Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
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 completely encompassed by Mount Carmel Township
.
. Mount Carmel began as a logging town. Coal wasn't discovered until 1790 by Isaac Tomlinson. It took twenty-four years until the first shipment of Anthracite Coal
was shipped from the borough. 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. The township was erected in 1854, formed from part of Coal Township
; by 1862 the borough was incorporated within the township.
Mount Carmel was one of the first towns in the country to have its streets lit by electricity. Thomas Edison
placed one of his first generators plants here in 1883. The Edison Plant in Mount Carmel was the 8th in the world.
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.
zone of the central Appalachian Mountains
. It is drained by the Shamokin Creek
and is part of the Lower Susquehanna
watershed http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=02050301.
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.
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 per square mile (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.
(Roman Catholic)
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 Northumberland County
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
There were 38,835 households out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.50% had...
, 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...
, United States. The population was 6390 at the 2000 census. It is located 88 miles (141 km) northwest of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and 71 miles (114 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...
, in the Anthracite
Anthracite coal
Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
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....
. It is completely encompassed by Mount Carmel Township
Mount Carmel Township, Pennsylvania
Mount Carmel Township is a township located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Erected in 1854, it was named after Mount Carmel in Israel and was formed from out of part of Coal Township...
.
History
Sawmill operator, Albert Bradford, gave Mount Carmel its name because of its elevation and beautiful setting in the mountains. He decided that it deserved a special name and named it after the holy mountain in PalestinePalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Mount Carmel began as a logging town. Coal wasn't discovered until 1790 by Isaac Tomlinson. It took twenty-four years until the first shipment of Anthracite Coal
Anthracite coal
Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
was shipped from the borough. Mount Carmel Inn was opened in 1812 by Richard Yarnall and was strategically located on the Centre Turnpike
Centre Turnpike
Centre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an early United States turnpike located in Pennsylvania. It followed the path of the King's Highway, which had been surveyed in 1770 by Francis Yarnall. Running from Reading to Sunbury, it was long, and was started in 1808 and completed...
(also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road or Old Reading Road) halfway between 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...
and Danville
Danville, Pennsylvania
Danville is a borough in Montour County, Pennsylvania, USA, of which it is the county seat, on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. Danville was home to 8,042 people in 1900, 7,517 people in 1910, and 7,122 people in 1940. The population was 4,897 at the 2000 census...
. During the latter part of 1854 the Philadelphia and Sunbury Railroad was completed from Shamokin
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
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. The township was erected in 1854, formed from part of Coal Township
Coal Township, Pennsylvania
Coal Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,628 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
; by 1862 the borough was incorporated within the township.
Mount Carmel was one of the first towns in the country to have its streets lit by electricity. Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
placed one of his first generators plants here in 1883. The Edison Plant in Mount Carmel was the 8th in the world.
In the past, there were extensive anthracite coal
Anthracite coal
Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
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.
Timeline
- 1681 March 4 - Charles II of EnglandCharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
grants a land charter to William PennWilliam PennWilliam Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
to repay a debt of £20,000 owed to his father, creating the Province of PennsylvaniaProvince of PennsylvaniaThe Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II... - 1682 August 24 - Penn divided the Province into three counties, Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester; The last comprised all lands west and south of the Delaware and the Schuylkill; therefore the site of Mount Carmel was originally in an area claimed by Chester CountyChester County, Pennsylvania-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
- 1729 May 10 - Lancaster CountyLancaster County, PennsylvaniaLancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
created out of part of Chester County - 1749 August 22 - Land comprising Mount Carmel part of a tract purchased from the Six Nations of the Iroquois ConfederationIroquoisThe Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
- 1752 March 11 - Berks CountyBerks County, Pennsylvania-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
created out of part of Lancaster County - before 1770 - Area inhabited by Native AmericansNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
(possibly LenapeLenapeThe Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
, IroquoisIroquoisThe Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, and/or SaponiSaponiSaponi is one of the eastern Siouan-language tribes, related to the Tutelo, Occaneechi, Monacan, Manahoac and other eastern Siouan peoples. Its ancestral homeland was in North Carolina and Virginia. The tribe was long believed extinct, as its members migrated north to merge with other tribes...
