LUZERNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


'Luzerne County' is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located in the northern Anthracite area called "''The Coal Region''". As of the 2000 census, the population was 319,250. Its county seat is Wilkes-Barre6.

Contents
History
Geography
Adjacent counties
Demographics
Politics
Municipalities
Cities
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated Places
Recreation
Education
Public School Districts
See also
External links

History


Luzerne County was formed in 1786 from part of Northumberland County. Luzerne is infamous for being the last county whose sheriff legally formed a posse to restore order in a time of civil unrest. In 1897, Sheriff James Martin's posse fired on a group of unarmed miners in what is known as the Lattimer Massacre.

Geography


According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,349 km² (907 mi²). 2,307 km² (891 mi²) of it is land and 42 km² (16 mi²) of it (1.80%) is water.
Adjacent counties


Wyoming County (north)

Lackawanna County (northeast)

Monroe County (east)

Carbon County (southeast)

Schuylkill County (south)

Columbia County (west)

Sullivan County (northwest)

Demographics


Luzerne County is the only county in the United States where a plurality of residents state their ancestry as Polish

As of the census² of 2000, there were 319,250 people, 130,687 households, and 84,293 families residing in the county. The population density was 138/km² (358/mi²). There were 144,686 housing units at an average density of 63/km² (162/mi²). 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% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. 1.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.2% were of Polish, 15.6% Italian, 13.8% Irish, 12.1% German and 5.3% Slovak ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 130,687 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.80% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 21.00% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24.00% 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 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.50 males.
Luzerne Country is the only county in the United States with a plurality of citizens reporting Polish as their primary ancestry; the majority of Pennsylvanians report German or Pennsylvania Dutch.

Politics


As of May 2007, there are 170,886 registered voters in Luzerne County [1].

Democratic: 97,802 (57.23%)

Republican: 59,937 (35.07%)

★ Other Parties: 13,147 (7.69%)
Luzerne County is represented by three County Commissioners.[2]

★ Gregory A. Skrepenak, Democrat

★ Rose Tucker, Democrat (Interim, filling the end of Vonderheid's term)

★ Stephen A. Urban, Republican
'United States House of Representatives'

Chris Carney, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district

Paul Kanjorski, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district
'Pennsylvania State Senate'

★ Raphael Musto, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 14th Senatorial District

★ Lisa Baker, Republican, Pennsylvania's 10th Senatorial District

★ Robert Mellow, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 24th Senatorial District
'Pennsylvania House of Representatives'

★ Jim Wansacz, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 114th Representative District

★ Todd Eachus, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 116th Representative District

★ Karen Boback, Republican, Pennsylvania's 117st Representative District

★ Mike Carroll, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 118th Representative District

★ John Yudichak, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 119th Representative District

★ Phyllis Mundy, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 120th Representative District

★ Eddie Day Pashinski, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 121st Representative District

Municipalities


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

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, , and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Luzerne County:
Cities


Hazleton
Nanticoke

Pittston
Wilkes-Barre

Boroughs


Ashley
Avoca
Bear Creek Village
Conyngham
Courtdale
Dallas
Dupont
Duryea
Edwardsville
Exeter
Forty Fort
Freeland

Harveys Lake
Hughestown
Jeddo
Kingston
Laflin
Larksville
Laurel Run
Luzerne
Nescopeck
New Columbus
Nuangola
Penn Lake Park

Plymouth
Pringle
Shickshinny
Sugar Notch
Swoyersville
Warrior Run
West Hazleton
West Pittston
West Wyoming
White Haven
Wyoming
Yatesville

Townships


Bear Creek Township
Black Creek Township
Buck Township
Butler Township
Conyngham Township
Dallas Township
Dennison Township
Dorrance Township
Exeter Township
Fairmount Township
Fairview Township
Foster Township

Franklin Township
Hanover Township
Hazle Township
Hollenback Township
Hunlock Township
Huntington Township
Jackson Township
Jenkins Township
Kingston Township
Lake Township
Lehman Township
Nescopeck Township

Newport Township
Pittston Township
Plains Township
Plymouth Township
Rice Township
Ross Township
Salem Township
Slocum Township
Sugarloaf Township
Union Township
Wilkes-Barre Township
Wright Township

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.

Back Mountain
East Berwick
Glen Lyon
★ Mocanaqua
Mountain Top

Map of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Recreation


There are four Pennsylvania state parks in Luzerne County.

Frances Slocum State Park

Lehigh Gorge State Park

Nescopeck State Park

Ricketts Glen State Park

Education


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

See also



USS ''Luzerne County'' (LST-902)

Polonia

External links



Luzerne County official site.

Luzerne County Library System.

Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Luzerne County Community Foundation.

Luzerne County Community College.

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