenes from the movie School Ties was filmed in West Pittston; it shows David Green, the hero of the movie (played by Brendan Fraser), hanging out with friends in the streets of the tiny town.

21st century

• May 21, 2000: A plane crash in Bear Creek Township, Pennsylvania, near the intersection of Bear Creek Boulevard (PA-Route 115) and the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, killed the pilot as well as all 19 passengers.
• December 1, 2006: A tornado left a path of destruction approximately 15 miles (24 km) long (this included parts of Mountain Top).
• 2008: The Kids for Cash scandal resulted in federal convictions and sentences of juvenile court judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan.
• 2011: The Borough of Duryea received national attention for its role in the landmark Supreme Court case Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri, in which the court stated that "a government employer's allegedly retaliatory actions against an employee do not give rise to liability under the Petition Clause unless the employee's petition relates to a matter of public concern."
• September 2011: Luzerne County witnessed historical flooding from Tropical Storm Lee. The Susquehanna River reached a record high of 42.6 feet (13 meters) in Wilkes-Barre. The river topped the 40.9-foot (12.5 meters) level in flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The Greater Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, and Nanticoke areas were hit the hardest.
• January 2, 2012: A new county government was formed. The first members of the Luzerne County Council were sworn in. The first council chair was Jim Bobeck. The following month, the council appointed the first county manager (Robert Lawton).

Geography

West-central Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from the Mocanaqua Loop Trail in Conyngham Township.

Lehigh Gorge State Park in Luzerne County during the fall

Scenery of Dallas Township

Nuremberg from the south

Boats on Harveys Lake

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 906 square miles (2,350 km²), of which 890 square miles (2,300 km²) is land and 16 square miles (41 km²) (1.8%) is water. The highest point in the county is Cherry Ridge in Fairmount Township. The ridge is 2,460 feet (750 m) above sea level. The lowest point, of about 512 feet (156 m), can be found near Shickshinny.

The Wyoming Valley is located in the north and mid part of the county. The valley is flat (at the Susquehanna Basin) and rises from 512 feet (156 m) to 2,000 feet (610 m) in some places. Bear Creek, on the eastern side of the valley, has a mean elevation of about 2,000 feet (610 m), while Shickshinny, on the Susquehanna Basin, is about 512 feet (156 m). The Wyoming Valley (in Luzerne County) extends from Exeter Township and Pittston Township to Shickshinny and Salem Township. Pittston City, West Pittston Borough, Wyoming Borough, Kingston Borough, and Wilkes-Barre City all make up the Susquehanna Basin of the Wyoming Valley. Greater Pittston makes up the northeastern region of the county. The county is crossed by a series of east-to-west mountains. The Susquehanna River drains most of the county while the Lehigh River drains some eastern and southeastern portions. The Lehigh forms part of Luzerne County's southeastern border.

Luzerne County consists of several urban areas. The first is a contiguous quilt-work of former anthracite coal mining communities (including the cities of Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, and Nanticoke). It is located in the northeastern and central part of the county. The second is Hazleton and it is located in the southern portion of the county. Other smaller urban areas (such as the Back Mountain and Mountain Top) are scattered throughout the region. Small farming communities can be found outside of the urban centers.

Adjacent counties

• Wyoming County (north)
• Lackawanna County (northeast)
• Monroe County (east)
• Carbon County (southeast)
• Schuylkill County (south)
• Columbia County (west)
• Sullivan County (northwest)

Major highways

• I-80
• I-81
• I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension
• US 6
• US 11
• PA 115
• PA 309

Airports

• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
• Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport
• Hazleton Municipal Airport

Interstate 80, Luzerne County

Fort Jenkins Bridge (U.S. Route 11), Luzerne County

PA 309 as the North Cross Valley Expressway, Luzerne County

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, Luzerne County

Climate

A beach on Lake Jean in July 2010

Luzerne County has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa/mostly Dfb) with four distinct seasons. Winters are cold with a January average of 25.8 °F (−3.4 °C). The surrounding mountains have an influence on the climate (which includes both precipitation and temperature). This results in a wide array of weather conditions throughout the county. On average, temperatures below 0 °F (−17.8 °C) are infrequent, occurring three days per year, and there are 36 days where the maximum temperature remains below 32 °F (0.0 °C). In the Wilkes-Barre area, the average annual snowfall is 46.2 inches (117 cm) during the winter (in which severe snowstorms are rare). However, when snowstorms do occur, they can disrupt normal routines for several days.

Summers are warm with a July average of 71.4 °F (21.9 °C). In an average summer, temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32.2 °C) occur on nine days and can occasionally exceed 100 °F (37.8 °C). Spring and fall are unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from cold to warm (although they are usually mild). On average, Wilkes-Barre receives 38.2 inches (970 mm) of precipitation each year, which is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year (though the summer months receive more precipitation).