) - 1770 - Europeans first settled in the area
- 1772 March 21 - Northumberland County formed, area that would become Mt. Carmel located in what was then Augusta Township
- 1783 September 3 - Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris (1783)The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
signed, formally recognizing Pennsylvania's independence from the Kingdom of Great BritainKingdom of Great BritainThe former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign... - 1785 - Catawissa Township formed from part of Augusta township
- 1788 - Ralpho TownshipRalpho Township, PennsylvaniaRalpho Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 3,764.-Geography:...
formed from part of Catawissa township - 1789 - Ralpho township renamed to Shamokin townshipShamokin Township, PennsylvaniaShamokin Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,159 at the 2000 census.The city of Shamokin does not sit within the boundaries of Shamokin Township...
- 1790 - Anthracite coal discovered by Isaac TomlinsonIsaac TomlinsonIsaac "Ike" Tomlinson was an English footballer who played at outside-left for various clubs in England and Scotland in the 1900s, spending the largest part of his career with Chesterfield.-Football career:...
on nearby Broad Mountain - 1805 March 25 - Centre TurnpikeCentre TurnpikeCentre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an early United States turnpike located in Pennsylvania. It followed the path of the King's Highway, which had been surveyed in 1770 by Francis Yarnall. Running from Reading to Sunbury, it was long, and was started in 1808 and completed...
Company incorporated - 1808 - Centre Turnpike opens
- ~1811 - Centre Turnpike completed
- 1812 - Mt. Carmel Inn opens, located on the Centre Turnpike in (then) Shamokin township
- ~1830s - coalAnthracite coalAnthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
mining begins - 1837 - Coal TownshipCoal Township, PennsylvaniaCoal Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,628 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of...
formed from parts of Little MahanoyLittle Mahanoy Township, PennsylvaniaLittle Mahanoy Township is a township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 435 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and Shamokin townships - 1846 - first Post OfficePost officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
opens - 1847 - land now comprising Mount Carmel Borough purchased by speculators
- 1853 - town plot finalized
- 1854 November 14 - Mount Carmel TownshipMount Carmel Township, PennsylvaniaMount Carmel Township is a township located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Erected in 1854, it was named after Mount Carmel in Israel and was formed from out of part of Coal Township...
incorporated, from part of Coal Township - 1855 - Evangelical Grace Church, the town's first church, opens at Third & Market Streets
- 1855 - Centre Turnpike decommissioned
- 1862 November 3 - Mount Carmel Borough incorporated
- 1869 - Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church is built
- 1877 December - Mt. Carmel Progress, the pioneer newspaper, was established
- 1883 November 17 - Edison Electric Illuminating CompanyEdison Illuminating CompanyThe Edison Illuminating Company was established by Thomas Edison on December 17, 1880, to construct electrical generating stations, initially in New York City...
of Mount Carmel founded - 1888 - St. Matthew's Lutheran Church is built
- 1894 November - Shamokin-Mount Carmel Electric Railway (trolleyTramA tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
line) connecting ShamokinShamokin, PennsylvaniaShamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
with Mount Carmel completed - 1896 - Reliance Colliery is started by Thomas Baumgardner
- 1897 - Anthracite Brewing Company, later Mt. Carmel Brewery, founded
- 1906 - Divine Redeemer Church is built
- 1906 April - 'Miners Dispute' striking miners are shot by 21 troopers of the State Constabulary - ten men were injured, but all survived
- 1914 - Sts. Peter and Paul Byzantine-Ukrainian Catholic Church is built (it later burned in a fire and was rededicated in 1994)
- 1930 - The first viaduct was constructed to eliminate crossing two railroad tracks to enter town
- 1931 - Mount Carmel High School football stadium or "Silver Bowl" is opened being one the first high school stadiums to have lighting for night games
- 1934 - Mattucci's Willow Cafe' opens
- 1948 June 17 - United Airlines Flight 624United Airlines Flight 624United Airlines Flight 624, a Douglas DC-6 airliner, registration NC37506, was a scheduled passenger flight that originated in San Diego, California with stops in Los Angeles and Chicago en route to LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The four-engine propeller-driven airplane crashed at 1:41 p.m...
