Pittston, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Pittston is a city
in Luzerne County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, between Scranton
and Wilkes-Barre
. It gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining
city, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. The population was 7,739 at the 2010 census. At its peak in 1920, the population of Pittston was 18,494. It also has two well known sections- The Oregon section in the south end, and The Junction, named for the nearby rail yard,in the north end.
Pittston lies in the Wyoming Valley
on the east side of the Susquehanna River
and on the south side of the Lackawanna River
. It is approximately midway between Wilkes-Barre
and Scranton
. Named after the famous British statesman William Pitt the Elder
, the city was settled around 1770 by the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut
. It was originally called "Pittstown".
During the Revolutionary War, Connecticut Continentals (Patriots
), led by Captain Jeremiah Blanchard and Lieutenant Timothy Keyes, held and maintained a fort in Pittston. On July 4, 1778, a group of British soldiers took over the fortress and some of it was destroyed. Two years later, the Continentals stormed the fortification and recaptured it. From then on it was under Patriot control until the end of the war in 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris
. Today a marker
stands at the site where the fort once stood.
Pittston broke away from Pittston Township and officially became a borough
in 1856. It was later chartered as a city
on December 10, 1894. Throughout the late 1890s
, the city's borders extended from Scranton
to Wilkes-Barre
, but due to financial and civil differences, the city would soon be divided into the many township
s and boroughs that exist throughout the central Wyoming Valley
today.
With the opening of a canal
in the 1830s
, Pittston became an important link in the coal industry. Money made through the mining and transportation of coal led some of the leading merchants to petition its separation from Pittston Township. The anthracite and railroad industry attracted thousands of immigrants
, making Pittston a true melting pot
with once-distinct ethnic and class neighborhoods.
The anthracite coal mining industry, and its extensive use of child labor
in the early part of the twentieth century, was one of the industries targeted by the National Child Labor Committee
and its hired photographer, Lewis Hine
. Many of Hine's subjects were photographed in the mines and coal fields in and around Pittston between 1908 and 1912. The impact of the Hine photographs led to the enactment of child labor laws across the country.
Coal mining
remained the prominent industry in Pittston for many decades, but disasters did strike on more than one occasion. The first major tragedy occurred in the Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Mine
near the city's railroad junction on June 28, 1896, when a massive cave-in killed 58 miners.
Anthracite coal mining remained in Pittston until January 22, 1959, when the Knox Mine Disaster
in nearby Port Griffith
in Jenkins Township ended the industry completely. There, the ice-laden Susquehanna River broke through the roof of the River Slope Mine of the Knox Coal Company, allowing billions of gallons of river water to flood the interconnected mines. Seventy-four miners were trapped; sixty-two miners escaped; twelve miners died and their bodies were never recovered. The heroic efforts of one miner, Amedeo Pancotti of Pittston, led thirty-two miners to safety. For his efforts, Amedeo Pancotti was awarded the Carnegie Medal
for heroism from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
maintained a beautiful station in downtown Pittston, near the foot of the Water Street Bridge. Sadly, the station did not survive the urban renewal
of the 1960s
; it was demolished in 1964. Pittston also had a station on the historic Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad
, commonly known as the Laurel Line, an electric interurban
streetcar line.
Besides mining anthracite coal
, Pittston was home to many industries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including metal
s, plastic
s, paper products
, apparel, electrical equipment
and beverages. The Pittston Stove Company, established in 1864, manufactured coal and wood-burning stove
s for heating and cooking. The Pittston Brewing Company, brewers
of Glennon's Beer, maintained operations in Pittston from 1873 until 1948. Evan R. Jones Stoneware crafted pottery which bore the Pittston name in the 1870s and 1880s.
Main Street was the site of an active downtown
into the 1970s, with many clothing stores
, shoe stores, jewelers, JC Penney
s, Kresge's, Woolworth's
, drug stores, restaurant
s, theaters
and bank
s.
Main Street was home to at least two theaters, the Roman at 27 South Main and the American at 48 North Main, both of which have been razed
. Many historic commercial structures were demolished in the urban renewal
efforts of the 1960s.
s (John Lombardo and Len Insalaco) were killed while fighting a blaze on the city's main street
. A monument was built in the downtown, and the nearby Water Street Bridge was renamed to commemorate their sacrifice during that tragic March day.
For decades, the towering spires of the many Protestant and Roman Catholic churches dominated the city's skyline. Most of the numerous Catholic churches were established to serve one of the many ethnic communities that made up Pittston. The Irish
had St. John the Evangelist, the Slovaks
had St. John the Baptist
, the Lithuanians
had St. Casimir's, the Germans
had St. Mary's Assumption, and the Italians had St. Rocco's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.There is also a Byzantine Catholic Church on Main Street (St. Michael's). From 2004 to the present, the Diocese of Scranton
has closed many of the churches and private schools in and around Pittston due to declining population and enrollment. Saint John the Baptist Elementary School
closed in 2004, and Seton Catholic High School closed in 2007. St. Mary's Assumption School closed in 2011.
