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Wyoming Valley

Wyoming Valley

A lesser-known Wyoming Valley exists in western New York in Wyoming County, where the valley of Oatka Creek is commonly known as the Wyoming Valley and includes the villages of Wyoming and Warsaw. Wyoming Valley is a region of northeastern Pennsylvania. The valley is a crescent-shaped depression, a part of the ridge-and-valley or folded Appalachians. The valley includes the metropolitan areas of Scranton, Pennsylvania and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River interestingly does not occupy the entire valley, but drops into it from the Allegheny Plateau on the northwest, then turns 90 degrees and flows southwesterly through about half the valley, then turning southeast and exiting (before reaching the end of the valley) through a water gap in a mountain ridge. About half the valley (the southwestern end) is notable for its deposits of anthracite which have been extensively mined. Deep mining has declined, however, following the Knox Mine Disaster when the roof of a mine under the river collapsed and the Susquehanna flowed into the mine, flooding it and drowning miners. Knox Mine Disaster

History

Pennsylvania and Connecticut's conflicting claims to the territory in the 18th century led to military skirmishes known as the Pennamite Wars. The conflict arose from the fact that King Charles II of England had granted the land to Connecticut in 1663, and also to William Penn in 1681. Yankee settlers from Connecticut arrived in the area and founded the town of Wilkes-Barre in 1769. Armed bands of Pennsylvanians (Pennamites) tried without success to expel them in 1769-70, and again in 1775. During the American Revolution the area was the site of the Wyoming Valley Massacre on July 3, 1778, in which more than three hundred Americans died at the hands of Loyalist and Iroquois raiders. The incident was famously depicted by the Scottish poet Thomas Campbell in his 1809 poem Gertrude of Wyoming. At the time, it was widely believed that the attack was led by Joseph Brant; in the poem, Brant is described as the "Monster Brant" because of the atrocities committed, although it was later determined that Brant had not actually been present. The popularity of the poem led to the state of Wyoming being named after the valley. Another theory holds that the territory which would come to be known as 'Wyoming' was founded by emigrants from the Pennsylvannia's Wyoming Valley.

Language

Native Wyoming Valley residents arguably use a dialect of the English language called Hayna Valley English.

External links

- [http://www.cslib.org/SusqSettlers.htm Connecticut's "Susquehannah Settlers"]
- [http://www.wilkes.edu/about/history/name.asp History of the Wilkes-Barre area]
- [http://www.sullivanclinton.com Sullivanclinton.com - the full historical context]
- [http://www.sullivanclinton.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=SULLVIAN-CLINTON-MEETS-PENNSYLVANIA Sullivanclinton.com - Wyoming Valley today]

References

The following printed resources are in the collection of the Connecticut State Library (CSL)
- Boyd, J. P. The Susquehannah Company, 1753-1803. [CSL call number: F157 .W9 B69 1931]
- Henry, William (ed.). Documents Relating to the Connecticut Settlement in the Wyoming Valley. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, Inc., 1990 [CSL call number: F157 .W9 D63 1990 v1, 2].
- Joyce, Mary Hinchcliffe. Pioneer Days in the Wyoming Valley. Philadelphia: 1928 [CSL call number: F157 .W9 J89].
- Smith, William. An Examination of the Connecticut Claim to Lands in Pennsylvania: With an Appendix, Containing Extracts and Copies Taken from Original Papers. Philadelphia: Joseph Crukshank, 1774 [CSL call number: Wells Collection F157 .W9 S55].
- Stark, S. Judson. The Wyoming Valley: Probate Records... Wilkes-Barre, PA: Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, 1923 [CSL call number: F157 .W9 S72].
- Warfle, Richard Thomas. Connecticut's Western Colony; the Susquehannah Affair. (Connecticut Bicentennial Series, #32). Hartford, CT: American Revolutionary Bicentennial Commission of Connecticut, 1979 [CSL call number: Conn Doc Am35 cb num 32].
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre (the "Diamond City"), Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre, PA: The Committee on Souvenir and Program, 1906 [CSL call number: F159 .W6 W65 1906]. Category:Connecticut history Category:Pennsylvania history

Wyoming County, New York

Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of 2000, the population is 43,424. The county seat is Warsaw. The name is from a modified Delaware Indian word meaning "broad bottom lands." Wyoming County was formed from Genesee County in 1841.