crashes near Midvalley Colliery No. 2; killing all 4 crew members and 39 passengers on board - 1950 - the coal mining 'boom' begins its decline
- 1951 - Mt. Carmel Brewery closes
- 2003 - Original viaduct is removed and a reconstructed version is built by the Department of Transportation even though the railroads are no longer there
Geography
Mount Carmel is located at 40°47′47"N 76°24′44"W (40.796447, -76.412231) in the ridge-and-valleyRidge-and-valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
zone of the central Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. It is drained by the Shamokin Creek
Shamokin Creek
Shamokin Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The creek drains most of southeastern Northumberland County and part of southwestern Columbia County...
and is part of the Lower Susquehanna
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
watershed http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=02050301.
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 0.7 square miles (1.7 km²), all of it land.
Sports
- The high school goes by the nickname, "The Red Tornadoes."
- Mount Carmel is heralded as one of the most well-known football towns in the region.
- The borough's high school football program is the winningest in the state. Having a record of 755 - 273 - 59 as of 2006.
- The long standing rivalry between Mt. Carmel and Shamokin Area is one of the most well-known rivalries in the United States. In the annual Coal Bucket Football Game the two areas collide usually leading to friendly vandalismVandalismVandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
between the two schools throughout the week of the game. The game was traditionally one of many games of American football on Thanksgiving across the United States, but due to changes in the high school football schedule, is no longer. - 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.
- Mount Carmel's football program has 800 wins as of October 21st, 2011.
- The team also won the state championships in 1927 before the playoff system was initiated.
- The borough is home to former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player, Frank BolickFrank BolickFrank Charles Bolick is a former Major League Baseball player from Ashland, Pennsylvania. He was an infielder for the Montreal Expos and Anaheim Angels. He also played four seasons in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines...
, former New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
football player Dan FiccaDan FiccaDaniel Robert Ficca is a former professional American football player who played guard for five seasons for the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets in the American Football League....
, current Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
assistant coach to Andy Reid, Bret Veach , former San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
player Len EshmontLen EshmontLeonard Charles Eshmont was an American football running back and defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted out of Fordham University by the New York Giants in the 1941 NFL Draft.He served as an assistant football coach at Virginia.Eshmont died in...
, and former New York State Billiards Champion Dave Daya. - The Mount Carmel Boys High School Track Team won the PIAA AA State title in 1998.
- Although 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.
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 6,390 people, 3,035 households, and 1,678 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 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 per square mile (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
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 0.67% 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
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, 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
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 $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.
State
Pennsylvania General AssemblyPennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
- Pennsylvania Senate, District 27Pennsylvania Senate, District 27Pennsylvania's 27th Senatorial district includes parts of Columbia, Dauphin, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, and Snyder CountiesAll of Columbia CountyDauphin County* Berrysburg* Elizabethville* Gratz* Lykens* Lykens Township* Mifflin Township...
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 107Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 107The 107th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is made up of parts of Columbia County, Northumberland County and all of Montour County...
Public schools
Mount Carmel Area School DistrictMount Carmel Area School District
Mount Carmel Area School District is a small, suburban, public school district in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. It serves Mount Carmel, Kulpmont, Marion Heights, and...
- Mount Carmel Area Elementary School
- Grades Pre-K through 6th
- 856 students
- Mount Carmel Area Junior/Senior High School
- Grades 7-12
- 848 students
Private schools
National Catholic Educational AssociationNational Catholic Educational Association
The National Catholic Educational Association is a private professional educational association of over 200,000 educators in Catholic schools, universities, and religious education programs...
