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86-464: The forest is located on several tracts in Lackawanna, Luzerne , Wyoming , Susquehanna , and Wayne counties. As of February 8, 2022, the total area is 49,635 acres (20,087 ha). Spruce Swamp Natural Area receives extra protection. The reorganization of Pennsylvania State Forests that took effect 1 July 2005, added the southern part of Luzerne County to District #11 (it was previously in

172-526: A Superior Court and Sheriff (as an officer of the court ), both located in a designated "shire town". Bennington County, Vermont has two shire towns; the court for "North Shire" is in the shire town Manchester , and the Sheriff for the county and court for "South Shire" are in the shire town Bennington. In 2024, Connecticut , which had not defined their counties for anything but statistical, historical and weather warning purposes since 1960, along with ending

258-516: A county or civil parish . The term is in use in five countries: Canada , China , Hungary , Romania , and the United States . An equivalent term, shire town , is used in the U.S. state of Vermont and in several other English-speaking jurisdictions, such as Venezuela . In Canada , the provinces of Ontario , Quebec , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , and Nova Scotia have counties as an administrative division of government below

344-658: A compromise with the Connecticut (Yankee) settlers. The Yankee settlers would be allowed to become citizens of Pennsylvania and their property claims would be restored (as existing prior to the Decree of Trenton). As part of the compromise, Pennsylvania would establish a new county in Northeastern Pennsylvania . The Yankees agreed to the terms. On September 25, 1786, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed

430-410: A county seat may be an independent city surrounded by, but not part of, the county of which it is the administrative center; for example, Fairfax City is both the county seat of Fairfax County, Virginia and completely surrounded by Fairfax County, but the city is politically independent of the county. When the county seat is in the independent city, government offices such as the courthouse may be in

516-757: A devastating F3 tornado struck Wilkes-Barre on August 19, 1890 . It was the deadliest tornado in the county's history. The region's first significant mining disaster occurred on September 6, 1869, when a massive fire at the Avondale Colliery in Plymouth Township killed 110 people. Another consequential mining accident occurred on June 28, 1896, when the Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Mine in Pittston City caved-in and killed 58 miners. Towards

602-480: A population of just over 10,000, was incorporated as a city in 1871. By 1875, anthracite coal from Luzerne County alone represented half the anthracite produced in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since 1839, the people in and around the cities of Scranton and Carbondale sought independence from Luzerne County. Wilkes-Barre was determined to preserve the integrity of the county; it did not want to lose its assets in

688-459: A resolution that created Luzerne County. It was formed from a section of Northumberland County and named after Chevalier de la Luzerne , a French soldier and diplomat to the American rebels and new government of the independent USA during the late 18th century. Wilkes-Barre was designated as the seat of government for the new territory. This resolution ended the idea of creating a new state. When it

774-538: A scorched-earth campaign against the Iroquois nations in central and western New York. Two years later, in September 1780, reports of Iroquois and Loyalist activity in the region resulted in a detachment of 41 Patriot militia from Northampton County being sent to investigate. The detachment made it as far north as present-day Conyngham when they were ambushed by a party of Seneca and Loyalists. Ten men were killed in what

860-640: A shooting rampage in Wilkes-Barre and Jenkins Township. The second incident took place on May 21, 2000, when a plane crash in Bear Creek Township (near the intersection of Bear Creek Boulevard – PA Route 115 – and the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike ) killed the pilot as well as all nineteen passengers. Many factories and coal mines were long since closed by the turn of

946-569: A total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km ), is the smallest. The Wyoming Valley , also referred to as the Anthracite Valley Section of Pennsylvania, runs directly through Luzerne County. It extends from the northeastern border (with Lackawanna County ) to the western border (with Columbia County ). The valley is flat (at the Susquehanna Basin) and rises from 512 to 2,000 feet (156 to 610 m) in some places. Bear Creek, on

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1032-581: A total area of 906 square miles (2,350 km ), of which 890 square miles (2,300 km ) is land and 16 square miles (41 km ), or 1.8%, is water. The highest point in the county is Cherry Ridge in Fairmount Township . The ridge is 2,460 feet (750 m) above sea level. The lowest point, of about 512 feet (156 m), can be found near Shickshinny . Luzerne County consists of 76 independently governing municipalities (which includes 4 cities , 36 boroughs , and 36 townships ). Wilkes-Barre