In recent years, the downtown area was renovated
with new sidewalks, trees, and street lights. Older buildings are being demolished and newer structures (i.e., condominium
s) are being built.
The Susquehanna River flooded
downtown Pittston from September 8 - 9, 2011. Cooper’s Seafood, Burger King
, and other buildings along the riverfront were inundated.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 8.09%, is water. The city is drained by the Susquehanna River
and Lackawanna River
.
The area in and around Pittston is referred to as Greater Pittston
and includes Avoca
, Dupont
, Duryea
, Exeter
, Exeter Township
, Hughestown
, Jenkins Township, Laflin
, Pittston, Pittston Township, West Pittston
, West Wyoming
, Wyoming
and Yatesville
.
of 2000, there were 8,104 people, 3,530 households, and 2,170 families residing in the city. The population density
was 5,072.6 people per square mile (1,955.6/km²). There were 3,902 housing units at an average density of 2,442.4 per square mile (941.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.4% White, 0.7% Black, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races
, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population. Pittston includes many Italian immigrants and families.
There were 3,530 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were married couples
living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 84.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,103, and the median income for a family was $33,861. Males had a median income of $8,351 versus $1,417 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $3,686. About 61.8% of families and 78.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.0% of those under age 18 and 88.0% of those age 65 or over.
. The current mayor
of Pittston is Jason C. Klush
.
and Luddy Fleming. On Election Day
, Klush defeated the incumbent mayor by a margin of 16%. Democrat Klush ran unopposed in the November 2009 mayoral general election
.
A day after losing the Democratic primary, Keating resigned as mayor. The city council voted to appoint Councilwoman Donna McFadden-Connors
as acting mayor. Michael Lombardo replaced Connors on council.
members with equal voting power. The four council members are:
The other city officers are:
, designed a condo complex for Pittston City. The location of this complex is at Kennedy Blvd. (between the Water Street Bridge and East Street). Riverfront Park is located to the west of the development. Each tower, 5 stories in height, will have 45 units. Space is currently being made by destroying CareerLink and other buildings. The Del-Mar Dress Factory and B&G Beverage are also in the process of being purchased and demolished. For more information, visit: http://www.danielsiniawa.com/pittston_waterfront.htm
In 2008, the city invested in renovating the downtown area sidewalks with a brick
theme. Colorful brick pavers line the sidewalks along the curbside and at street crossings. Black street lights and sign posts were also placed to enhance the appearance of the downtown.
In December 2009, several buildings along William Street were demolished. These included St. John the Baptist Church and School, St. John the Baptist Catholic Information Library, St. John the Baptist Rectory, the Msgr. Joseph A. Super Athletic Center
, and Dave's Billiards. The only building remaining is part of the school where DeMuro's Pizzeria is located. A memorial green space is planned for the site of the church, because it had served the Slovak
community for over 107 years. A parking lot is planned for the space where Dave's Billiards was located.
, Duryea
, Hughestown
, Yatesville
, Avoca
and Jenkins Township.
The Pittston Area School District consists of five schools:
Private schools
There were several Catholic schools in the Greater Pittston
area; many have been closed by the Diocese of Scranton due to lack of funding and low enrollment.
Grade schools
The event consists of many food vendors from the Greater Pittston
area, a beauty pageant, a tomato tasting contest, a best looking and ugliest tomato contest, a 5 km run through the city, tomato fights, live entertainment, and a parade. In May, 2011, Parade Magazine cited the Pittston Tomato Festival and its tomato fights. See www.pittstontomatofestival.com for more information.
passes through Pittston Township. Interstate 81 follows US Route 11 from northern New York
state to Knoxville, Tennessee
. (A portion of Interstate 75
and the entire length of Interstate 59
follow Route 11 for the remainder of its journey to New Orleans, Louisiana
.) I-81 does not enter major metropolitan areas; it instead serves smaller cities such as Roanoke
and Winchester, Virginia
; Hagerstown, Maryland
; Harrisburg
and Scranton, Pennsylvania
; and Binghamton
and Syracuse, New York
. After passing through Watertown, New York, Interstate 81 crosses the St. Lawrence Seaway
to meet Ontario Highway 401 in Canada
. Pittston is also located near the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
, Interstate 476
, providing service from Clarks Summit
to Philadelphia.
is located in Pittston Township. The airport is served by eight international airlines and has hosted Air Force One
on regional presidential visits several times in the past. In the spring of 2002, the airport began offering an increased number of non-stop flights across the nation. Service is provided by Continental Airlines
, Delta
, Northwest Airlines
, United Airlines
, and US Airways
.
and Lackawanna County
. Martz Trailways also provides commuter, tour, and trip service from Pittston, nearby Wilkes-Barre
and Scranton
to points east and south, such as Philadelphia, New York City
, and Atlantic City
.