History

When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Wyoming County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont. On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately five miles west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York. In the years prior to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County in order to honor the general, Richard Montgomery, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec, replacing the name of the hated British governor. In 1789, Ontario County was split off from Montgomery. Almost all of the land west of the Genesee River, including all of present day Wyoming County, was part of the Holland Land Purchase in 1793 and was sold through the Holland Land Company's office in Batavia, starting in 1801. Genesee County was created by a splitting of Ontario County in 1802. This was much larger than the present Genesee County, however. It was reduced in size in 1806 by creating Allegany County; again in 1808 by creating Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties. Niagara County at that time also included the present Erie County. In 1821, portions of Genesee County were combined with portions of Ontario County to create Livingston and Monroe Counties. Genesee County was further reduced in size in 1824 by creating Orleans County. Finally, in 1841, Wyoming County was created from Genesee County.

Points of Interest

- Letchworth State Park, on the Genesee River forms part of the southeastern boundary of the county. A deep gorge with three major waterfalls characterize this scenic and historic area, created when the last Ice age glacier diverted the river and forced it to cut a new valley. It is the home area of Mary Jemison, the White Woman of the Genesee, who was captured as a young person by the Seneca tribe and became an important figure in negotiations between the tribe and the land companies.
- Middlebury Academy, in Wyoming village, the first high school level school west of the Genesee. The Greek revival building still exists and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Hilltop Inn opened originally as a spa at mineral springs on the hill above Wyoming village around 1841, has entertained many important persons.
- Attica and Arcade Railroad is a restoration of a steam locomotive.
- Attica maximum security prison is located in the northernmost part of the county.
- Gaslight Village - downtown Wyoming is a historic village lit by gas street lamps. Deposits of natural gas and salt have been an economic factor in the development of the area.
- Silver Lake - this tiny glacial lake is the only one of the Finger Lakes group of lakes that is west of the Genesee.

Geography

Wyoming County is in the western part of New York State, east of Buffalo and slightly west of due south of Rochester. The county is in the Holland Purchase Region. The county is largely rural, dotted with small towns. Even the county seat, Warsaw is quite small. Much of the area is wooded, used for timber. Some that are predominantly maple are tapped each spring for the production of maple syrup. Agriculture is mostly small family dairy farms, or hobby farms for people who work in Buffalo or Batavia. Apple orchards were once a major agricultural endeavor, but only a few are left. The area is well known for outdoor sports, being an excellent area for fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling. An active Geologic fault runs down the Dale valley through Linden, to the east of Batavia and out into Lake Ontario. Movement of the fault is an occasional source of minor earthquakes, which, at most, have toppled a couple chimneys. The Dale Valley has been developed as a source of salt by way of brine wells, for the chemical industry. A pipeline moves the brine to Niagara Falls. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,545 km² (596 mi²). 1,536 km² (593 mi²) of it is land and 9 km² (4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.59% water. Oatka Creek, an important tributary of the Genesee River has its source in the Town of Gainesville.

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there are 43,424 people, 14,906 households, and 10,717 families residing in the county. The population density is 28/km² (73/mi²). There are 16,940 housing units at an average density of 11/km² (29/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 91.84% White, 5.52% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.32% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 2.94% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 14,906 households out of which 34.20% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% are married couples living together, 9.20% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% are non-families. 23.20% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.20% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.62 and the average family size is 3.08. In the county the population is spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 32.80% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 118.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 122.40 males. The median income for a household in the county is $39,895, and the median income for a family is $45,088. Males have a median income of $31,973 versus $22,252 for females. The per capita income for the county is $17,248. 8.40% of the population and 5.80% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.60% of those under the age of 18 and 5.80% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Towns and Villages

- Arcade (village)
- Arcade (town)
- Attica (town)
- Attica (village)
- Bennington (town)
- Castile (town)
- Castile (village)
- Covington (town)
- Eagle (town)
- Gainesville (village)
- Gainesville (town)
- Genesee Falls (town)
- Java (town)
- Middlebury (town)
- Orangeville (town)
- Perry (village)
- Perry (town)
- Pike (village)
- Pike (town)
- Portageville
- Sheldon (town)
- Silver Springs (village)
- Warsaw (village)
- Warsaw (town)
- Wethersfield (town)
- Wyoming (village)
- Label in parentheses shows official level of government.