1118-537: Is Wilkes-Barre . Other populous communities include Hazleton , Kingston , Nanticoke , and Pittston . Luzerne County is included in the Scranton –Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton Metropolitan Statistical Area , which has a total population of 555,426 as of 2017. The county is part of the Northeast Pennsylvania region of the state. On September 25, 1786, Luzerne County was formed from part of Northumberland County . It

1204-409: Is known as the seat of its county. Generally, the county legislature, county courthouse, sheriff's department headquarters, hall of records, jail and correctional facility are located in the county seat, though some functions (such as highway maintenance, which usually requires a large garage for vehicles, along with asphalt and salt storage facilities) may also be located or conducted in other parts of

1290-677: Is now known as the Sugarloaf Massacre . The American Revolutionary War ended three years later (in 1783) with the signing of the Treaty of Paris . Great Britain finally recognized the sovereignty of the United States of America. The land dispute between Pennsylvania and Connecticut continued after the war. Connecticut established its own county (by the name of Westmoreland ) in the Wyoming Valley. However, Pennsylvania insisted that they owned

1376-658: Is the fifth busiest airport in Pennsylvania. By the mid-20th century, anthracite production was declining at a steady rate. Consumers were gradually switching from coal to other forms of energy (e.g., oil, natural gas, and electricity). The Knox Mine Disaster was the final blow to the industry. On January 22, 1959, the Susquehanna River broke through the River Slope Mine in Port Griffith , Jenkins Township ; it claimed

1462-471: Is the largest city; it has a total area of 7.2 square miles (19 km ). Pittston , with a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km ), is the smallest city. Harveys Lake is the largest borough; it has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16 km ). Jeddo , with a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km ), is the smallest borough. Bear Creek is the largest township; it has a total area of 67.8 square miles (176 km ). Wilkes-Barre Township , with

1548-477: The Baltimore Colliery in Wilkes-Barre. Regardless of the industrial setbacks, the region continued to grow economically. In 1906, construction began on a new county courthouse in Wilkes-Barre. Twenty years later (in 1926), Nanticoke , with a population of just over 22,000, was incorporated as a city. It was the last city established in the county. By 1930 , the county's population peaked at 445,109. It

1634-472: The Lattimer massacre . Roughly nineteen people were killed and dozens more were wounded. Luzerne is infamous for being the last county whose sheriff legally formed a posse to restore order in a time of civil unrest . At the beginning of the 20th century, Luzerne County was in the midst of an economic boom. Industry, which included manufacturing and coal mining, drew thousands of immigrants (mostly from Europe) to

1720-528: The Patriot cause, which supported the American Revolution and independence. On June 30, 1778, Loyalist forces, under the command of Major John Butler , arrived in the Wyoming Valley to attack the rebel American settlements. On July 1, Fort Wintermoot at the north end of the valley surrendered without a shot being fired. The next morning the smaller Fort Jenkins surrendered. Both forts were later burned to

1806-652: The Susquehannock , who spoke an Iroquoian language , and the Delaware (Lenape), who spoke an Algonquian language . In the mid-18th century, Connecticut settlers of primarily English ancestry ventured into the valley. These were the first recorded Europeans in the region. Some came as missionaries to the Native American peoples, while others came to farm the fertile land near the Susquehanna River . Ultimately,

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1892-505: The United States Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 906 square miles (2,350 km ), of which 890 square miles (2,300 km ) is land and 16 square miles (41 km ) is water. It is Northeastern Pennsylvania 's second-largest county by total area. As of the 2020 census , the population was 325,594, making it the most populous county in the northeastern part of the state. The county seat and most populous city

1978-407: The recognition of their union . President Theodore Roosevelt became involved and set up a fact-finding commission that suspended the strike. The strike never resumed, as the miners received a ten percent wage increase and reduced workdays (from ten to nine hours). It was the first labor dispute in which the U.S. federal government intervened as a neutral arbitrator . Also, in the early 1900s,

2064-571: The 1800s, canals and railroads were constructed to aid in the mining and transportation of coal. As the mining industry grew, a large region north of the Wyoming Valley, close to the Pennsylvania border with New York state , sought independence from Luzerne County. On February 21, 1810, the counties of Bradford , originally called Ontario, and Susquehanna were created from parts of Luzerne County. The two counties were officially formed in 1812. Thirty years later, on April 4, 1842, Wyoming County ,

