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Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
County
Official seal of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Seal
Topographical map of Luzerne County
Topographical map of Luzerne County
Location in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Location in the U.S. state of 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
 • Estimate 
(2020)
 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 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) 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 largest 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).

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. By the early 21st century, many factories and coal mines were closed. Like most counties in the Rust Belt, Luzerne witnessed population loss and urban decay. However, the economy has grown moderately in recent years; warehousing has replaced manufacturing as the main industry.

History

Lattimer massacre
Photo taken just before the Lattimer massacre (1897)
Child Labor in United States, coal mines Pennsylvania
Children working in Wilkes-Barre's coal industry (1906)
Breaker Boys in Coal Mine South Pittston Pennsylvania by Lewis Hine
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
West-central Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from the Mocanaqua Loop Trail in Conyngham Township.
LGSP Rockport access
Lehigh Gorge State Park in Luzerne County during the fall
Scenery of Dallas Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Scenery of Dallas Township
View of Nuremberg, Pennsylvania from the south
Nuremberg from the south
Boats on Harveys Lake
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

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

Demographics

Geo Map of Income by Location in Pennsylvania
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.
Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1790 4,892 —
1800 12,839 162.4%
1810 18,109 41.0%
1820 20,027 10.6%
1830 27,379 36.7%
1840 44,006 60.7%
1850 56,072 27.4%
1860 90,244 60.9%
1870 160,915 78.3%
1880 133,065 −17.3%
1890 201,203 51.2%
1900 257,121 27.8%
1910 343,186 33.5%
1920 390,991 13.9%
1930 445,109 13.8%
1940 441,518 −0.8%
1950 392,241 −11.2%
1960 346,972 −11.5%
1970 342,301 −1.3%
1980 343,079 0.2%
1990 328,149 −4.4%
2000 319,255 −2.7%
2010 320,918 0.5%
2020 325,594 1.5%
Sources:

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 people per square mile (138/km2). There were 144,686 housing units at an average density of 162 per square mile (63/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.

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.

Recreation

Ricketts Glen State Park Canoes
Canoes on the shores of Lake Jean (in Ricketts Glen State Park)

There are four Pennsylvania state parks in Luzerne County:

Other recreation

Frances Slocum State Park
Summit of Mount Yeager, Nescopeck State Park
Ricketts Glen State Park
Seven Tubs in winter

Local attractions

WBArena
A Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey game at the Mohegan Sun Arena
Main page: National Register of Historic Places listings in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Communities

Wilkes Barre Downtown
Wilkes-Barre, the county seat and largest city of Luzerne County
Downtown hazleton pa
Hazleton, the second largest city in Luzerne County
Nanticoke City
Nanticoke, the third largest city
PittstonCity1
Pittston, the fourth largest city
Map of Luzerne County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels
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

Boroughs

Townships

  • Bear Creek
  • Black Creek
  • Buck
  • Butler
  • Conyngham
  • Dallas
  • Dennison
  • Dorrance
  • Exeter
  • Fairmount
  • Fairview
  • Foster
  • Franklin
  • Hanover
  • Hazle
  • Hollenback
  • Hunlock
  • Huntington
  • Jackson
  • Jenkins
  • Kingston
  • Lake
  • Lehman
  • Nescopeck
  • Newport
  • Pittston
  • Plains
  • Plymouth
  • Rice
  • Ross
  • Salem
  • Slocum
  • Sugarloaf
  • Union
  • Wilkes-Barre
  • Wright

