Frackville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Frackville is a borough
in Schuylkill County
, Pennsylvania
. Frackville is located near the intersection of Interstate 81
and Pennsylvania State Route 61, approximately 55 miles (88.5 km) northeast of Harrisburg
and 45 miles (72.4 km) southwest of Wilkes-Barre
.
s of Frackville and Mountain City merged to form the borough of Frackville. The name "Mountain City", however, is still a common nickname for the borough. A past diner and beer distributor were both named after it. Early in the twentieth century, anthracite
coal mining
was the chief industry of the region, although Frackville remained a predominantly residential community. The Mahanoy Plane, which operated from 1862–1931 on Broad Mountain just to the north of the borough, was able to hoist 50,000 tons of coal daily. There is a small patch-town owning the name "Mahanoy Plane" at the northern foot of Frackville's Broad Mountain. Industrial relics and infrastructure remain in the thick forest north of the borough's youth baseball complex but historical preservation or restoration has yet to take place.
Frackville celebrated its centennial in 1976 while James Nahas was mayor. It was a week long event from August 22–28 which hosted parades each night and brought the community closer together. The borough's 125th anniversary celebration was held in 2001 and had similar events and effects. It culminated with a Frackville Cruise Night that had routes running throughout the borough.
Frackville sits in the middle of Northeastern Pennsylvania's historic Coal Region
, about 4 miles south of Shenandoah
. Coal mining has largely ceased in the area. Coal mining was never actually done in Frackville itself; it was, however, a source of transporting the coal through the now-defunct railroad companies. Many of Frackville's residents are employed at local factories, retail outlets, and the numerous Pennsylvania State Prisons in the immediate area. Many more commute daily to the cities of Pottsville
, Hazleton
, Allentown
, Reading
or Harrisburg
to work. Frackville is indeed surrounded by many prisons.
In 1900, the population was 2,595; in 1910, 3,118; and in 1940, 8,035. The population was 4,361 at the 2000 census.
Located at Interstate 81
Exit 124, Frackville is a popular stop for travelers. It is home of the Dutch Kitchen, a well publicized restaurant that is a renovated diner. The Schuylkill Mall
, a former Crown American
shopping mall
, resides on the south end of the borough.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
The camaraderie of the partnering municipalities and leadership of Upper Schuylkill has and will continue to restore the beauty and pride in the main business district and throughout Frackville Borough. The Frackville Downtown Revitalization Organization's enrollment in the Upper Schuylkill program is a priceless success. Don't advertise your items here.
Frackville has over half a dozen parks which are used often by residents of all ages. Among the borough’s sports leagues are: Frackville Mountaineer mini, pee-wee and midget football teams, Frackville Area Softball Association, Frackville Legion Baseball Team, Frackville tee-ball, intermediate and Little League Baseball teams, CYO basketball teams and many others. Frackville's parents have been worshipping sports forever and put it over church and family every time.
Also, there are Boy and Girl Scouts which reside in the borough. The Boy Scout Troop that still exists is a testament to parents meddling in their kids affairs and also to the fact that catholics and protestants argue like it is the 1930's. The numerous civic agencies such as the Elks, American Legion, Rotary, Masons, Knights of Columbus and Lions Club hold regular events to involve the citizens of the borough.
Frackville has a borough pool which opens each spring for the citizens to use. There are more than a dozen churches in the borough. The borough is serviced by three fire companies and the Frackville Ambulance Service.
of 2000, there were 4,361 people, 1,914 households, and 1,169 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 7,309.8 people per square mile (2,806.3/km²). There were 2,094 housing units at an average density of 3,509.9 per square mile (1,347.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.14% White, 1.05% Asian, 0.37% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.
There were 1,914 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $32,071, and the median income for a family was $47,553. Males had a median income of $31,412 versus $21,836 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $18,587. About 2.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.
In a commercial bumper during an episode of Pardon the Interruption
that first aired August 3, 2010, Tony Kornheiser
mentioned that in Frackville it's 20 degrees colder than anywhere else on Earth.
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Frackville is located near the intersection of Interstate 81
Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 81 is an long north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee to Fisher's Landing, New York at the US/Canadian border...
and Pennsylvania State Route 61, approximately 55 miles (88.5 km) northeast of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
and 45 miles (72.4 km) southwest of Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
.
History
Frackville was settled in 1861 and incorporated in 1876, when the villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s of Frackville and Mountain City merged to form the borough of Frackville. The name "Mountain City", however, is still a common nickname for the borough. A past diner and beer distributor were both named after it. Early in the twentieth century, anthracite
Anthracite coal
Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
was the chief industry of the region, although Frackville remained a predominantly residential community. The Mahanoy Plane, which operated from 1862–1931 on Broad Mountain just to the north of the borough, was able to hoist 50,000 tons of coal daily. There is a small patch-town owning the name "Mahanoy Plane" at the northern foot of Frackville's Broad Mountain. Industrial relics and infrastructure remain in the thick forest north of the borough's youth baseball complex but historical preservation or restoration has yet to take place.
Frackville celebrated its centennial in 1976 while James Nahas was mayor. It was a week long event from August 22–28 which hosted parades each night and brought the community closer together. The borough's 125th anniversary celebration was held in 2001 and had similar events and effects. It culminated with a Frackville Cruise Night that had routes running throughout the borough.
Frackville sits in the middle of Northeastern Pennsylvania's historic Coal Region
Coal Region
The Coal Region is a term used to refer to an area of Northeastern Pennsylvania in the central Appalachian Mountains comprising Lackawanna, Luzerne, Columbia, Carbon, Schuylkill, Northumberland, and the extreme northeast corner of Dauphin counties....