Adjacent counties and areas

Wyoming County is bounded on the north by Genesee County and on the west by Erie County. The eastern boundary is Livingston County. The south border of Wyoming county is shared between Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties.

External links

- [http://www.wyomingco.net Wyoming County]
- [http://www.wyomingcountyny.com Wyoming County Tourism Promotion Agency]
- [http://www.wycochamber.org Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce] Category:New York counties

Ridge-and-valley Appalachians

The Ridge-and-valley Appalachians are a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from northern New Jersey westward into Pennsylvania and southward into Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee. They form a broad arc between the Piedmont and the Allegheny and Cumberland Plateaus. These mountains are notable because they form long, even ridges, with long, continuous valleys in between. From a great enough altitude, they look almost like corduroy, except that the widths of the valleys are somewhat variable and ridges sometimes meet in a vee. Cumberland The curious formation of these mountains is due to the fact that they are the remnants of ancient mountains formed from lateral folding, with relatively little faulting or uplift, and no igneous intrusion. The ridges represent the edges of the erosion-resistant strata, and the valleys portray the absence of the more erodable strata. Valleys may be synclinal valleys or anticlinal valleys. These mountains are at their highest development in central Pennsylvania, a phenomenon termed the Pennsylvania climax.

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Scranton is a city located in Lackawanna County in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 76,415 (2003 estimate: 74,320). It is the county seat of Lackawanna County. After Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie and Reading, Scranton is Pennsylvania's sixth most populous city. Scranton is nestled in the Lackawanna River valley. It sits directly between the Pocono Mountains to the east and the Endless Mountains to the west. It is the largest city located in a contiguous quilt-work of former anthracite coal mining towns including Wilkes-Barre, Pittston and Carbondale.

Geography

Scranton is located at 41°24'38" North, 75°40'3" West (41.410629, -75.667411). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 65.9 km² (25.4 mi²). 65.3 km² (25.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.83% water. The center city area sits at about 750' (229m) above sea level. Generally, the city is hilly, with inhabited portions of the city ranging from about 650' (220m) above sea level to about 1150' (350m) above sea level. The city is hemmed in by mountains to the east and west ranging in height from 1900' (580m) to 2100' (640m) above sea level.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 76,415 people, 31,303 households, and 18,124 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,169.4/km² (3,029.2/mi²). There are 35,336 housing units at an average density of 540.8/km² (1,400.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 93.54% White, 3.02% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. 2.62% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 31,303 households out of which 24.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% are married couples living together, 13.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% are non-families. 36.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 18.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.29 and the average family size is 3.01. In the city the population is spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 83.0 males. The median income for a household in the city is $28,805, and the median income for a family is $41,642. Males have a median income of $30,829 versus $21,858 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,174. 15.0% of the population and 10.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 18.9% of those under the age of 18 and 12.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