2150-523: The 19th and 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining region , drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants . At its peak in 1930 , the county's population was 445,109. Many factories and coal mines closed by the early 21st century. Like most regions in the Rust Belt , Luzerne County witnessed population loss and urban decay . However, in recent years, the economy has grown moderately; warehousing has replaced manufacturing as

2236-482: The 19th century as an active anthracite coal mining region . In 1791, German immigrant Philip Ginder stumbled across anthracite (or "hard coal") near Summit Hill . This resulted in the creation of the Lehigh Coal Mine Company . The company had a slow start because of the difficulty in igniting anthracite coal and the inability to transfer it to urban markets. In 1807, Brothers Abijah and John Smith were

2322-414: The 21st century. Like most regions in the Rust Belt , Luzerne County witnessed population loss and urban decay over many decades beginning in the mid-20th century. Luzerne County in particular had reached the apex of its population around 1930. However, despite continuing population loss in recent years, the economy has grown moderately; warehousing has replaced manufacturing as the main industry. In

2408-453: The Connecticut settlers away from the valley. By November, the Yankees returned with a greater force. They captured and destroyed Fort Dickinson in Wilkes-Barre. With that victory, a new state (which was separate from both Connecticut and Pennsylvania) was proposed. The new state was to be named Westmoreland . To ensure that they didn't lose the land, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania worked out

2494-684: The Thornhurst section in Lackawanna County. In 2015, Lackawanna State Forest was renamed Pinchot State Forest in honor of Gifford Pinchot . A view of Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties from Pine Hill (in Pinchot State Forest): The U.S. states of New York and New Jersey are to the north and east, respectively Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Luzerne County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . According to

2580-541: The United States entered the age of mass air transportation, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, the two largest cities in Northeast Pennsylvania , recognized the need for a large-scale airport. Despite the Great Depression and hard times affecting the local coal mining industry, a windfall multimillion-dollar opportunity to plan and build a regional airport was presented to the counties of Luzerne and Lackawanna through

2666-879: The United States, followed by Towson , the county seat of Baltimore County, Maryland . Likewise, some county seats may not be incorporated in their own right, but are located within incorporated municipalities. For example, Cape May Court House, New Jersey , though unincorporated, is a section of Middle Township , an incorporated municipality. In some states, often those that were among the original Thirteen Colonies , county seats include or formerly included "Court House" as part of their name, such as Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia . Most counties have only one county seat. However, some counties in Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Iowa , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Mississippi , Missouri , New Hampshire , New York , and Vermont have two or more county seats, usually located on opposite sides of

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2752-563: The airport now sits. Most of the land was previously owned by various coal companies. By 1945, the two counties entered into a legal agreement to co-sponsor and operate the airport. Between 1945 and 1947, construction of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport took place in and around Pittston Township. Today, the airport is known as the "Gateway to Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains ." It

2838-533: The anthracite coal mining industry – and its extensive use of child labor – 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 and Wilkes-Barre. The impact of the Hine photographs led to the enactment of child labor laws across the country. Despite

2924-494: The better working conditions, industrial accidents were still commonplace. On December 6, 1915, an underground mine fire started in the Red Ash Coal Mine near the communities of Laurel Run and Georgetown . Hundreds of residents living near the mine fire were later relocated. The fire continued to burn well into the 21st century. On June 5, 1919, another major mining accident occurred nearby. An explosion killed 92 miners at

3010-525: The booming coal industry. The growing population quickly attracted the attention of factory owners in New York City and Philadelphia . Dozens of factories throughout Luzerne County were established to take advantage of the ever-increasing pool of available labor. With an increasing population and the build-up of industry in the region, tragedies became more frequent in the second half of the 19th century. Sixteen people were killed – largely in factories – when

3096-517: The counties after his unification, there were about 1,000. Under the Eastern Han dynasty , the number of counties increased to above 1,000. About 1400 existed when the Sui dynasty abolished the commandery level (郡 jùn), which was the level just above counties, and demoted some commanderies to counties. In Imperial China, the county was a significant administrative unit because it marked the lowest level of

3182-606: The county (in the Wyoming Valley). The second is Hazleton and it is located in the southern portion of the county. Other urban areas include the Back Mountain (in northern Luzerne County) and Mountain Top (between Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton). Thick forests and small farming communities are located just outside the urban centers. County seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government , or capital city of

3268-418: The county, especially if it is geographically large. A county seat is usually an incorporated municipality . The exceptions include the county seats of counties that have no incorporated municipalities within their borders, such as Arlington County, Virginia , where the county seat is the entire county. Ellicott City , the county seat of Howard County, Maryland , is the largest unincorporated county seat in

