Greater Pittston

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Greater Pittston
Aerial view of Greater Pittston. Pittston City can be seen along the Susquehanna River's left bank.
Greater Pittston
Coordinates: 41°19′26″N 75°47′20″W / 41.32389°N 75.78889°W / 41.32389; -75.78889Coordinates: 41°19′26″N 75°47′20″W / 41.32389°N 75.78889°W / 41.32389; -75.78889
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Luzerne
Settled around 1770
Government
 • Type determined by the individual city, borough, or township
 • Pittston Mayor Jason C. Klush (D)
Area
 • Total 65.5 sq mi (170 km2)
Population (2000)
 • Total around 50,000
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 570

Greater Pittston is a 65.5-square-mile (170 km2) region in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in reference to the area in and around Pittston. The total population of the Greater Pittston area is around 50,000 people. This region includes Avoca, Dupont, Duryea, Exeter Boro, Exeter Township, Hughestown, Jenkins Township, Laflin, Pittston Township, West Pittston, West Wyoming, Wyoming and Yatesville.

History

  • 3 July 1778—A force of British and Tories, led by John Butler, with the assistance of about 700 Indians, attacked and killed nearly 300 Wyoming Valley settlers. Today in Wyoming, PA, a monument marks the gravesite of the victims from the Battle of Wyoming.
  • 28 June 1896—The Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Mine in Pittston City caved-in and killed 58 miners.[1][2]
  • 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.
  • 22 January 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 the Greater Pittston area.
  • 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.
  • 25 September 1982 — George Banks kills 13 people in a shooting rampage in Wilkes-Barre and Jenkins Township.
  • 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.
  • September 2011: The Greater Pittston area, along with the rest of 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.[3][4][5]

Geography

Greater Pittston is a 65.5-square-mile (170 km2) region in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, encompassing the Susquehanna River. Pittston Township is the largest municipality with a total area of 14.4 square miles (37 km2). Yatesville covers a total area of only 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (making it the smallest).

Population

Pittston as depicted on an 1892 panoramic map.

According to the 2000 census, around 50,000 people live in and around Pittston City. Pittston has the highest population with nearly 8,000 citizens. Yatesville has the smallest population with around 600 citizens.

Government

The current mayor of Pittston City is Jason C. Klush. Every other borough and township (within the Greater Pittston area) has their own form of governance. This includes: mayors and supervisors.

Transportation

Interstate 81 passes through Pittston Township and the surrounding Greater Pittston area. There is also public transportation to and from Greater Pittston. Railways into Greater Pittston provides for other services.

References

  1. ↑ Twin Shaft Disaster Marker
  2. ↑ Pittston, PA Twin Shaft Mine Cave In, June 1896
  3. ↑ Mandatory Evacuation of Wyoming Valley by 4 p.m., Times-Leader, September 8, 2011
  4. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/09/usa-flooding-idUSN1E7880XA20110909
  5. ↑ Luzerne officials issue mandatory evacuation in footprint of Agnes flood, Times Tribune, September 8, 2011
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