Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Borough of Mount Pocono
Mount Pocono Knob Lookout, looking east toward Delaware Water Gap.
Location of Mount Pocono in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
Borough of Mount Pocono Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Borough of Mount Pocono Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Monroe
Incorporated	1927
Area
• Total	3.46 sq mi (8.95 km²)
• Land	3.45 sq mi (8.95 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km²)
Elevation	1,988 ft (606 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	3,170
• Estimate (2019)	3,119
• Density	903.01/sq mi (348.66/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	18344
Area codes	570 and 272
FIPS code	42-51912

Mount Pocono is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located nearly centered in the southernmost county of five in the northeast corner that are part of the Poconos Mountains region of the state. The borough serves as a local highway nexus, and sees a lot of tourist traffic making use of resources in the region.

As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 3,170 residents.

Geography
Demographics
Public education
Transportation
- Railroad
- Bus
- Air
History
- Resort hotels
See also

Geography

The town of Mount Pocono is located at 41°7′23″N 75°21′34″W / 41.12306°N 75.35944°W / 41.12306; -75.35944 (41.123012, −75.359574), and is nearly centered in the Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The region's valleys includes left bank tributaries of the Lehigh River in the southern half, and as the mountain ranges narrow closer to New York, are instead drained by left bank tributaries of the Susquehanna River. To the east, all Poconos drainage divides drain into the Delaware River or right bank tributaries of the Delaware.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.0 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1930	466	—
1940	648	39.1%
1950	619	−4.5%
1960	935	51.1%
1970	1,019	9.0%
1980	1,237	21.4%
1990	1,795	45.1%
2000	2,742	52.8%
2010	3,170	15.6%
2019 (est.)	3,119	−1.6%
Sources:

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,170 people, 1,225 households, and 793 families residing in the borough. The population density was 792.2 people per square mile (306.0/km²). There were 1,417 housing units at an average density of 358.0 per square mile (138.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 58.6% White, 18.6% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.7% of the population.

There were 1,225 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. Of all households 20.9% were made up of individuals, and 29.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years.

Public education

The Pocono Mountain School District (PMSD) is the public school system for students living in Mount Pocono. The PMSD is divided into two parts, the East and the West districts. Mount Pocono is the East district, comprising Pocono Mountain East High School for grades 9 - 12, Pocono Mountain East Junior High School serving students in the seventh and eighth grades, Swiftwater Intermediate School for grades 4, 5, and 6, and students from kindergarten through third grade attend the Swiftwater Elementary Center. The PMSD also offers the PMSD Cyber Program, a comprehensive cyber school alternative for grades k-12. The program is free to all students in the district

Transportation

Mt. Pocono station, D.L. & W.R.R., c. 1895

Railroad

The main line of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad passed through the southern end of the borough, providing access from New York City via the terminal at Hoboken, New Jersey. A passenger station was built at the crossing of Pennsylvania Route 611 in 1886. Most of the station was demolished in 1937 when the highway was widened. Regular passenger service to the borough ended in 1965. The D., L. & W. tracks now carry freight trains of the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad and an occasional excursion train from Steamtown National Historic Site.

Bus

The Monroe County Transit Authority (MCTA) serves Monroe County with five bus routes. The Authority's Blue Route serves Mount Pocono's Main Street (Pocono Blvd.) with northbound service to Tobyhanna and southbound service to Tannersville and the Stroud Mall. Connections to other MCTA routes are provided at the Stroud Mall. Martz Trailways and Greyhound Lines provide intercity bus service to Mount Pocono at the Martz Express bus station, with Martz Trailways connecting Mount Pocono with the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City and Greyhound Lines connecting Mount Pocono with the Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal in Philadelphia and Scranton.

Air

Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport is located two miles north of the borough.

History

Early 19th-century settlers used the area for lumbering. The "New Mount Pocono" post office was established in 1848. The town's name was changed in 1864 to "Forks", because of its five-way intersection where Pennsylvania Route 611 and Pennsylvania Route 940 cross and Pennsylvania Route 196 begins. The name was changed again in 1886 to "Mount Pocono". The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad provided transportation from New York City and Philadelphia. Mount Pocono quickly developed as a summer resort, advertising clean mountain air, spring water, luxury hotels and excellent fishing. The boom times lasted into the mid-20th century. Most of the resort hotels burned or closed, and passenger service to the town ended in 1965.

Mount Airy Lodge grew into an 895-room mega-resort. In the mid- and late-20th century it was a popular honeymoon destination, famous for its heart-shaped bathtubs. It closed in 2001, and was demolished. Casino gambling in Pennsylvania became legal in 2004. Mount Airy Casino Resort was built on the Mount Airy Lodge's lakeside site, and opened in 2007.

Resort hotels

Pine Hill Lodge (c. 1875, still in business).
Pocono Mountain House (1878, burned 1973), 250 guest rooms.
Princess Poconita Resort (1880). Now Whispering Hills Motel.
Pocohasset House (demolished 1938), 100 guest rooms.
Ontwood Resort (c. 1890s, burned 1979), 150 guest rooms.
Mount Pleasant House (burned 1968), 150 guests.
Mount Airy Lodge (1898, closed 2001, demolished). At its peak in the 1960s, the hotel had 895 guest rooms.
Montanesca Hotel (1901, burned 1911), 125 guest rooms.
The Meadowside (burned 1926).
Hawthorne Inn (1909, demolished).
Strickland's Mountain Inn (c. 1900, demolished 2007). Began as The Elvin, sold to Strickland in 1945.
Devonshire Pines (1912, demolished), 200 guest rooms.
The Belmont (burned 1963).

Currently, Mount Pocono serves as the commercial center for the northern part of Monroe County. Stores from national and regional chains such as Lowe's, Walmart, Weis Markets, and others are in the Borough. Local businesses include the Casino Theatre, the Village Trader, and Grandpa Pete's Bagels. Many businesses are members of the Mount Pocono Association (formerly, the Mount Pocono Business Association).