3354-420: The county. Examples include Harrison County, Mississippi , which has both Biloxi and Gulfport as county seats, and Hinds County, Mississippi , which has both Raymond and the state capital of Jackson . The practice of multiple county seat towns dates from the days when travel was difficult. There have been few efforts to eliminate the two-seat arrangement, since a county seat is a source of civic pride for

3440-503: The county. There are several islands located within the river; for example, Scovell Island (near Pittston), Monocanock Island (near Wyoming ), and Richard Island (near Wilkes-Barre). The Susquehanna drains most of the county (including Bowman Creek , Huntington Creek , the Lackawanna River , Nescopeck Creek , Solomon Creek , and many other streams). The Lehigh River , which forms part of Luzerne County's southeastern border, drains

3526-508: The defunct Wyoming State Forest ). Other aspects of the realignment include moving the District #11 office from Scranton 10 miles (16 km) north to Lackawanna State Park, and the acquisition of a new tract, "Theta Forest" (not included in the description above). Pinchot State Forest was formed in response to the depletion of the forests of Pennsylvania during the mid-to-late 19th century. Conservationists like Dr. Joseph Rothrock feared that

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3612-415: The detention of juveniles, in return for contracting with the facilities and imposing harsh adjudications on juveniles brought before their courts to increase the number of residents in the centers. In the following years, additional county officials faced criminal charges (e.g., a clerk of courts, a deputy chief clerk, a director of human resources). County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak resigned in 2009; he

3698-546: The eastern side of the valley, has a mean elevation of about 2,000 feet (610 m), while Shickshinny, on the Susquehanna Basin, is about 512 feet (156 m). The county is crossed by a series of east-to-west mountains (e.g., Buck Mountain , Nescopeck Mountain , Penobscot Knob , and Red Rock Mountain ). They are all part of the Appalachian Mountain Range . The Susquehanna River is the largest river in

3784-412: The easternmost region. Dozens of lakes and ponds are also scattered throughout the county (e.g., Harveys Lake , Lake Jean , Lake Louise , and Long Pond ). Luzerne County consists of several urban areas. The first is a contiguous quilt-work of former anthracite coal mining communities (including the cities of Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, and Nanticoke ). It is located in the northeastern and central part of

3870-401: The employee's petition relates to a matter of public concern." The second major event occurred in September 2011, when Luzerne County witnessed historical flooding from Tropical Storm Lee . The Susquehanna River reached a record high of 42.6 feet (13.0 meters) in Wilkes-Barre. The river topped the 40.9-foot (12.5-meter) level in flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. However, unlike 1972,

3956-414: The end of the 19th century, labor unrest and union activity intensified in the region. Miners protested poor working conditions and unfair pay. This revved up tensions throughout the county. One of the most notable and deadly confrontations occurred on September 10, 1897 (near Hazleton). Luzerne County Sheriff James Martin formed a posse and fired on a group of unarmed striking miners in what is now known as

4042-546: The end, nearly 300 Wyoming Valley Patriots were killed in what the Wyoming Massacre . Today, in the Borough of Wyoming , a monument marks the gravesite of the victims from the battle. The next day, Colonel Denison surrendered Forty Fort along with several other posts. Widespread looting and burning of buildings occurred throughout the Wyoming Valley subsequent to this capitulation, but non-combatants were not harmed. Most of

4128-486: The federal government's Public Works Administration . It became apparent that a modern airport would be needed for the economic survival of the region. The site in and around Pittston Township was first surveyed in 1939 by the county commissioners of both counties. In 1941, John B. McDade, president of the Heidelberg Coal Company and father of Congressman Joseph M. McDade , donated 122 acres on which part of

4214-484: The first to successfully transport anthracite down the Susquehanna River on an ark . In 1808, Judge Jesse Fell of Wilkes-Barre discovered a solution to ignite anthracite with the usage of an iron grate; it allowed for the coal to light and burn easier. This invention increased the popularity of anthracite as a fuel source. This led to the expansion of the coal industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Throughout

4300-605: The forerunner of today's Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources . The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed legislation in 1897 that authorized the purchase of "unseated lands for forest reservations." This was the beginning of the State Forest system. Pinchot State Forest began a few years later, in 1902, with the purchase of 2,854 acres (1,155 ha) of land in Thornhurst Township , Lackawanna County, from William and Catherine McMurtry for $ 3,567.40. It