History

1776 - 1845 Humble beginnings The present-day city of Scranton was originally occupied by the Lenape tribe of Native Americans. The name of the Lackawanna river valley in which it sits is derived from a Lenape phrase "le-can-hanna" meaning "stream that forks". Gradually, settlers from New England began to inhabit the area in the late 1700s, setting up mills and other small businesses, and the village became known as Slocum Hollow. 1846 - 1899 Industrial Foundations Established: Iron, Coal and Railroads Though anthracite coal was being mined in Carbondale to the north and Wilkes-Barre to the south, the industry that precipitated the city's growth was iron and steel. In 1847, brothers Seldon T. and George W. Scranton, began producing rails for the Erie Railroad in New York state. These were the first rails manufactured in the United States; prior to this they were made in England and shipped overseas. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W) was founded in 1851 by the Scrantons to transport iron and coal products from the Lackawanna valley. A gravity railroad built by the Pennsylvania Coal Company also entered the city to transport the black diamonds. In 1856, the borough of Scranton was officially incorporated and named after its industrious founders. The Delaware and Hudson (D&H) Canal Company, which had its own gravity railroad from Carbondale to Honesdale, built a steam railroad which entered Scranton in 1863. Scranton was incorporated as a city of 35,000 in 1866 when the surrounding boroughs of Hyde Park (the present-day west side) and Providence (the present-day north side) were merged with Scranton borough. One of the first successfully electrified streetcar (trolley) systems was established in the city in 1886, giving it the nickname "The Electric City". In the late 1890s Scranton was home to a series of early International League baseball teams. By 1890, three other railroads had built lines to tap into the rich supply of coal in the city, including the Erie Railroad, the Central Railroad of New Jersey and finally the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad (NYO&W). Underneath the city, a network of coal veins was mined by workers who were exploited by the wealthy coal barons with low pay, long work days and horrendous, unsafe working conditions. Children as young as 8 or 9 worked 14 hour days separating slate from coal in the coal breakers. 1900 - 1945 Growth and Prosperity With the 1900 Census, the population of Scranton passed the 100,000 mark, making it the 38th largest city in the United States at the time. The turn of the 20th century saw many beautiful homes of Victorian architecture built in the Hill and Green Ridge sections of the city. In 1901, the local iron ore supply was dwindling and the Lackawanna Steel Company moved operations to Lackawanna, New York, where iron ore from Minnesota was more readily available by ships on the Great Lakes. Despite the loss of the industry on which the city was founded, Scranton forged ahead as the center of the Pennsylvania anthracite coal industry. During the first half of the 20th century it was home to many groups of newly arrived immigrants from Europe. The remnants of this patchwork can still be seen in some of the Catholic and Orthodox churches that dot the city's south, north and west sides. In 1903, an electric interurban rail line known as the Laurel Line was built to connect sister city Wilkes-Barre 20 miles to the southwest. Working conditions for miners were improved by the efforts of such labor leaders as John Mitchell, whose statue is on the Lackawanna County Courthouse grounds in the city's center. By the mid 1930s, the city population had swelled to around 150,000 people due to the extensive growth of the mining and silk textile industries. During World War II, the country's insatiable need for energy to supply the war machine was cause for extensive strip mining operations throughout the area. 1946 - 1984 The End of an Era After World War II, it became clear that coal was losing favor to other energy sources such as oil and natural gas. At the same time, the supply of coal in area mines was dwindling. In contrast to other cities in the United States which prospered in the post-war expansion, Scranton (and all of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties) saw its fortunes and population beginning to diminish. Coal production and rail traffic began to decline rapidly throughout the 1950s. In 1952, the Laurel Line ceased transporting passengers. The trolleys of the Scranton Transit Company that gave the city its nickname yielded all operations to buses as Christmas 1954 approached. In 1955, the east and south sides of the city were devastated by the floods of Hurricane Diane, and a total of 80 lives were lost in the area. The NYO&W Railroad, which depended heavily on its Scranton branch for freight traffic, was completely abandoned in 1957. January 1959 saw the Knox Mine Disaster, and almost immediately all mining in the area ended and thousands of jobs evaporated as mines became flooded by the waters of the Susquehanna River. The DL&W Railroad, nearly bankrupt by the drop in coal traffic and the effects of Hurricane Diane, merged with the Erie Railroad in 1960. Scranton had been the hub of DL&W operations; with the Erie Lackawanna merger, the city was no longer an important hub and many jobs left the city. Mine subsidence became a common problem in the city, as pillar supports in abandoned mines gave way; entire blocks of homes were consumed by these cave-ins. The area had become scarred by abandoned coal mining structures, strip mines and massive culm dumps, some of which burned for years until federal and state intervention put the fires out. During the 1960s and 1970s, the silk and other textile industries also saw a decline as jobs moved south or overseas. During the 1970s and 1980s, the center city area saw many of its stores and theatres close as suburban shopping malls began to dominate the scene. 1985 - Present Stabilization and Restoration Since the mid 1980s, the center city has seen a revival. The former DL&W train station was renovated as a hotel. The Steamtown National Historic Site occupies the former DL&W Railroad yards, with the Electric City Trolley museum adjacent to it. The Steamtown Mall has revived downtown shopping, and many new businesses have renovated old buildings, or have built new buildings where decrepit buildings or vacant lots once stood. The University of Scranton campus is now a logical extension to the downtown. Nay Aug Park is being restored to its proper place as a recreation area for city residents. Not far from the downtown, the Montage Mountain Ski Resort, the Red Barons AAA Minor League baseball team, and the Montage Mountain Amphitheater have added to the city's cultural activities. The coal scarred land is disappearing, and is being replaced with parks, businesses and homes. Employment in the city today is produced by a more stable mix of manufacturing, government and service-oriented businesses.