, Canadian Pacific Railway
(successor to the Delaware and Hudson) and the Luzerne & Susquehanna Railroad (designated-operator of the county-owned shortline) provide freight service within the city and Pittston Township. A proposed nearby commuter train from Scranton to New York City has received government funding.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Luzerne County
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, between Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
and 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...
. It gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an active anthracite 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,...
city, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. The population was 7,739 at the 2010 census. At its peak in 1920, the population of Pittston was 18,494. It also has two well known sections- The Oregon section in the south end, and The Junction, named for the nearby rail yard,in the north end.
Establishment
Wyoming Valley
Wyoming Valley is a region of northeastern Pennsylvania. As a metropolitan area, it is also known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, after its principal cities, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre....
on the east side of the Susquehanna River
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...
and on the south side of the Lackawanna River
Lackawanna River
The Lackawanna River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. It flows through a region of the northern Pocono Mountains that was once a center of anthracite coal mining in the United States...
. It is approximately midway between 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...
and Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
. Named after the famous British statesman William Pitt the Elder
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who led Britain during the Seven Years' War...
, the city was settled around 1770 by the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It was originally called "Pittstown".
During the Revolutionary War, Connecticut Continentals (Patriots
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...
), led by Captain Jeremiah Blanchard and Lieutenant Timothy Keyes, held and maintained a fort in Pittston. On July 4, 1778, a group of British soldiers took over the fortress and some of it was destroyed. Two years later, the Continentals stormed the fortification and recaptured it. From then on it was under Patriot control until the end of the war in 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris
Treaty 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...
. Today a marker
Historical marker
A historical marker or historic marker is an indicator such as a plaque or sign to commemorate an event or person of historic interest and to associate that point of interest with a specific locale one can visit.-Description:...
stands at the site where the fort once stood.
Pittston broke away from Pittston Township and officially became a borough
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in 1856. It was later chartered as a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
on December 10, 1894. Throughout the late 1890s
1890s
The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve Decade" - because William Henry Perkin's aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion - and also as the "Gay Nineties", under the then-current usage of the word "gay" which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no...
, the city's borders extended from Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
to 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...
, but due to financial and civil differences, the city would soon be divided into the many township
Township (Pennsylvania)
A township in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a state of the United States of America, is one of four types of municipalities in the state . Townships were established based on convenient geographical boundaries and vary in size from six to forty square miles...
s and boroughs that exist throughout the central Wyoming Valley
Greater Pittston
Greater Pittston is a 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...
today.
Coal mining
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
in the 1830s
1830s
- Wars :* The First Opium War between the United Kingdom and the Qing Empire of China started in 1839. It would end three years later with the signing of the Treaty of Nanking on 29 August 1842.- Internal conflicts :* French Revolution of 1830...
, Pittston became an important link in the coal industry. Money made through the mining and transportation of coal led some of the leading merchants to petition its separation from Pittston Township. The anthracite and railroad industry attracted thousands of immigrants
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
, making Pittston a true melting pot
Melting pot
The melting pot is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" into a harmonious whole with a common culture...
with once-distinct ethnic and class neighborhoods.
The anthracite coal mining industry, and its extensive use of child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
in the early part of the twentieth century, was one of the industries targeted by the National Child Labor Committee
National Child Labor Committee
The National Child Labor Committee, or NCLC, is a private, non-profit organization in the United States that serves as a leading proponent for the national child labor reform movement...
and its hired photographer, Lewis Hine
Lewis Hine
Lewis Wickes Hine was an American sociologist and photographer. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform. His photographs were instrumental in changing the child labor laws in the United States.-Early life:...
. Many of Hine's subjects were photographed in the mines and coal fields in and around Pittston between 1908 and 1912. The impact of the Hine photographs led to the enactment of child labor laws across the country.
Mining disasters
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,...
remained the prominent industry in Pittston for many decades, but disasters did strike on more than one occasion. The first major tragedy occurred in the Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Mine
Twin Shaft Disaster
The Twin Shaft Disaster occurred in the Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Colliery in Pittston, Pennsylvania on June 28, 1896, when a massive cave-in killed fifty-eight miners.-Disaster:...
near the city's railroad junction on June 28, 1896, when a massive cave-in killed 58 miners.