4386-428: The forests would not regrow if they were not managed properly. Lumber and Iron companies had harvested the old-growth forests on a massive scale. They clear cut the forests and left behind nothing but dried tree tops and rotting stumps. The sparks of passing steam locomotives ignited wildfires that prevented the formation of second growth forests . Conservationists feared that the forest would never regrow if there

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4472-461: The ground. The Patriot militia assembled at Forty Fort . On July 3, a column of roughly 375 men, including a company of soldiers from the Continental Army , marched from the fort under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Zebulon Butler and Colonel Nathan Denison. Butler's Rangers , with the assistance of about 500 Native American allies, mostly Seneca , ambushed the approaching Americans. In

4558-424: The imperial bureaucratic structure; in other words, it was the lowest level that the government reached. Government below the county level was often undertaken through informal non-bureaucratic means, varying between dynasties. The head of a county was the magistrate , who oversaw both the day-to-day operations of the county as well as civil and criminal cases. The current number of counties mostly resembled that of

4644-572: The increase of Han Chinese population in Taiwan, the number of counties also grew by time. By the end of Qing era, there were 11 counties in Taiwan. Protestant missionaries in China first romanized the term as hien . When Taiwan became a Japanese colony in 1895, the hierarchy of divisions also incorporated into the Japanese system in the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. By September 1945, Taiwan

4730-611: The independent city under an agreement, such as in Albemarle , or may in be enclaves of the county surrounded by the independent city, such as in Fairfax . Others, such as Prince William , have the courthouse in an enclave surrounded by the independent city and have the county government, the Board of Supervisors, in a different part of the county, far from the county seat. The following counties have their county seat in an independent city: Bedford

4816-469: The inhabitants, however, fled across the Pocono Mountains to Stroudsburg and Easton , or down the Susquehanna River to Sunbury . In September 1778, American Colonel Thomas Hartley took partial revenge for the Wyoming defeat. He and his 200 soldiers burned a number of villages in Delaware along the Susquehanna River . The following year, Major General John Sullivan would lead several thousand men in

4902-631: The land. The Congress of the Confederation was asked to resolve the matter. With the Trenton Decree, on December 30, 1782, the confederation government officially decided that the region belonged to Pennsylvania; the Wyoming Valley became part of Northumberland County . Pennsylvania ruled that the Connecticut settlers, also known as the Yankees, were not citizens of the Commonwealth. They could not vote and were ordered to give up their property claims. In May 1784, armed men from Pennsylvania force-marched

4988-527: The late 2000s, several scandals related to public corruption, cronyism , patronage hiring, and wasteful spending affected the county. The "kids for cash" scandal unfolded in 2008 over judicial kickbacks at the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre. Two judges, President Judge Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan , were convicted of accepting money from Robert Mericle, builder of two private, for-profit youth centers for

5074-732: The later years of the Qing dynasty . Changes of location and names of counties in Chinese history have been a major field of research in Chinese historical geography, especially from the 1960s to the 1980s. There are 1,355 counties in Mainland China out of a total of 2,851 county-level divisions. In Taiwan , the first counties were first established in 1661 by the Kingdom of Tungning . The later ruler Qing empire inherited this type of administrative divisions. With

5160-480: The levee system in Wilkes-Barre and several other communities held. Those municipalities without a levee system witnessed severe flooding. The first general election for Luzerne County Council was held on November 8, making it the third and final consequential event of 2011. In the end, six Democrats , four Republicans , and one independent politician were elected. The home rule charter took effect on January 2, 2012. The Luzerne County Board of Commissioners

5246-505: The levees of several communities in the Wyoming Valley. In Wilkes-Barre, hundreds were trapped in their homes; nearly nine feet of water inundated Public Square. At the historic cemetery in Forty Fort , 2,000 caskets were washed away, leaving body parts on porches, roofs, and in basements. In Luzerne County alone, 25,000 homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed. Losses in the county totaled $ 1 billion. Luzerne County's economy

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5332-598: The lives of twelve people. In the following months, two of the area's largest coal companies announced a full withdrawal from the anthracite business. Thousands of jobs were lost and the mining industry never recovered in Luzerne County. The Wyoming Valley witnessed historical flooding from the Susquehanna River in the past. In June 1972, Hurricane Agnes devastated much of the Eastern Seaboard (including Pennsylvania). The Susquehanna River rose to 40.9 feet and breached