Transportation

Highways
- Interstate 81 (North to New York State, Southwest to Harrisburg and Tennessee)
- Interstate 84 (East to New England)
- Interstate 380 (Southeast to Northern New Jersey/New York City)
- Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 476) (South to Philadelphia)
- U.S. Highway 6
- U.S. Highway 11 Public Transportation
- Scranton is served by the County of Lackawanna Transportation System (COLTS), which provides bus service to the city and other communities within Lackawanna County.
- The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is located in nearby Avoca. The airport is serviced by eight airlines.
- Martz Trailways provides transportation to New York City, Philadelphia and other points in the northeast. Railroads
- The Canadian Pacific (Delaware and Hudson division) operates the former DL&W line between Scranton and Binghamton, New York, with frequent through trains often jointly operated with Norfolk Southern
- The Delaware-Lackawanna operates the former Delaware and Hudson line from Scranton to Carbondale, and the former DL&W line east to the Delaware Water Gap, serving local industries.
- The Reading and Northern services the former DL&W Keyser Valley branch on the city.

Professional Sports

- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (AAA Minor League Baseball International League)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (American Hockey League)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (Arena Football)
- Pocono International Raceway NASCAR and Indy style racing
- Scranton Apollos & Scranton Miners, Continental Basketball Association
- Scranton Indians(1887-unknown) Minor League Baseball, defunct
- Unknown Team (1892-1894) Minor League Baseball, Pennsylvania State League
- Unknown Team (1894-1897) Minor League Baseball, Eastern League
- Unknown Team (1899-1900) Minor League Baseball, Atlantic League
- Scranton Miners (1904-1917), Class B Minor League Baseball, New York State League
- Scranton Miners (1923-1937), Class A & B Minor League Baseball, New York-Pennsylvania League
- Scranton Red Sox (1939-1953), Class A Eastern League (a renamed version of the New York-Pennsylvania League)

Colleges and universities

- Baptist Bible College
- Lackawanna College
- Marywood University
- Penn State Worthington Scranton Campus
- University of Scranton: A Jesuit University

Famous Scranton Residents

- Joseph Biden, U.S. Senator.
- Jason Miller, actor and playwright, The Exorcist.
- P.J. Carlesimo, NBA head coach
- Robert P. Casey, Former Governor of Pennsylvania
- Robert Patrick Casey, Jr., Pennsylvania State Treasurer
- Mike Munchak, NFL Hall of Fame guard
- William Warren Scranton, Former Governor of Pennsylvania, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and 1964 candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States
- William W. Scranton III, Former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and two time gubernatorial candidate.

Landmarks & Attractions

- The city is home to the University of Scranton, a Jesuit institution with about 4,000 undergraduate students and 700 graduate students. Also located in the city is Marywood University, an IHM institution.
- It's also home of the Steamtown National Historic Site, a museum that seeks to preserve the history of steam locomotives
- The Mall at Steamtown, a downtown shopping center developed around the same time as the National Park site. It is the most active mall in all of northeastern Pa. with two floors of several various diverse shops and a crowded atmosphere.
- The Electric City Trolley Museum, adjacent to the Steamtown Site, preserves pieces of Pennsylvania streetcar history.
- The Lackawanna Coal Mine tour is a must for those who desire to learn about the history of mining and railroads in the Scranton area. It is operated in a portion of a former working mine.
- The DL&W Passenger Station, now a Radisson Hotel with fine dining.
- The Lackawanna Iron Furnace, remnants of the Lackawanna Steel Company founded by the Scranton family.
- Scranton is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Scranton
- The Everhart Museum, displays some of the finest pieces of "natural history, science and art" in global history including sculptures carried over from a long history of ancient civilizations. Until November 18, 2005, when they were stolen in a late night heist that made international headlines, the museum also housed paintings by Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollack.