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

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 † Wilkes-Barre City 41,498
2 Hazleton City 25,340
3 Kingston Borough 13,182
4 Mountain Top CDP 10,982
5 Nanticoke City 10,465
6 Pittston City 7,739
7 Plymouth Borough 5,951
8 Exeter Borough 5,652
9 Swoyersville Borough 5,062
10 Duryea Borough 4,917
11 West Pittston Borough 4,868
12 Edwardsville Borough 4,816
13 West Hazleton Borough 4,594
14 Larksville Borough 4,480
15 Plains CDP 4,335
16 Forty Fort Borough 4,214
17 Freeland Borough 3,531
18 Wyoming Borough 3,073
19 Luzerne Borough 2,845
20 Dallas Borough 2,804
21 Harveys Lake Borough 2,791
22 Ashley Borough 2,790
23 West Wyoming Borough 2,725
24 Dupont Borough 2,711
25 Avoca Borough 2,661
26 Trucksville CDP 2,152
27 Beech Mountain Lakes CDP 2,022
28 Shavertown CDP 2,019
29 East Berwick CDP 2,007
30 Conyngham Borough 1,914
31 Glen Lyon CDP 1,873
32 Inkerman CDP 1,819
33 Georgetown CDP 1,640
34 Nescopeck Borough 1,583
35 Laflin Borough 1,487
36 Hudson CDP 1,443
37 Browntown CDP 1,418
38 Hughestown Borough 1,392
39 Hilldale CDP 1,246
40 Harleigh CDP 1,104
41 White Haven Borough 1,097
42 Sugar Notch Borough 989
43 Pringle Borough 979
44 Chase CDP 978
45 Shickshinny Borough 838
46 Silkworth CDP 820
47 West Nanticoke CDP 749
48 Courtdale Borough 732
49 Upper Exeter CDP 707
50 Nuangola Borough 679
51 Sheatown CDP 671
52 Mocanaqua CDP 646
53 Wanamie CDP 612
54 Yatesville Borough 607
55 Warrior Run Borough 584
56 Pardeesville CDP 572
57 Hickory Hills CDP 562
58 Lattimer CDP 554
59 Laurel Run Borough 500
60 Nuremberg (partially in Schuylkill County) CDP 434
61 Weston CDP 321
62 Penn Lake Park Borough 308
63 Pikes Creek CDP 269
64 Bear Creek Village Borough 257
65 New Columbus Borough 227
66 Jeddo Borough 98

Education

Map of Luzerne County Pennsylvania School Districts
Map of Luzerne County School Districts
Wyoming Seminary dorm LuzCo PA
Carpenter Hall, Wyoming Seminary
Campus aerial new 2014
Administration Building, King's College
Hazelton PA Library
Hazleton Area Public Library

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

  • Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Wilkes-Barre
  • King's College, Wilkes-Barre
  • Luzerne County Community College, Nanticoke
  • McCann School of Business & Technology, Wilkes-Barre
  • Misericordia University, Dallas
  • Penn State Hazleton, Hazleton
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Lehman Township
  • Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre

Libraries

The Luzerne County Library System includes the following locations:

  • Back Mountain Memorial Library, Back Mountain
  • Hazleton Area Public Library, Hazleton
  • Hoyt Library, Kingston
  • Marian Sutherland Kirby Library, Mountain Top
  • Mill Memorial Library, Nanticoke
  • Osterhout Free Library, Wilkes-Barre
  • Pittston Memorial Library, Pittston
  • Plymouth Public Library, Plymouth
  • West Pittston Library, West Pittston
  • Wyoming Free Library, Wyoming

Transportation

Pennsylvania Route 29 north in Lake Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
PA 29 in Lake Township
Pittston, Pennsylvania (4111301389)
A train travels underneath the Firefighters' Memorial Bridge in Pittston

Highways

  • I-80
  • I-81
  • I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension
  • US 11
  • PA 29
  • PA 92
  • PA 93
  • PA 115
  • PA 118
  • PA 239
  • PA 309
  • PA 315
  • PA 339
  • PA 415
  • PA 424
  • PA 437
  • PA 487
  • PA 502
  • PA 924
  • PA 940

Railroads

Airports

  • Hazleton Municipal Airport
  • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
  • Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport
Flickr - Nicholas T - Westbound
Interstate 80 in southern Luzerne County
Pittston, Pennsylvania (4111301775)
Specialist Dale J. Kridlo Bridge (U.S. Route 11)
North Cross Valley
North Cross Valley Expressway (PA 309)
KAVP Terminals
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport

Notable people

Main page: List of people from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Luzerne para niños

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