Anthracite coal mining remained in Pittston until January 22, 1959, when the Knox Mine Disaster
Knox Mine disaster
The Knox Mine disaster was a mining accident that took place in Port Griffith, a town in Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, near Pittston, on January 22, 1959....
in nearby Port Griffith
Port Griffith, Pennsylvania
-External links:* at Mine Country History...
in Jenkins Township ended the industry completely. There, the ice-laden Susquehanna River broke through the roof of the River Slope Mine of the Knox Coal Company, allowing billions of gallons of river water to flood the interconnected mines. Seventy-four miners were trapped; sixty-two miners escaped; twelve miners died and their bodies were never recovered. The heroic efforts of one miner, Amedeo Pancotti of Pittston, led thirty-two miners to safety. For his efforts, Amedeo Pancotti was awarded the Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
for heroism from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
City's boom and bust
Pittston became an active railroad center in response to its mining and industrial activity. The Lehigh Valley RailroadLehigh Valley Railroad
The 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...
maintained a beautiful station in downtown Pittston, near the foot of the Water Street Bridge. Sadly, the station did not survive the urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
of the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
; it was demolished in 1964. Pittston also had a station on the historic Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad
Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad
The Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Railroad, more commonly known as the Laurel Line, was a Pennsylvania third rail electric interurban streetcar line which operated commuter train service from 1903 to 1952, and freight service until 1976.-History:...
, commonly known as the Laurel Line, an electric interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
streetcar line.
Besides mining anthracite coal
Anthracite coal
Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
, Pittston was home to many industries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
s, plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
s, paper products
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, apparel, electrical equipment
Electrical equipment
Electrical equipment includes any machine powered by electricity. They usually consists of an enclosure, a variety of electrical components, and often a power switch...
and beverages. The Pittston Stove Company, established in 1864, manufactured coal and wood-burning stove
Wood-burning stove
For a list of stove types see Stove .A wood-burning stove is a heating appliance capable of burning wood fuel and wood-derived biomass fuel. Generally the appliance consists of a solid metal closed fire chamber, a grate and an adjustable air control...
s for heating and cooking. The Pittston Brewing Company, brewers
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
of Glennon's Beer, maintained operations in Pittston from 1873 until 1948. Evan R. Jones Stoneware crafted pottery which bore the Pittston name in the 1870s and 1880s.
Main Street was the site of an active downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
into the 1970s, with many clothing stores
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
, shoe stores, jewelers, JC Penney
J. C. Penney
-External links:*...
s, Kresge's, Woolworth's
F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first successful Woolworth store was opened on July 18, 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store"...
, drug stores, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, theaters
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
and bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s.
Main Street was home to at least two theaters, the Roman at 27 South Main and the American at 48 North Main, both of which have been razed
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
. Many historic commercial structures were demolished in the urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
efforts of the 1960s.
Contemporary era
On March 15, 1993, two Pittston firefighterFirefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s (John Lombardo and Len Insalaco) were killed while fighting a blaze on the city's main street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
. A monument was built in the downtown, and the nearby Water Street Bridge was renamed to commemorate their sacrifice during that tragic March day.
For decades, the towering spires of the many Protestant and Roman Catholic churches dominated the city's skyline. Most of the numerous Catholic churches were established to serve one of the many ethnic communities that made up Pittston. The Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
had St. John the Evangelist, the Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
had St. John the Baptist
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School, Pittston
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School was a Catholic school located on William Street in Pittston City, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was named after the neighboring church . It's pastors were Rev. Andrej Kazincy, Rev. Matthew Jankola, Rev. Andrej Pavco, Rev. John J. Bednarcik...
, the Lithuanians
Lithuanians
Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,765,600 people. Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Their native language...
had St. Casimir's, the Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
had St. Mary's Assumption, and the Italians had St. Rocco's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.There is also a Byzantine Catholic Church on Main Street (St. Michael's). From 2004 to the present, the Diocese of Scranton
Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton, of which St. Peter's Cathedral in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is the mother church, consists of 11 counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States....
has closed many of the churches and private schools in and around Pittston due to declining population and enrollment. Saint John the Baptist Elementary School
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School, Pittston
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School was a Catholic school located on William Street in Pittston City, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was named after the neighboring church . It's pastors were Rev. Andrej Kazincy, Rev. Matthew Jankola, Rev. Andrej Pavco, Rev. John J. Bednarcik...
closed in 2004, and Seton Catholic High School closed in 2007. St. Mary's Assumption School closed in 2011.
In recent years, the downtown area was renovated
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
with new sidewalks, trees, and street lights. Older buildings are being demolished and newer structures (i.e., condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s) are being built.