, about 4 miles south of Shenandoah
Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
Shenandoah is a small town located in the lower part of the anthracite Coal Region, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It is northwest of Philadelphia. The Greater Shenandoah area includes Shenandoah Heights, which is part of West Mahanoy Township and is located just north of Shenandoah.-History:The...
. Coal mining has largely ceased in the area. Coal mining was never actually done in Frackville itself; it was, however, a source of transporting the coal through the now-defunct railroad companies. Many of Frackville's residents are employed at local factories, retail outlets, and the numerous Pennsylvania State Prisons in the immediate area. Many more commute daily to the cities of Pottsville
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Pottsville is the only city in and the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,549 at the 2000 census. The city lies along the west bank of the Schuylkill River, north-west of Philadelphia...
, Hazleton
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.6% from the 2000 census count .-Greater Hazleton:...
, Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, Reading
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
or Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
to work. Frackville is indeed surrounded by many prisons.
In 1900, the population was 2,595; in 1910, 3,118; and in 1940, 8,035. The population was 4,361 at the 2000 census.
Located at Interstate 81
Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 81 is an long north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee to Fisher's Landing, New York at the US/Canadian border...
Exit 124, Frackville is a popular stop for travelers. It is home of the Dutch Kitchen, a well publicized restaurant that is a renovated diner. The Schuylkill Mall
Schuylkill Mall
The Schuylkill Mall is a regional former, Crown American mall located in Frackville, Pennsylvania. The mall later changed ownership to PREIT after the merger with Crown American. In March 2007, Empire Reality Investments bought the Schuylkill Mall and owns and operates it . It features about 96...
, a former Crown American
Crown American
Crown American is a privately held American company that manages and develops commercial real estate. The corporate headquarters is in downtown Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in a building designed by architect Michael Graves....
shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, resides on the south end of the borough.
Geography
Frackville is located at 40°47′1"N 76°14′1"W (40.783618, -76.233662).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Current day Frackville
People in town are currently working to strengthen the borough. In 2003, Frackville became a partner of the Upper Schuylkill Regional Main Street program along with neighboring communities Ashland, Girardville, Mahanoy City, Ringtown and Shenandoah. Since that time the borough has flourished with one successful venture after another each year since 2003. The numerous educational programs including grant writing courses arranged through the regional program made it possible to complete $523,304.00 in projects in the targeted central business district in Frackville Borough from 2004 and continuing through 2008. The Upper Schuylkill Design Challenge Grant program provides facade assistance to business and property owners for restoration projects.The camaraderie of the partnering municipalities and leadership of Upper Schuylkill has and will continue to restore the beauty and pride in the main business district and throughout Frackville Borough. The Frackville Downtown Revitalization Organization's enrollment in the Upper Schuylkill program is a priceless success. Don't advertise your items here.
Frackville has over half a dozen parks which are used often by residents of all ages. Among the borough’s sports leagues are: Frackville Mountaineer mini, pee-wee and midget football teams, Frackville Area Softball Association, Frackville Legion Baseball Team, Frackville tee-ball, intermediate and Little League Baseball teams, CYO basketball teams and many others. Frackville's parents have been worshipping sports forever and put it over church and family every time.
Also, there are Boy and Girl Scouts which reside in the borough. The Boy Scout Troop that still exists is a testament to parents meddling in their kids affairs and also to the fact that catholics and protestants argue like it is the 1930's. The numerous civic agencies such as the Elks, American Legion, Rotary, Masons, Knights of Columbus and Lions Club hold regular events to involve the citizens of the borough.
Frackville has a borough pool which opens each spring for the citizens to use. There are more than a dozen churches in the borough. The borough is serviced by three fire companies and the Frackville Ambulance Service.
Police agencies
Frackville's foremost police protection is provided 24 hours a day by the Frackville Borough Police Department. The Frackville Police Station is located in the Borough Hall Building. The Pennsylvania State Police have a barracks located on the east end of the borough (PSP Frackville Barracks). The Schuylkill County Sheriff's Department also retain jurisdiction and provide police service to Frackville.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,361 people, 1,914 households, and 1,169 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7,309.8 people per square mile (2,806.3/km²). There were 2,094 housing units at an average density of 3,509.9 per square mile (1,347.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.14% White, 1.05% Asian, 0.37% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.
There were 1,914 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $32,071, and the median income for a family was $47,553. Males had a median income of $31,412 versus $21,836 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $18,587. About 2.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.
In popular culture
In 1986 music historian Maxim W. Furek published "The Jordan Brothers: A Musical Biography of Rock's Fortunate Sons." The book traced the career of Frackville's Jordan Brothers who appeared on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" and were headliners on Clark's 49-day "Caravan of Stars" that toured the United States and Canada.The Jordans were featured on several Alan Freed stage shows and were mainstays on all the important East Coast TV programs, especially in the Tri-State area.Their biggest hit, in 1966, was "Gimme Some Lovin.'"In a commercial bumper during an episode of Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption is a sports television show that airs weekdays on various ESPN TV channels, TSN, ESPN America, XM, and Sirius satellite radio services, and as a downloadable podcast. It is hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, who discuss, and frequently argue over, the top stories...
that first aired August 3, 2010, Tony Kornheiser
Tony Kornheiser
Anthony Irwin "Tony" Kornheiser is an American sportswriter and former columnist for The Washington Post, as well as a radio and television talk show host...
mentioned that in Frackville it's 20 degrees colder than anywhere else on Earth.