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Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Luzerne County, Pennsylvania | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Pennsylvania |
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 Pennsylvania's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | September 25, 1786 |
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| Seat | Wilkes-Barre |
| Largest city | Wilkes-Barre |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
907 sq mi (2,349 km²) 891 sq mi (2,308 km²) 16 sq mi (41 km²), 1.80% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
319,250 357/sq mi (138/km²) |
| Website: www.luzernecounty.org | |
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-Barre[1].
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[edit] 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.
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.[1] Luzerne County was, in colonial times, part of the Colony of Connecticut. The Wyoming Valley, for example, in NE Luzerne County, was settled in the mid to early 1700's.
Luzerne County was named after Anne-César, Chevalier de la Luzerne.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 907 square miles (2,349 km²), of which, 891 square miles (2,307 km²) of it is land and 16 square miles (42 km²) of it (1.80%) is water. The Wyoming Valley in the North and Mid part of the county is flat at the Susquehanna Basin and rises from 700 feet to 2000 feet in some places. Bear Creek, on the eastern side of the valley, has a mean elevation of about 2000 feet, while Pittston, on the Susquehanna Basin, is about 700 feet. The Valley goes as north as Exeter Township-Dallas Township to as on the west side from Plymouth Township-Bear Creek Township and as on the east side from Duryea to Bear Creek Township; South as Hanover Township to Bear Creek Township.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Wyoming County (north)
- Lackawanna County (northeast)
- Monroe County (east)
- Carbon County (southeast)
- Schuylkill County (south)
- Columbia County (west)
- Sullivan County (northwest)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] 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% 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.
[edit] Politics
As of November 2007, there are 173,368 registered voters in Luzerne County [2].
- Democratic: 99,122 (57.17%)
- Republican: 60,512 (34.90%)
- Other Parties: 13,734 (7.92%)
On the national level Luzerne County leans toward the Democratic Party but only slightly. In 2000 Democrat Al Gore won 52% of the vote and Republican George Bush won 43%. In 2004 in was much closer with Democrat John Kerry winning 51% to Republican George Bush's 47%. In 2006 both Democrats Governor Ed Rendell and now Senator Bob Casey won 67% and 60% of the vote in Luzerne County.
Luzerne County is represented by three County Commissioners.[3]
- Gregory A. Skrepenak, Democrat
- Maryanne C. Petrilla (First female Commissioner Chairperson in Luzerne County's History), Democrat
- 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
- 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
[edit] Municipalities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in one case Bloomsburg, the only town, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Luzerne County:
[edit] Cities
[edit] Boroughs
| Harveys Lake | Plymouth]] |
[edit] Townships
[edit] 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.
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[edit] Recreation
There are four Pennsylvania state parks in Luzerne County.
[edit] Education
[edit] 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
- West Side Area Vocational Technical School WSAVTS
- Wilkes-Barre Area School District
- Wyoming Area School District (also in Wyoming County)
- Wyoming Valley West School District
[edit] Colleges and Universities
- Luzerne County Community College
- Kings College
- Wilkes University
- Penn State Wilkes Barre
- Penn State Hazleton
- Misericordia University
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Luzerne County official site.
- Luzerne County Library System.
- Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
- The Luzerne Foundation - Luzerne County's Community Foundation
- Luzerne County Community College.
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