The Susquehanna River flooded
Tropical Storm Lee (2011)
Tropical Storm Lee was the twelfth named storm and thirteenth system overall of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, developing from a broad tropical disturbance over the Gulf on September 1. It was designated as Tropical Storm Lee the next day...
downtown Pittston from September 8 - 9, 2011. Cooper’s Seafood, Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, and other buildings along the riverfront were inundated.
Geography
Pittston is located at 41°19′26"N 75°47′20"W (41.323865, -75.788894).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 city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 8.09%, is water. The city is drained by the Susquehanna River
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...
and Lackawanna River
Lackawanna River
The Lackawanna River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. It flows through a region of the northern Pocono Mountains that was once a center of anthracite coal mining in the United States...
.
The area in and around Pittston is referred to as Greater Pittston
Greater Pittston
Greater Pittston is a 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...
and includes Avoca
Avoca, Pennsylvania
Avoca is a borough within the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, ten miles northeast of Wilkes Barre and nine miles southwest of Scranton. The population was 2,851 at the 2000 census...
, Dupont
Dupont, Pennsylvania
Dupont is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania which neighbors the city of Wilkes-Barre. The population was 2,719 at the 2000 census. Dupont name was originally called Smithville after its first group of settlers. It was a small Polish town where most of the jobs...
, Duryea
Duryea, Pennsylvania
Duryea is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA, nine miles south of Scranton on the Lackawanna River. Duryea was incorporated as a borough in 1891. Coal mining and the manufacture of silk were the chief industries in the early years of its existence. The...
, Exeter
Exeter, Pennsylvania
Exeter is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, about west of Scranton. The borough is in the middle of a fertile agricultural area, and some lumber and coal-mining had been carried out early on. In 1900, the population consisted of 1,948 persons; in 1910, 3,537...
, Exeter Township
Exeter Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Exeter Township is a township within the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,557 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Hughestown
Hughestown, Pennsylvania
Hughestown is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,541 at the 2000 census....
, Jenkins Township, Laflin
Laflin, Pennsylvania
Laflin is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,502 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Laflin is located at ....
, Pittston, Pittston Township, West Pittston
West Pittston, Pennsylvania
West Pittston is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River opposite Pittston. The town once produced mine screens, cut glass, crackers, and knit and silk goods.-Geography:...
, West Wyoming
West Wyoming, Pennsylvania
West Wyoming is a borough within Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,833 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Wyoming is located at ....
, Wyoming
Wyoming, Pennsylvania
Wyoming is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States five miles north of Wilkes Barre, on the Susquehanna River. Formerly, coal mining was the chief industry. In 1900, 1,909 people resided in Wyoming. There were 3,010 residents in 1910...
and Yatesville
Yatesville, Pennsylvania
Yatesville is a borough within the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 649 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Yatesville is located at ....
.
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 8,104 people, 3,530 households, and 2,170 families residing in the city. 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 5,072.6 people per square mile (1,955.6/km²). There were 3,902 housing units at an average density of 2,442.4 per square mile (941.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.4% White, 0.7% Black, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.17% 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 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population. Pittston includes many Italian immigrants and families.
There were 3,530 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% 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, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 84.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,103, and the median income for a family was $33,861. Males had a median income of $8,351 versus $1,417 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 city was $3,686. About 61.8% of families and 78.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.0% of those under age 18 and 88.0% of those age 65 or over.
Executive
The city is headed by an elected mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. The current mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Pittston is Jason C. Klush
Jason Klush
Jason Constant Klush is the current mayor of Pittston City, Pennsylvania. He is the youngest mayor in the city's history . -Pittston City mayoral election, 2009:...
.
Mayors of Pittston http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/PA/ofc/pittston.html
| Mayor's Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charles Calvin Bowman Charles Calvin Bowman Charles Calvin Bowman was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Charles Calvin Bowman was born in Troy, New York. He attended Lansingburgh Academy in Troy, and learned the woodworking trade.He graduated in civil engineering from Union College in Schenectady,... |
1886 | Became a U.S. Representative United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... after leaving office |
| James J. Kennedy | 1920 | |
| Ambrose Langan | 1929–1935 | |
| Kenneth J. English | 1937–1939 | |
| John J. Allardyce | 1953 | |
| Joseph F. Saporito | 1954–1956 | |
| Robert A. Loftus Robert A. Loftus Robert A. "Bob" Loftus, Sr. was one of the longest serving mayors in Pittston City, Pennsylvania history. He served for 20 years, spanning from 1961-1980.-Early life:... |
1961–1980 | One of the longest serving mayors in Pittston's history |
| Thomas Walsh | 1998 | |
| Michael A. Lombardo | 1998–2005 | Pittston's second youngest mayor |
| Joseph P. Keating | 2005–2009 | Resigned after losing his 2009 reelection bid |
| Donna McFadden-Connors Donna McFadden-Connors Donna McFadden-Connors was the first female mayor of Pittston City, Pennsylvania.-Entering office:After a heated campaign, incumbent mayor Joseph P. Keating lost the Democratic primary on May 19, 2009, and submitted a letter to the city council announcing his resignation a day later . The council... |
2009–2010 | She served the remainder of Keating's term as Pittston's first female mayor. |
| Jason C. Klush Jason Klush Jason Constant Klush is the current mayor of Pittston City, Pennsylvania. He is the youngest mayor in the city's history . -Pittston City mayoral election, 2009:... |
2010–present | Pittston's youngest mayor |
Pittston mayoral election, 2009
Mayor Joseph P. Keating sought re-election for another 4-year term in 2009. His opponents in the Democratic primary were Jason KlushJason Klush
Jason Constant Klush is the current mayor of Pittston City, Pennsylvania. He is the youngest mayor in the city's history . -Pittston City mayoral election, 2009:...
