Moosic, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moosic, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Municipal building
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Location of Moosic in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
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 Moosic, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Moosic, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lackawanna |
| Incorporated | 1898 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.53 sq mi (16.91 km2) |
| • Land | 6.48 sq mi (16.78 km2) |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2) |
| Elevation | 817 ft (249 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,959 |
| • Density | 919.46/sq mi (355.03/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight Time) |
| Zip Code |
18507
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| Area codes | 570 |
| FIPS code | 42-50880 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1215324 |
Moosic (/ˈmuːzɪk/ MOO-zik) is a small town, called a borough, in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of downtown Scranton. Moosic is also about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown Wilkes-Barre, right along the Lackawanna River.
This area was once known for coal mining. In the past, Moosic also had factories that made things like canvas gloves and silk products. In 2020, about 5,972 people lived in Moosic.
Contents
A Look Back: Moosic's Past and Early Days
The name "Moosic" likely comes from the Unami language of the Lenape people. It probably means "elk place." The Lenape, a Native American people, were the first known inhabitants of this area.
Moosic officially became a borough on December 9, 1898. Before that, the villages of Moosic and Greenwood were part of Lackawanna Township. For many years, from 1886 to 1987, Moosic was home to Rocky Glen Park. This was a popular amusement park. Today, the former park grounds are marked with a special Pennsylvania state historical marker.
Where is Moosic? Exploring its Location and Nature
Moosic is located in the Wyoming Valley in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania. It is part of the Ridge and Valley province of the Appalachian Mountains. Moosic sits at an elevation of about 817 feet (249 meters) above sea level.
The main body of water flowing through the borough is the Lackawanna River. This river is part of the larger Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed. Moosic covers a total area of about 6.6 square miles (17.1 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 6.5 square miles (16.8 square kilometers), is land. Only a small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 square kilometers), is water.
Moosic has a humid continental climate with four clear seasons. Summers are usually warm and humid, sometimes with heatwaves. Winters are cold and snowy.
Fun Things to Do: Moosic's Culture and Activities
In recent years, Moosic has grown a lot. It now has many restaurants, shops, and entertainment options. You can find a movie theater here, along with various places to eat and hotels.
In 2005, plans were made to build a large outdoor shopping center near the movie theater. This center, called The Shoppes at Montage, was finished in 2007. It is an open-air plaza with over forty stores and restaurants.
Moosic is also home to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. This is a Triple-A Minor League Baseball team. They are a farm team for the New York Yankees and play their games at PNC Field.
Other interesting places in Moosic include the Lackawanna County Visitors Center and a Boy Scouts center. There is also the Glenmaura complex, which features upscale houses. The Glenmaura National Golf Club is a well-known PGA tournament course. A major U.S. golf magazine has even named it one of the top 100 courses in the country.
Just north of Moosic, you'll find the Toyota Pavilion and the Montage Mountain Ski Area. To the south is the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, located in the nearby town of Avoca. In 2008, a water park called Montage Meltdown was built at the Montage Mountain ski resort. It opened in June 2009.
The main daily newspaper for Moosic is The Times-Tribune from Scranton. The local ABC-TV station, WNEP-TV, has its main television studios in Moosic.
Most people get around Moosic by car. A study called Walk Score found that Moosic is "car-dependent." This means that not many places are close enough to walk to. Public transportation is available through the County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS). Baseball fans can even take a trolley from the Electric City Trolley Museum in Scranton to a station right next to PNC Field.
Who Lives in Moosic? A Look at the Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 600 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,227 | — | |
| 1910 | 3,964 | 223.1% | |
| 1920 | 4,364 | 10.1% | |
| 1930 | 4,557 | 4.4% | |
| 1940 | 4,568 | 0.2% | |
| 1950 | 3,965 | −13.2% | |
| 1960 | 4,243 | 7.0% | |
| 1970 | 4,646 | 9.5% | |
| 1980 | 6,068 | 30.6% | |
| 1990 | 5,339 | −12.0% | |
| 2000 | 5,575 | 4.4% | |
| 2010 | 5,719 | 2.6% | |
| 2020 | 5,972 | 4.4% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 5,976 | 4.5% | |
| Sources: | |||
As of the census in 2010, there were 5,719 people living in Moosic. These people lived in 2,363 households, with 1,596 of them being families. The population density was about 879.8 people per square mile (339.7 people per square kilometer).
About 95.3% of the people in Moosic were White. Other groups included 1% African American, 0.1% American Indian, and 1.8% Asian. About 3.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of age, 19.6% of the population was under 18 years old. About 61.6% were between 18 and 64 years old. And 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The average age in Moosic was 44.4 years.
Learning in Moosic: Schools and Education
The Riverside School District serves students living in Moosic and the nearby town of Taylor. Moosic has two elementary schools: Riverside Elementary East and Riverside Elementary West.
Riverside Elementary West teaches students in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade. Riverside Elementary East is for students in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. Older students attend Riverside Jr.-Sr. High School for grades 7-12. This high school is located across the Lackawanna River in Taylor.
Riverside High School is well-known for its high school football rivalry with the nearby school in Old Forge. These two schools are "archrivals" and have one of the most intense rivalries in the Lackawanna Football Conference. Old Forge currently leads the head-to-head record with 32 wins, 30 losses, and 4 ties.
Notable People from Moosic
- Matthew Cartwright, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 8th district.
- John L. Gronski, a major general in the U.S. Army.
- Joe Grzenda, a baseball pitcher who played eight years in Major League Baseball.
- Frank Serafini, a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
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Moosic Presbyterian Church in 2015
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Presbyterian church on an old postcard
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Moosic Trolley Works
See also
In Spanish: Moosic para niños