References by Media and the Arts

- In 2005, the NBC adaptation of the hit BBC show 'The Office' premiered. The fictional company Dunder-Mifflin portrayed in the show is set in Scranton. In the show description on the Internet Movie Database, Scranton is signified as a "sleepy Pennsylvania town."
- In 2001, the Disney television show, Lizzie Mcguire, mentions Scranton during a cartoon scene.
- In 1999, the anime series Big O showed Scranton as a city famous for an electricity-generating sea serpent residing in a nearby body of water.
- In 1996, the movie 'Kingpin' had the lead character, Roy (played by Woody Harrelson), living in Scranton.
- In 1992, the movie 'School Ties' had the lead character 'David Green' (portrayed by Brendan Fraser) living in Scranton at the beginning of the film.
- On March 20, 1990, Gloria Estefan ,while touring in support of her Cuts Both Ways tour, near Scranton, Pennsylvania, was critically injured when a tractor trailer crashed into her tour bus, breaking her back.
- In 1990, the movie 'Home Alone' had Kevin's (played by Macauley Caulkin) mom, Kate (played by Catherine O'hara) stuck in the Scranton Airport (Avoca International) due to a snowstorm, while trying desperately to get home. She eventually gets help from the leader of a Polka band named Gus Polinski. (played by John Candy) He drives Kate all the way to Chicago in the band van.
- The 1973 Pulitzer prize and Tony Award winning play 'That Championship Season' by Jason Miller was based on the fictional lives of members of a Scranton basketball team that had won the state championship in 1957. The play was ultimately made into a movie in 1982.
- On March 26, 1965, a truck carrying bananas crashed after coming down a two-mile downhill road (Moosic Street) that leads into the downtown area. This incident would lead to the Harry Chapin song "30,000 Pounds of Bananas".
- In James Blish's 1957 novel 'They Shall Have Stars,' the protagonist is captured by a press gang and forced to board the flying city of Scranton as it departs to wander in space, mining minerals and renting out its services.
- In 1855, George Inness painted the "Lackawanna Valley", an early portrait of Scranton at a major DL&W junction; this painting now hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
- In an episode of "The Sopranos" Tony refrences the city of Boston as "Scranton with clams."
- During her time on Saturday Night Live, Cheri Oteri parodying Downtown Julie Brown's gossip show on E! 'Rumor has it', states a rumor that Downtown Julie Brown uses a fake accent as is actually from Scranton, PA.

External links

- Government & Business
- [http://www.scrantonpa.gov/ Scranton, Pennsylvania - Official Website]
- [http://www.surfscranton.com SurfScranton] has over 1000 links to Scranton area businesses, people, churches, schools, history, etc.
- Historical Societies
- [http://www.lackawannahistory.org The Lackawanna Historical Society] Preserves the history of the Lackawanna Valley
- [http://www.erielackhs.org The Erie Lackawanna Historical Society] Focuses on the history of the DL&W and Erie railroads
- [http://www.bridge-line.org Delaware and Hudson Historical Society] Preserves the history of the Delaware & Hudson Canal, Railroad and Coal Company
- [http://www.nyow.org O&W Railroad Historical Society] Preserves History of the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad
- Museums
- [http://www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm Steamtown National Historic Site] National Park
- [http://www.ectma.org Electric City Trolley Museum]
- [http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bhsm/toh/anthheritage/anthraciteheritage.asp PA Anthracite Heritage Museum] and Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour
- [http://www.everhart-museum.org Everhart Museum]
- [http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bhsm/toh/scranton/scrantoniron.asp?secid=14 Scranton Iron Furnaces] Remnants of the city's founding industry
- Education
- [http://www.scranton.edu The University of Scranton] is the official Web site of the University of Scranton.
- [http://www.marywood.edu Marywood University]
- [http://www.lackawanna.edu Lackawanna College]
- [http://www.scrantonprep.com Scranton Preparatory School] Scranton Prep High School Category:Cities in Pennsylvania Category:Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

right Wilkes-Barre is the county seat of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Formally incorporated in 1871, the city has a population of 43,123, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. A 2003 Census estimate places the population at 41,630.