Extreme temperatures range from −21 °F (−29.4 °C) on January 21, 1994, to 103 °F (39.4 °C) on July 9, 1936. The hardiness zone is 6b in most lower areas except near the Susquehanna and Lackawanna Rivers where it is 7a, and it is 6a in higher areas. Wilkes-Barre averages 2,303 hours of sunshine per year, ranging from a low of 96 hours in December (or 33% of possible sunshine) to 286 hours in July (or 62% of possible sunshine). Despite being at the south end of the county, Hazleton's temperatures average lower than those of the Wyoming Valley due to its elevation.

Ecology

Sceptridium dissectum is a common fern in the county.

Demographics

Average household income by county in Pennsylvania. Data shown is from the 2014 American Community Survey (a 5-year estimate). Luzerne County can be seen in the northeast.

As of the 2020 census, the county was 89.3% White, 6.6% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.4% Asian, and 2.0% were of two or more races. 13.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.

According to the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% other race, and 1.5% were of two or more races. 6.7% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.

According to the census of 2000, there were 319,250 people, 130,687 households, and 84,293 families residing in the county. The population density was 358 inhabitants per square mile (138 inhabitants/km²). There were 144,686 housing units at an average density of 162 units per square mile (63 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.63% White, 1.69% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% other race, and 0.57% from two or more races. 1.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino. 22.2% were of Polish ancestry, 15.6% of Italian ancestry, 13.8% of Irish ancestry, 12.1% of German ancestry, and 5.3% of Slovak ancestry. Luzerne County is the only county in the United States with a plurality of citizens reporting Polish as their primary ancestry; the plurality of Pennsylvanians report German or Pennsylvania Dutch.

There were 130,687 households, out of which 48.80% were married couples living together. 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present. 35.50% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals. 16% of those age 65 years and older lived alone. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population consisted of 21% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24% from 45 to 64, and 19.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93 males. For every 100 females (age 18 and over), there were 89.50 males.

The median household income (in 2015 dollars) was $45,897. 15.1% of the population lives in poverty. 60.4% of those 16 years of age or older are in the civilian labor force. There are more white collar jobs in Luzerne County than blue collar jobs. In total, there are 91,801 white collar jobs and 62,813 blue collar jobs. The mean travel time to work (for those 16 years of age or older) was 22.1 minutes. In terms of education, 88.9% (of those 25 years of age or older) are high school graduates or higher. 21.4% (of those 25 years of age or older) have a bachelor's degree or higher. In terms of healthcare, 10.8% (for those under the age of 65) are living with a disability. As of 2015, 25,317 veterans are living in Luzerne County.

2020 Census

Languages

The two major languages spoken in Luzerne County are English and Spanish. 5.8% of the population speaks Spanish at home. Most of the Spanish speaking population can be found in and around the City of Hazleton.

Religion

59.27% of the people in Luzerne County are religious, meaning they affiliate with a religion. 43.77% are Catholic; 0.28% are LDS (or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints); 0.51% are Baptist; 0.55% are Episcopalian; 1.05% are Pentecostal; 3.11% are Lutheran; 4.40% are Methodist; 1.95% are Presbyterian; 2.33% are of some other Christian faith; 0.78% are Jewish; 0.00% are of an eastern faith; and 0.51% practice Islam.

Economy

Penn State runs the Extensions in the state, including in this County. The office here is in West Pittston.

Grains, seeds, beans, and peas make up about one third of the county's farm revenues. Due to its position as a somewhat less populated area near much larger metropolises, Luzerne's agritourism business is one of the larger in the state.

Through 2019 the Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was quarantined in neighboring counties, and there was tremendous concern that it would spread here. This was considered to be inevitable. In 2020 the state Ag Department added the county to the SLF quarantine zone. In October a homeowner noticed an adult on his house siding and recognized it from Penn State Extension's education campaign. He reported it and the state began efforts in Luzerne. An economic analysis for the General Assembly shows the effects on the county's economy will be severe.

Luzerne is both a productive farming county and a commuter location for nearby large cities. As such farmland is often converted to other real estate uses, and the county has created the Luzerne Conservation District to encourage conservation. The Luzerne CD runs the Farmland Preservation Program to encourage farmland to be set aside instead of turning it into construction and development.

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an invasive weed here, first known from 2001. Kunkel & Chen 2022 find that, contrary to what has been found elsewhere, here it thrives in shaded habitats and is not helped by light exposure.

Public safety

A volunteer fire department in Mocanaqua in November 2016

There are many fire and police departments scattered throughout Luzerne County. Each individual community (city, borough, and township) determines the boundaries of each department. The firefighters provide fire protection for its citizens. Most fire departments are headed by a fire chief and are staffed by a combination of career and volunteer firefighters.