and Luddy Fleming. On Election Day
Election Day (politics)
Election Day refers to the day when general elections are held. In many countries, general elections are always held on a Sunday, to enable as many voters as possible to participate, while in other countries elections are always held on a weekday...
, Klush defeated the incumbent mayor by a margin of 16%. Democrat Klush ran unopposed in the November 2009 mayoral general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
.
A day after losing the Democratic primary, Keating resigned as mayor. The city council voted to appoint Councilwoman Donna McFadden-Connors
Donna McFadden-Connors
Donna McFadden-Connors was the first female mayor of Pittston City, Pennsylvania.-Entering office:After a heated campaign, incumbent mayor Joseph P. Keating lost the Democratic primary on May 19, 2009, and submitted a letter to the city council announcing his resignation a day later . The council...
as acting mayor. Michael Lombardo replaced Connors on council.
Legislative
A third class city government consists of a mayor and four councilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
members with equal voting power. The four council members are:
- Councilman Danny Argo
- Councilman Joseph Chernouskas
- Councilman Michael Lombardo
- Councilman Joseph McLean
The other city officers are:
- City Controller Chris Latona
- City TreasurerCity TreasurerThe City Treasurer is a position of responsibility for a city according to the prevailing laws in that city.The treasurer of a public agency is elected by the voting public or is appointed by the city council or city manager...
Kathy Cunard - City Clerk Joe Moskovitz
Downtown renovation
In October 2005, it was revealed that Daniel Siniawa and Associates of Dickson City, PennsylvaniaDickson City, Pennsylvania
Dickson City is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, north of Scranton. Coal mining had been an important industry in the past. Some of the population totals follow: in 1900, 4,948; in 1910, 9,331; in 1920, 11,049; and in 1940, 11,548...
, designed a condo complex for Pittston City. The location of this complex is at Kennedy Blvd. (between the Water Street Bridge and East Street). Riverfront Park is located to the west of the development. Each tower, 5 stories in height, will have 45 units. Space is currently being made by destroying CareerLink and other buildings. The Del-Mar Dress Factory and B&G Beverage are also in the process of being purchased and demolished. For more information, visit: http://www.danielsiniawa.com/pittston_waterfront.htm
In 2008, the city invested in renovating the downtown area sidewalks with a brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
theme. Colorful brick pavers line the sidewalks along the curbside and at street crossings. Black street lights and sign posts were also placed to enhance the appearance of the downtown.
In December 2009, several buildings along William Street were demolished. These included St. John the Baptist Church and School, St. John the Baptist Catholic Information Library, St. John the Baptist Rectory, the Msgr. Joseph A. Super Athletic Center
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School, Pittston
Saint John the Baptist Elementary School was a Catholic school located on William Street in Pittston City, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was named after the neighboring church . It's pastors were Rev. Andrej Kazincy, Rev. Matthew Jankola, Rev. Andrej Pavco, Rev. John J. Bednarcik...
, and Dave's Billiards. The only building remaining is part of the school where DeMuro's Pizzeria is located. A memorial green space is planned for the site of the church, because it had served the Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
community for over 107 years. A parking lot is planned for the space where Dave's Billiards was located.
Public schools
Pittston city is located within the Pittston Area School District, which covers Pittston Township, DupontDupont, Pennsylvania
Dupont is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania which neighbors the city of Wilkes-Barre. The population was 2,719 at the 2000 census. Dupont name was originally called Smithville after its first group of settlers. It was a small Polish town where most of the jobs...
, Duryea
Duryea, Pennsylvania
Duryea is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA, nine miles south of Scranton on the Lackawanna River. Duryea was incorporated as a borough in 1891. Coal mining and the manufacture of silk were the chief industries in the early years of its existence. The...