(Roman Catholic)
- Holy Spirit Elementary School (closed 2006)
- Grades K through 8th
- 176 students (2005 data)
- Mt. Carmel Catholic High School (closed)
Highways
- Pennsylvania Route 61Pennsylvania Route 61Pennsylvania Route 61 is an -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is signed on a north–south direction, from U.S. Route 222 Business in Reading to U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Shamokin Dam. PA 61 meets up with Pennsylvania Route 54 in Ashland and these...
, designated from 1963 to the present, previously:- 1770 - 1808: King's Highway
- 1808 - 1911: Centre TurnpikeCentre TurnpikeCentre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an early United States turnpike located in Pennsylvania. It followed the path of the King's Highway, which had been surveyed in 1770 by Francis Yarnall. Running from Reading to Sunbury, it was long, and was started in 1808 and completed...
- 1911 - 1926: Pennsylvania State Highway No. 161
- 1926 - 1935: U.S. Route 120Pennsylvania Route 120Pennsylvania Route 120 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, running from U.S. Route 219 in Ridgway east to U.S. Route 220 in Lock Haven.-Bucktail State Park Natural Area:...
- 1935 - 1963: U.S. Route 122Pennsylvania Route 61Pennsylvania Route 61 is an -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is signed on a north–south direction, from U.S. Route 222 Business in Reading to U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Shamokin Dam. PA 61 meets up with Pennsylvania Route 54 in Ashland and these...
- Pennsylvania Route 54Pennsylvania Route 54Pennsylvania Route 54 is a state highway which runs for in eastern Pennsylvania. It runs from U.S. Route 209 in Nesquehoning, Carbon County in the east to U.S. Route 15, which is three miles west of Montgomery, Lycoming County in the west...
- 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 901Pennsylvania Route 901Pennsylvania Route 901 is a long state route located in eastern Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania Route 61 in the Coal Township hamlet of Ranshaw. Its eastern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 183 in Cressona....
- Routed through Mount Carmel Township by 1969
Railroads
- Danville and Pottsville Railroad -> Philadelphia and Sunbury RR ->
Shamokin Valley and Pottsville Railroad -> Northern Central RailwayNorthern Central RailwayThe Northern Central Railway was a Class I Railroad connecting Baltimore, Maryland with Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861, when the PRR acquired a controlling interest in the Northern Central's stock to compete with the... - Quakake Railroad -> Lehigh and Mahanoy RailroadLehigh and Mahanoy RailroadThe Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad, originally the Quakake Railroad , was part of the Mahanoy Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in northeastern Pennsylvania.-History:...
-> Lehigh Valley RailroadLehigh Valley RailroadThe Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad... - Philadelphia and Reading Railroad -> Reading CompanyReading CompanyThe Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
- Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
- Shamokin Valley RailroadShamokin Valley RailroadThe Shamokin Valley Railroad is a short line railroad that operates 27 miles of track in southern Northumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System....
- Shamokin-Mount Carmel Electric Railway (trolley line)
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.
- Due to its geographical position, being surrounded by mountains, the threat of tornadoes has been avoided throughout the borough's history.
- Population dramatically increased in 1984 due to the relocation of residents from Centralia, PA, where an ongoing underground mine fire caused Congress to relocate residents.
- The old Shamokin Valley and Pottsville Railway, although defunct, still has old bits of track lying behind Seventh Street in Mount Carmel.
- Mount Carmel was one of the first towns in the country with electric street lamps.
- Thomas Edison placed one of his first eight generator plants in Mount Carmel.
- Ellen Albertini, a popular actor, was born there.
External links
- Welcome to Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania - includes a Walking Tour
- Mayor J. Kevin Jones' Webpage
- Mt. Carmel Downtown, Inc.
- Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, and its Trentini-Tirolean community - Information and history from Dale Dallabrida, including "A portrait of Mount Carmel, 1896"
- Photos of Mt. Carmel and Shamokin