Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania

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Borough of Mount Carmel
Borough
Seal
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Northumberland
Area 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²)
 - land 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²)
 - water 0.0 sq mi (0 km²), 0%
Center
 - coordinates 40°47′47″N 76°24′44″W / 40.79639, -76.41222Coordinates: 40°47′47″N 76°24′44″W / 40.79639, -76.41222
 - elevation 1,309 ft (399 m)
Population 6,390 (2000)
Density 9,655.6 /sq mi (3,728 /km²)
Settled 1770
 - Incorporated, Township November 14, 1854
 - Incorporated, Borough November 3, 1862
Mayor J. Kevin Jones
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 - summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 17851
Area code 570
Location of Mount Carmel in Pennsylvania
Location of Mount Carmel in Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States

Mount Carmel is the name of a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6390 at the 2000 census. It is located 88 miles (141 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 71 miles (114 km) northeast of Harrisburg, in the Anthracite Coal Region. It is contained within Mount Carmel Township.

Contents

[edit] History

The Mount Carmel Inn was opened in 1812 by Richard Yarnall and was strategically located on the Centre Turnpike (also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road or Old Reading Road) halfway between Pottsville and Danville. During the latter part of 1854 the Philadelphia and Sunbury Railroad was completed from Shamokin to Mt. Carmel, which led to the opening and development of a number of collieries in the region. During the same year, the Locust Mountain Coal and Iron Company commenced making extensive openings and improvements upon their valuable coal lands in the vicinity of Mt. Carmel, building breakers for two collieries - the Coal Ridge and Locust Mountain collieries. [1] The township was erected in 1854, formed from part of Coal Township; by 1862 the borough was incorporated within the township.

In the past, there were extensive anthracite coal mining interests here and in the vicinity. In earlier years, the borough had manufactories of miners' caps, cement blocks, cigars, shirts, stockings, etc., and large silk and planing mills, foundry and machine shops, a knitting mill, lumber yards, a packing plant, and wagon works. Currently that area supports light manufacturing in paper and plastics.

[edit] Geography

Mount Carmel is located at 40°47′47″N, 76°24′44″W (40.796447, -76.412231)[2] in the ridge-and-valley zone of the central Appalachian Mountains. It is drained by the Shamokin Creek and is part of the Lower Susquehanna watershed [1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.7 km²), all of it land.

[edit] General Information

[edit] Sports

  • The high school goes by the nickname, "The Red Tornadoes."
  • Mount Carmel is heralded as one of the biggest football towns in the region.
  • The borough's high school football program is the winningest in the state.
  • The long standing rivalry between Mt. Carmel and Shamokin Area is one of the biggest rivalries in the United States. In the annual Coal Bucket Football Game the two areas collide usually leading to friendly vandalism between the two schools throughout the week of the game.
  • Mount Carmel's football team has captured the PIAA Class AA title 5 times since the state initiated the playoff system in 1988. They won in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002.
  • The team also won the state championships in 1927 before the playoff system was initiated.
  • The borough is home to former Major League Baseball player, Frank Bolick, former New York Jets football player Dan Ficca, current Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach to Andy Reid, Bret Veach , former San Francisco 49ers' player Len Eshmont, and former New York State Billiards Champion Dave Daya.

Tom Vernon (Vershinski) Jr. former NFL Boston (New England)Patriot

  • The Mount Carmel Boys High School Track Team won the PIAA AA State title in 1998.
  • All though over shadowed by a predominatly football town, Mount Carmel is also very well known for its runners.
  • Mount Carmel was one of the first schools in the state to have a cross country team.
  • The cross country team has over 6000 dual meet victories and has won countless titles since its formation in 1935.
  • Pete Dray was the towns highest placing state runner. Placing 3rd in 1998
  • Denise Kijewski is the school's highest placing female runner in cross country(16th) and track, placing 4th in the 3200.
  • Matt Miller also is the school's highest finisher in the throwing events in track and field, placing 2nd in the shot put in 1989.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1870 1,289
—
1890 8,345
—
1900 13,719 64.4%
1910 17,532 27.8%
1920 17,469 -0.4%
1930 17,967 2.9%
1940 17,780 -1.0%
1950 14,000 -21.3%
1960 10,780 -23.0%
1970 9,317 -13.6%
1990 7,196
—
2000 6,390 -11.2%
Est. 2005 6,053 [3] -5.3%

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 6,390 people, 3,035 households, and 1,678 families residing in the borough. The population density was 9,655.6 people per square mile (3,738.2/km²). There were 3,629 housing units at an average density of 5,483.6/sq mi (2,123.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.56% White, 0.06% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.

There were 3,035 households out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 41.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the borough the population was spread out with 19.7% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 25.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $22,168, and the median income for a family was $35,217. Males had a median income of $28,168 versus $20,595 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $14,858. About 14.2% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

[edit] Public schools

Mount Carmel Area School District

  • Mount Carmel Area Elementary School
    • Grades Pre-K through 6th
    • 856 students
  • Mount Carmel Area Junior/Senior High School
    • Grades 7-12
    • 848 students

[edit] Private schools

National Catholic Educational Association (Roman Catholic)

  • Holy Spirit Elementary School (closed 2006)
    • Grades K through 8th
    • 176 students (2005 data)
  • Mt. Carmel Catholic High School (closed)

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Highways

  • Pennsylvania Route 61, designated from 1963 to the present, previously:
  • Pennsylvania Route 54
    • before 1929: Ashland Road
    • 1929 - 1961: PA 54 via Ashland Road
    • 1961 - 1966: designated as PA 45 via Ashland Road
    • 1966 - 1999: reassigned concurrent with PA 61 east of Mount Carmel
    • 1999 - present: route changed to follow SR 2035, PA 901, SR 2042, SR 3002, and SR 4028 to rejoin its former route along PA 61.
  • Pennsylvania Route 901
    • Routed through Mount Carmel Township by 1969

[edit] Railroads

[edit] Town Facts

  • Mount Carmel High School has its own student-run television studio WKMC 13. The studio broadcasts a live morning news program and televises other school functions to Mount Carmel and other local communities.
  • The town has two annual block parties hosted by the Divine Redeemer Church and Our Lady's Church respectively.
  • An annual party is thrown in the town park in the Summer where game stands, rides, and food stands are set up for the public to enjoy. The day is complete with a band throughout the day.
  • Mount Carmel was at one time known as "The City of Churches" as it had over 20 different churches[5].
  • Due to its geographical position, being surrounded by mountains, killer storms have been avoided almost altogether throughout the borough's history.
  • The old Shamokin Valley and Pottsville railway, although defunct, still has old bits of track lying behind Seventh Street in Mount Carmel.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bell, Herbert [1891]. History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (TXT), Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers. Retrieved on 2008-01-03. 
  2. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Pennsylvania. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-04-08.
  4. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links

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Municipalities and communities of
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
County seat: Sunbury
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