, Hughestown
Hughestown, Pennsylvania
Hughestown is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,541 at the 2000 census....
, Yatesville
Yatesville, Pennsylvania
Yatesville is a borough within the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 649 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Yatesville is located at ....
, Avoca
Avoca, Pennsylvania
Avoca is a borough within the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, ten miles northeast of Wilkes Barre and nine miles southwest of Scranton. The population was 2,851 at the 2000 census...
and Jenkins Township.
The Pittston Area School District consists of five schools:
- Ben Franklin Kindergarten Center - Dupont (Grades: K)
- Pittston Area Primary Center - Hughestown (Grades: 1-2)
- Pittston Area Intermediate Center - Pittston (Grades: 3-5)
- Martin L. Mattei Middle School - Pittston (Grades: 6-8)
- Pittston Area Senior High School - Yatesville (Grades: 9-12)
Private schools
There were several Catholic schools in the Greater Pittston
Greater Pittston
Greater Pittston is a 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...
area; many have been closed by the Diocese of Scranton due to lack of funding and low enrollment.
Grade schools
- St Mary's Assumption, Pittston
- Holy Rosary, Duryea
Pittston Tomato Festival
The City of Pittston promotes itself as "The Quality Tomato Capital of the World." The Pittston Tomato Festival, in its twenty-eighth year in 2011, is held annually on South Main Street in downtown Pittston to celebrate the city's tradition and heritage in cultivating the tomato. This year's festival will take place from Thursday, August 18 through Sunday, August 21, 2011.The event consists of many food vendors from the Greater Pittston
Greater Pittston
Greater Pittston is a 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...
area, a beauty pageant, a tomato tasting contest, a best looking and ugliest tomato contest, a 5 km run through the city, tomato fights, live entertainment, and a parade. In May, 2011, Parade Magazine cited the Pittston Tomato Festival and its tomato fights. See www.pittstontomatofestival.com for more information.
Highways
Interstate 81Interstate 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...
passes through Pittston Township. Interstate 81 follows US Route 11 from northern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state to Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. (A portion of Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
and the entire length of Interstate 59
Interstate 59
Interstate 59 is an Interstate Highway in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is near Slidell, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, at an intersection with Interstate 10 and Interstate 12, its northern terminus is at Wildwood, Georgia, at an intersection with Interstate 24.The road's...
follow Route 11 for the remainder of its journey to New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.) I-81 does not enter major metropolitan areas; it instead serves smaller cities such as Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
and Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
; Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
; 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 Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
; and Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
and Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. After passing through Watertown, New York, Interstate 81 crosses the St. Lawrence Seaway
Saint Lawrence Seaway
The Saint Lawrence Seaway , , is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal...
to meet Ontario Highway 401 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Pittston is also located near the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
, Interstate 476
Interstate 476
Interstate 476 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania designated between Interstate 95 near Chester and Interstate 81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor through eastern Pennsylvania....
, providing service from Clarks Summit
Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
Clarks Summit is a borough in Lackawanna County northwest of Scranton in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,116 at the 2010 census. It is also the northern terminus of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension, I-476.-History:...
to Philadelphia.
Air
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International AirportWilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is an airport located in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania, near the border of Luzerne County and Lackawanna County, halfway between the cities of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton...
is located in Pittston Township. The airport is served by eight international airlines and has hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
on regional presidential visits several times in the past. In the spring of 2002, the airport began offering an increased number of non-stop flights across the nation. Service is provided by Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
, Delta
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
.
Public transportation
Pittston is served by the Luzerne County Transportation Authority and COLTS, which provides bus services to the city and other communities within Luzerne CountyLuzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
and Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 213,295 people, 86,218 households, and 55,783 families residing in the county. The population density was 465 people per square mile . There were 95,362 housing units at an average density of 208 per square mile...
. Martz Trailways also provides commuter, tour, and trip service from Pittston, nearby 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...
and Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
to points east and south, such as Philadelphia, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
.
Rail
At present, the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern RailroadReading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad is a shortline railroad operating in eastern Pennsylvania. It is also known as the Reading and Northern.It operates on of track with two routes...
, Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(successor to the Delaware and Hudson) and the Luzerne & Susquehanna Railroad (designated-operator of the county-owned shortline) provide freight service within the city and Pittston Township. A proposed nearby commuter train from Scranton to New York City has received government funding.
Sites of interest in the Pittston area
- The Ice BoxThe Ice BoxThe Ice Box is a popular "sports complex" ice-skating rink in Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania....
, located in Jenkins Township - Pittston Memorial Library
- Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
- Pocono RacewayPocono RacewayPocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
(Long PondLong Pond, PennsylvaniaLong Pond is an unincorporated community in Monroe County in the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, a part of the Appalachian Mountains. The zip code is 18334....