5418-478: The main industry. The Luzerne County Historical Society maintains the storehouse for the collective memory of Luzerne County and its environs. It records and interprets the history, traditions, events, people, and cultures that have directed and molded life within the region. Long an area occupied by indigenous peoples, by the 1700s the Wyoming Valley was inhabited by several Native American tribes including

5504-414: The move. The home rule charter would eliminate the positions of the three county commissioners; they would be replaced by an eleven-member county council (who will appoint and work alongside a county manager). This referendum "starts a new chapter in Luzerne County history," remarked James Haggerty, the chairman of the commission that wrote and proposed the charter. The first election for the new government

5590-752: The provincial level, and thus county seats. In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia the term "shire town" is used in place of county seat. County seats in China are the administrative centers of the counties in the People's Republic of China . Xian have existed since the Warring States period and were set up nationwide by the Qin dynasty . The number of counties in China proper gradually increased from dynasty to dynasty. As Qin Shi Huang reorganized

5676-429: The region in and around present-day Tunkhannock , was also formed from a section of Luzerne County. The County of Luzerne witnessed a population boom as a result of the growing coal mining industry. Carbondale , with a population of nearly 5,000 residents, was incorporated as a city on March 15, 1851. Scranton , with a population of nearly 35,000, was incorporated as a city on April 23, 1866. And Wilkes-Barre, with

5762-649: The region. Decades later, in the 1870s, residents of the proposed territory were allowed to vote for independent status. Voters favored a new county by a proportion of 6 to 1, with Scranton residents providing considerable support. Lackawanna County was finally created from a portion of Luzerne County in 1878. Even through Luzerne County lost a vital region (the coal mining cities of Scranton and Carbondale), its boroughs and townships continued to grow. Hazleton (in 1891) and Pittston (in 1894) were both incorporated as cities due to their expanding populations. Thousands of European immigrants poured into Luzerne County due to

5848-539: The region. However, there were several drawbacks to the industrial boom. Labor unrest, mining accidents, and child labor were just a few problems facing the county. Labor disputes led to miners striking in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Great Strike of 1902 gained national attention when it threatened to shut down the winter fuel supply for major U.S. cities. At that time, residences were typically heated with anthracite (or "hard coal"). The United Mine Workers of America protested for higher wages, shorter workdays, and

5934-764: The state's area, has no borough government or borough seat. One borough, the Lake and Peninsula Borough , has its borough seat located in another borough, namely King Salmon in Bristol Bay Borough . In Louisiana , which is divided into parishes rather than counties, county seats are referred to as "parish seats". In New England , counties have served mainly as dividing lines for the states' judicial systems. Rhode Island has no county level of government and thus no county seats, and Massachusetts has dissolved many but not all of its county governments. In Vermont , Massachusetts , and Maine county government consists only of

6020-416: The towns involved, along with providing employment opportunities. There are 33 counties with multiple county seats in 11 states: Alaska is divided into boroughs rather than counties; the county seat in these case is referred to as the "borough seat"; this includes six consolidated city-borough governments (one of which is styled as a "municipality"). The Unorganized Borough, Alaska , which covers 49% of

6106-484: The use of county seats in particular, will fully transition with the permission of the United States Census Bureau to a system of councils of government for the purposes of boundary definition and as county equivalents. Two counties in South Dakota , Oglala Lakota and Todd , have their county seat and government services centered in a neighboring county. Their county-level services are provided by Fall River County and Tripp County , respectively. In Virginia ,

6192-617: The valley and founded the town of Wilkes-Barre . However, they were not alone. Pennsylvanian settlers (Pennamites) were also in the region. Armed bands of Pennamites harassed the Connecticut settlers in what is known as the Pennamite-Yankee Wars . While the land dispute continued, a much larger conflict began. In 1775, the Thirteen Colonies began a war of independence against the colonial power of Great Britain . Residents of both Pennsylvania and Connecticut were largely loyal to

6278-700: The violence of the French and Indian War (the North American front of the Seven Years' War between Great Britain and France) drove these Connecticut settlers away. The British colonies of Pennsylvania and Connecticut both claimed the Wyoming Valley as their own. King Charles II of England had granted the land to the Connecticut Colony in 1662, but also to William Penn , the founder of Pennsylvania, in 1681. In 1769, Yankee settlers from Connecticut returned to

