Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Susquehanna County
U.S. county
The Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	October 13, 1812
Named for	Susquehanna River
Seat	Montrose
Largest borough	Forest City
Area
• Total	832 sq mi (2,150 km2)
• Land	823 sq mi (2,130 km2)
• Water	8.7 sq mi (23 km2)  1.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	38,434
• Density	46.195/sq mi (17.836/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	9th

Susquehanna County is a county located in Pennsylvania, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 38,434 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Montrose.

The county was officially created on February 21, 1810. It was formed from a part of Luzerne County. Susquehanna County was named after the Susquehanna River. It is part of the Northeast Pennsylvania area of the state.

History of Susquehanna County

Early Settlers and Conflicts

The first European settlers started moving into this area in the mid-1700s. They came from places like Philadelphia and Connecticut. At that time, this land was part of Luzerne County.

More and more people from Connecticut arrived. This led to disagreements because Connecticut also claimed this land. Connecticut's original land grant said it owned land all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This claim overlapped with Pennsylvania's land.

Soon, fighting broke out between settlers from both states. This conflict was called the Pennamite–Yankee Wars. It lasted from 1769 to 1799. In the end, Connecticut gave up its claim to the area.

How the County Was Formed

In 1810, Susquehanna County was officially created. It was made from a part of Luzerne County. Two years later, in 1812, Montrose became the county seat.

Coal Mining and Growth

After the Civil War, people started mining coal in the county. This led to new railways and roads being built. More people moved to the area because of the jobs. At one point, nearly 50,000 people lived in the county.

Coal mining became very important for the local economy. It brought a time of great success and growth to Susquehanna County.

The Great Depression and Decline

When the Great Depression happened, the coal industry faced big problems. Many mines closed, and the economy struggled. During World War II, coal mining picked up for a short time. But soon after, the county's economy declined again.

Many jobs were lost, and the population started to shrink. Railways were even taken apart.

Geography of Susquehanna County

Milk Can Corners in Hallstead

Susquehanna County covers about 832 square miles. Most of this area, about 823 square miles, is land. The rest, about 8.7 square miles, is water.

The county has many mountains, especially in the east. In the west, the mountains are smaller and more like hills. The highest point is North Knob, near Union Dale. Most people live in the long, narrow valleys. These valleys have good land for farming.

The county has a climate with warm summers. In Montrose, the average temperature in January is about 21.2°F. In July, it's about 67.7°F.

Neighboring Counties

Susquehanna County shares borders with several other counties:

• Broome County, New York (north)
• Wayne County (east)
• Lackawanna County (south)
• Wyoming County (south)
• Bradford County (west)
• Tioga County, New York (northwest)

Population and People

Susquehanna Depot Main Street

In 2000, there were 42,238 people living in Susquehanna County. There were 16,529 households. Most people in the county were White (98.54%). Other groups included Black or African American, Native American, and Asian. About 0.67% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many people in the county have roots from different European countries. The largest groups were English (26%), German (16.1%), Irish (15.1%), Italian (8.6%), and Polish (7.7%).

The population was spread out by age. About 25.5% were under 18 years old. The median age was 40 years. This means half the people were younger than 40 and half were older.

2020 Census Information

In 2020, the population of Susquehanna County was 38,434.

Economy and Jobs

The economy in Susquehanna County mainly relies on a few key areas. These include retail stores, healthcare, public schools, small businesses, and government jobs.

Main Employers

Here are some of the biggest employers in the county:

• Montrose Area School District
• Barnes-Kasson County Hospital
• Pennsylvania State Government
• Endless Mountains Health Systems
• Susquehanna County government
• Mountain View School District
• Elk Lake School District
• Gassearch Drilling Services Corp
• Blue Ridge School District
• Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation

Natural Gas Industry

Since 2008, drilling for natural gas has grown in the county. Some people believe this has helped the economy. The unemployment rate has changed over time. In January 2018, it was 5.7 percent.

Even with natural gas drilling, the county's population has gone down. Between 2010 and 2016, the population decreased by about 5.8 percent.

Tourism in the County

Susquehanna County is becoming a popular place for tourists. People enjoy its natural beauty, skiing, and charming small villages.

Education

Map of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, school districts

Kids in Susquehanna County attend various schools.

Public School Districts

Here are the public school districts in the county:

• Blue Ridge School District (New Milford)
• Elk Lake School District (Dimock)
• Forest City Regional School District (Forest City)
• Montrose Area School District (Montrose)
• Mountain View School District (Kingsley)
• Susquehanna Community School District

Public Libraries

The county has several public libraries where kids can read and learn:

• Susquehanna County Historical Society & Free Library Association
• Pratt Memorial Library
• Forest City Library
• Hallstead Public Library
• Hallstead-Great Bend Library
• Susquehanna Free Library

Vocational Schools

• Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center (Dimock Township) helps students learn job skills.

Private Schools

• Faith Mountain Christian Academy (New Milford) is a private school option.

Transportation

Major Roads

Train Services

The last passenger trains stopped running through Susquehanna County in 1970. Now, only freight trains use the railway lines.

Airports

Susquehanna County has a few small airstrips for fun. For bigger flights, the closest main airports are in Binghamton, New York and Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Recreation and Fun

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Susquehanna County:

• Salt Springs State Park is about 7 miles north of Montrose. It's a great place to explore nature.

There are also nine historic places in the county listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Towns and Communities

Map of Susquehanna County with municipalities labeled

In Pennsylvania, there are different types of towns. Susquehanna County has boroughs and townships.

Boroughs

These are smaller, often more populated areas:

Townships

These are usually larger, more rural areas:

Images for kids

• 

  The Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose

• 

  Milk Can Corners in Hallstead

• 

  Susquehanna Depot Main Street

• 

  Map of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, school districts

• 

  Political map of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, with townships and boroughs labeled. Townships are colored white and boroughs are colored various shades of orange.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Susquehanna para niños