) - SNO-Montage Mountain Ski Resort (ScrantonScranton, PennsylvaniaScranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
) - Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain (Scranton)
- Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza (Wilkes-Barre Township)
- Scranton Cultural Center (Scranton)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Internation Airport (Pittston TownshipPittston Township, PennsylvaniaPittston Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The township is located within the Greater Pittston metro area. The population was 3,450 at the 2000 census. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is located in Pittston Township.-History:Pittston Township was...
)
Notable people
- Mike AquilinaMike AquilinaMike Aquilina is a popular author working in the area of Church history, especially patristics, the study of the early Church Fathers.He is the author or editor of more than thirty books, including The Fathers of the Church ; The Mass of the Early Christians ; The Resilient Church ; Living the...
, author - Charles Calvin BowmanCharles Calvin BowmanCharles Calvin Bowman was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Charles Calvin Bowman was born in Troy, New York. He attended Lansingburgh Academy in Troy, and learned the woodworking trade.He graduated in civil engineering from Union College in Schenectady,...
, mayor of Pittston and U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Pennsylvania - James Joseph BrownJames Joseph BrownJames Joseph "J.J." Brown , mining engineer, inventor, and self-made member of fashionable "society", was born in Waymart, Pennsylvania. His wife was RMS Titanic survivor Molly Brown....
, mining innovator - Lou ButeraLou ButeraLou Butera is an American professional pool player and an inductee into the Billiards Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 1986....
, professional pool player - Jimmy CefaloJimmy CefaloJames Carmen Cefalo, , is an American sportscaster, game show host and former professional American football wide receiver.-High school:Cefalo attended Pittston Area High School in Pittston, Pennsylvania...
, Penn State football player, Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
wide receiver, radio voice of the Miami Dolphins - William D'EliaWilliam D'EliaWilliam "Big Billy" D'Elia is a Pennsylvania mobster and former leader of the Bufalino crime family.-Background:D'Elia began working with the Bufalino family in the late 1960s as boss Russell Bufalino's driver. D'Elia's business background in solid waste brokering and other areas would later be...
, mobster - J. Harold FlanneryJ. Harold FlanneryJohn Harold Flannery was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.J. Harold Flannery was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania, in 1917 and from the Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in...
, U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Pennsylvania - Justin GustainisJustin GustainisJoseph Justin Gustainis is an American college professor and fiction writer. When younger, he wrote and published a great deal of academic writing, including the book American Rhetoric and the Vietnam War . Beginning in the mid-1990s, while retaining his academic job, he began to write fiction...
, professor and author - Mike HudockMike HudockMichael Edward "Mike" Hudock, Jr. was an American collegieate and Professional Football center who helped the University of Miami to become a national football power for the first time. He went on to play in the American Football League as an original member of the American Football League's New...
, professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - Hughie JenningsHughie JenningsHugh Ambrose Jennings was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891 to 1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894, 1895, and 1896. During the three championship seasons, Jennings had...
, 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 and manager - Shawn KlushShawn Klush-Early life:Shawn Klush was born and raised in Pittston, PA.Shawn's love for music led him to begin imitating his musical idol, Elvis Presley. Shawn's father was a DJ. From an early age Shawn started listening to Elvis...
, Elvis tribute artist - John D. MacArthurJohn D. MacArthurJohn Donald MacArthur was an American businessman and philanthropist who established the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, benefactor in the MacArthur Fellowships.-Early life:...
, businessman and philanthropist - Tommy McMillanTommy McMillanThomas Law McMillan was a Major League Baseball outfielder and shortstop. He is an alumnus of Georgia Institute of Technology....
, 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...
outfielderOutfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and shortstopShortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the... - Joseph MontioneBanana JoeJoseph Montione, commonly referred to as Banana Joe, is a radio personality who currently resides in Los Angeles. He started radio when he was 13, when he set up his own radio station in his basement...
, radio personality - Ray Musto, U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Pennsylvania - Jay PariniJay PariniJay Parini is an American writer and academic. He is known for novels and poetry, biography and criticism.He was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania, and brought up in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Lafayette College in 1970 and was awarded a doctorate by the University of St. Andrews in 1975...
, professor and author - Charley TrippiCharley TrippiCharles Louis Trippi is a former professional American football player for the Chicago Cardinals. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.Mr. Trippi currently resides in Athens, Georgia...
, University of Georgia football player, 1943 Rose Bowl MVP, College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Chicago Cardinals quarterback and Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
inductee. The football stadium at Pittston Area High School in YatesvilleYatesville, PennsylvaniaYatesville is a borough within the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 649 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Yatesville is located at ....
is named in his honor.