6364-401: Was Jim Bobeck. During the first council meeting, Tom Pribula was appointed interim county manager . Several weeks later, the council officially appointed the first permanent manager (Robert Lawton). During the 2019 county council election , Republicans secured a majority on the county's governing board for the first time since 1989. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has

6450-404: Was abolished and replaced with the new form of government ( council–manager government ). The last three commissioners were Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla , Stephen A. Urban , and Thomas Cooney. The first eleven council members were sworn in that same day. According to the charter, the council chair is "recognized as head of the county government for ceremonial purposes." The first council chair

6536-423: Was active in civic and political life throughout Pennsylvania. Railroad accidents were common throughout the United States in the 1800s and 1900s. In 1934, the right arm of Hughestown resident Harry Tompkins was crushed by an Erie Railroad train. This resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court case Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins , which laid the foundation for a large part of modern American civil procedure . As

6622-430: Was also assembled to manage the county government. Some of the first county commissioners included Jesse Fell, Alexander Johnson, John Phillips, John Jenkins, and Thomas Wright (from 1794 to 1796). The population of the new county grew rapidly with new migrants. In 1790, fewer than 2,000 people resided within the Wyoming Valley. By 1800, the number of residents increased to nearly 13,000. The county gained prominence in

6708-568: Was divided into 8 prefectures ( 州 and 廳 ), which remained after the Republic of China took over. There are 13 county seats in Taiwan, which function as county-administered cities , urban townships , or rural townships . In most of the United States , a county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The city, town, or populated place that houses county government

6794-441: Was founded, Luzerne County occupied a large portion of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The future counties of Bradford , Lackawanna , Susquehanna , and Wyoming were all part of the original Luzerne County. In the following years, elections were held, the courts were established, a courthouse was constructed, and a government was formed. In 1787, Lord Butler was elected the first sheriff of Luzerne County. A board of commissioners

6880-542: Was hit hard with the collapse of the mining industry and the devastating Agnes flood. To make matters worse, factories throughout the county were shutting down. They could not compete with lower labor costs elsewhere. By the end of the 20th century, Luzerne County was in the midst of a recession . Following the Agnes flood (from the 1980s to 2000), two notable tragedies occurred in Luzerne County. The first took place on September 25, 1982, when George Banks killed thirteen people in

6966-410: Was named after Chevalier de la Luzerne , a French soldier and diplomat during the 18th century. When it was founded, Luzerne County occupied a large portion of Northeastern Pennsylvania. From 1810 to 1878, it was divided into several smaller counties. The counties of Bradford , Lackawanna , Susquehanna , and Wyoming were all formed from parts of Luzerne County. The county gained prominence in

7052-472: Was not a change in the philosophy of forest management. They called for the state to purchase land from the lumber and iron companies and the lumber and iron companies were more than willing to sell their land since that had depleted the natural resources of the forests. A change began in 1895 when Dr. Rothrock was appointed the first commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters,

7138-592: Was obvious that industry was the driving force behind the expanding population. From the 1930s to the 1980s, Pittston City emerged as a national center for clothing manufacturing . Thousands of workers, mainly women, labored in many factories throughout the Greater Pittston area. Most were members of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU). It advocated for higher wages, improvements in workplace health and safety, and employee rights. The ILGWU

7224-523: Was originally known as Lackawanna State Forest. Since 2005, the state forest has expanded from 7,735 acres (3,130 ha) to 49,635 acres (20,087 ha). Added tracts include 3,183 acres (1,288 ha) in Mocanaqua , the 540-acre (220 ha) Seven Tubs Recreation Area , 862 acres (349 ha) at Deep Hollow, the 1,210-acre (490 ha) Moon Lake State Forest Recreation Area , 7,683 acres (3,109 ha) on Montage Mountain, and 528 acres (214 ha) in

7310-483: Was scheduled for 2011 – which ended up becoming an eventful year for Luzerne County. From March to June of that year, the Borough of Duryea received national attention for its role in the landmark Supreme Court case Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri , in which the court stated that "a government employer's allegedly retaliatory actions against an employee do not give rise to liability under the Petition Clause unless

7396-469: Was ultimately sentenced to prison for accepting money from a developer who received government-backed financing. In May 2009, voters approved the creation of a government study commission. The commission proposed and wrote a home rule charter for Luzerne County. On November 2, 2010, the voters of Luzerne County held a referendum on the question of home rule. A total of 51,413 (55.25%) voted in favor of home rule, while another 41,639 (44.75%) voted against

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