The police provide full-time protection to its citizens, visitors, businesses, and public property. Most departments are headed by a chief of police and operate out of their local municipal building. The Luzerne County Sheriff's Office operates out of Wilkes-Barre's Luzerne County Courthouse. The sheriff is an official who is responsible for keeping the peace and enforcing the law throughout the county.

After Luzerne County adopted a home rule charter, the office of sheriff became an appointed position (and was no longer an elected one). The Pennsylvania State Police also have a presence in the county. Troop P operates out of the northern half of Luzerne County and is headquartered in Hanover Township as PSP Wilkes-Barre. Troop P also has a barracks in Salem Township—PSP Shickshinny. Troop N operates out of the southern portion of the county and is headquartered in West Hazleton as PSP Hazleton.

Healthcare

Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre as depicted in drawing made between 1930 and 1945

Hospitals

• First Hospital in Kingston, an affiliate of Commonwealth Health (psychiatric care only)
• Geisinger South Wilkes Barre Hospital (GSWB), formerly Mercy Hospital
• Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center (GWV) in Plains Township
• Hazleton General Hospital (Lehigh Valley Health Network)
• Nanticoke Special Care Hospital, an affiliate of Commonwealth Health
• VA Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre
• Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, an affiliate of Commonwealth Health

Education

Carpenter Hall at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, August 2013

Administration Building at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, February 2013

Hazleton Area Public Library in Hazleton, August 2013

Public school districts

• Berwick Area School District (also in Columbia County)
• Crestwood School District
• Dallas School District
• Greater Nanticoke Area School District
• Hanover Area School District
• Hazleton Area School District (also in Carbon and Schuylkill Counties)
• Lake-Lehman School District (also in Wyoming County)
• Northwest Area School District
• Pittston Area School District
• Wilkes-Barre Area School District
• Wyoming Area School District (also in Wyoming County)
• Wyoming Valley West School District

Charter schools

• Bear Creek Community Charter School, Bear Creek Township

Public vocational technical schools

• West Side Career and Technology Center, Pringle

Private schools

Colleges and universities

Libraries

The Luzerne County Library System includes the following locations:

Culture

A Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey game at Mohegan Sun Arena

Mohegan Poconos hotel near the Mohegan Pennsylvania casino

Wilkes-Barre's Public Square

Local attractions

• Bear Creek Village Historic District, Bear Creek Village
• Bittenbender Covered Bridge, Huntington Township
• Eckley Miners' Village, Foster Township
• F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre
• Giants Despair Hillclimb, Laurel Run
• Kingston Armory, Kingston
• Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, Wilkes-Barre
• Luzerne County Museum, Wilkes-Barre
• Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Township
• Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Plains Township
• Public Square, Wilkes-Barre
• River Street Historic District, Wilkes-Barre
• Stegmaier Brewery, Wilkes-Barre
• Swetland Homestead, Wyoming
• Wilkes-Barre station, Wilkes-Barre
• Wyoming Monument, Wyoming
• Wyoming Valley Mall, Wilkes-Barre Township

Media

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area is the 55th-largest U.S. television market. Local television stations include: WNEP-TV (ABC affiliate), WBRE-TV (NBC affiliate), WYOU-TV (CBS affiliate), WVIA-TV (PBS affiliate), WOLF-TV (FOX affiliate), WQMY (MyNetworkTV affiliate), WSWB (CW affiliate), WQPX (Ion Television affiliate), and WYLN-LP (Youtoo TV affiliate).

Times Leader and The Citizens' Voice are the two largest daily newspapers in the Wilkes-Barre area. Wilkes-Barre's radio market is ranked No. 69 by Arbitron's ranking system. There are news, adult alternative, and music radio stations which are receivable in the area.

Sports

Transportation

PA Route 29 in Lake Township

A train travels under Firefighters' Memorial Bridge in Pittston

Highways

Railroads

• Canadian Pacific Railway (CP)
• Delaware and Hudson Railway (DH)
• Luzerne and Susquehanna Railway (LS)
• Norfolk Southern Railway (NS)
• North Shore Railroad (NSHR)
• Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (RBMN)

Airports

• Hazleton Municipal Airport
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
• Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport

• 

  Interstate 80 in southern Luzerne County

• 

  Specialist Dale J. Kridlo Bridge (U.S. Route 11)

• 

  North Cross Valley Expressway (PA 309)

• 

  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport

Communities

Wilkes-Barre, the county seat and largest city of Luzerne County

Hazleton, the second largest city in Luzerne County

Nanticoke, the third largest city

Pittston, the fourth largest city

Map of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Luzerne County contains the second highest number of independently governing municipalities in the state of Pennsylvania, with 76; only Allegheny County has more. Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in the case of Bloomsburg, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Luzerne County:

Cities

• Hazleton
• Nanticoke
• Pittston
• Wilkes-Barre (county seat)

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated places

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law.

Other places

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Luzerne County.

† county seat

Notable people

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Luzerne para niños