History

The Wyoming Valley was first inhabited by the Shawanese and Delaware Indian tribes in the early 1700s. By 1768, a group of settlers, led by John Durkee, became the first Europeans to reach the area. The settlement was named Wilkes-Barre, after John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, two British politicians who supported colonial America. Wilkes-Barre's population exploded due to the discovery of anthracite coal in the 1800s, which gave the city the nickname of "The Diamond City." Hundreds of thousands of immigrants flocked to the city, seeking jobs in the numerous mines and collieries that sprung up to exploit their relatively cheap labor. The coal industry survived several disasters, including an explosion at the Baltimore Colliery in 1919 that killed 92 miners, but it could not survive the gradual switch to other energy sources. Most coal operations left Wilkes-Barre by the end of World War II, and the 1959 Knox Mine Disaster marked the end of King Coal's heyday. Manufacturing and retail remained as Wilkes-Barre's strongest industries, but the city's economy took a major blow from Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972. The storm pushed the Susquehanna River to nearly 41 feet, four feet above the city's levees, and flooded the downtown with nine feet of water. Six people were killed, 25,000 homes and businesses were either damaged or destroyed, and damages were estimated to be $1 billion. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Wilkes-Barre attempted to repair the damage from Agnes by attracting new businesses to the city, though many opted to move to the suburbs. By 2000, Mayor Tom McGroarty earned the city a less than dubious reputation with his handling of the city's fiscal affairs and his confrontational style towards several state and federal officials. Governor Mark Schweiker went so far as to call him "inept." When McGroarty lost the mayoral primary in 2003, Wilkes-Barre was nearly $11 million in debt. On June 9, 2005, Mayor Tom Leighton unveiled his I believe... campaign for Wilkes-Barre, which was intended to boost the city's spirits. Many residents were skeptical of the campaign, though the city resumed development on a planned downtown theatre complex, and sold the landmark Hotel Sterling to a group of private developers. The city is also attempting to combat crime through several high-profile drug busts and encouraging interest in the city's volunteer crime watch program.

Government

Executive

The city is headed by a mayor, elected to a six-year term. The current mayor is Tom Leighton, a Democrat who was elected in 2003.

Legislative

The legislative branch of Wilkes-Barre is the City Council, comprising seven members who are elected to four-year terms.

Judicial

The Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas is the trial court of general jurisdiction for Wilkes-Barre. Its probation system is divided into two divisions; one for adults, and one for juveniles. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania has its chambers at the Max Rosenn United States Courthouse in downtown Wilkes-Barre.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 43,123 people, 17,961 households, and 9,878 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,430.6/km² (6,296.3/mi²). There are 20,294 housing units at an average density of 1,143.9/km² (2,963.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 92.30% White, 5.09% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. The average household size is 2.20 and the average family size is 2.96. In the city the population is spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.7 males.

Geography

Wilkes-Barre is located at 41°14'40" North, 75°52'41" West (41.244581, -75.877918). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.6 km² (7.2 mi²). 17.7 km² (6.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.9 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.60% water.

Roads and Transportation

Interstate 81 passes vertically through Wilkes-Barre, and the city is also located near the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Public transporation is provided by the Luzerne County Transportation Authority. Five international airlines fly from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in nearby Avoca. Smaller, private planes use the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport in Forty Fort.

Local Attractions

- Wachovia Arena
- F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
- Pocono Downs
- Pocono Raceway
- Kirby Park
- Montage Mountain

Colleges and Universities

- Wilkes University
- King's College
- College Misericordia
- Luzerne County Community College
- Penn State - Wilkes-Barre

Sports Teams

- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (International League)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (American Hockey League)
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (af2)

Facts

- HBO recognizes Wilkes-Barre as the birthplace of modern cable programming. In 1972, 365 subscribers of Service Electric Cable were the first to receive HBO's service.
- Wilkes-Barre was a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.
- Louis Phillipe, the King of France from 1830 to 1840, stayed in Wilkes-Barre while traveling across the commonwealth in 1797.
- Wilkes-Barre has been a popular stop for many presidential candidates. U.S. presidents Rutherford B. Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry have all campaigned in the city.

Famous Residents

- David Bohm - quantum physicist
- George Catlin - artist
- Ham Fisher - cartoonist
- Matthew Lesko - infomercial personality
- Edward B. Lewis - Winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine
- Joseph Murgas - radio pioneer
- Amadeo Obici - founder of Planters Peanuts
- William Daniel Phillips - Winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics
- Ben Burnley- Lead singer of rock band Breaking Benjamin

References

- Allabaugh, Denise. Crime watch participation dips. Citizens' Voice. November 13, 2005.
- Marcy, Brett. McGroarty leaves unhappy legacy in Harrisburg. Times Leader. November 9, 2003.
- Rubinkam, Michael. Mayor promises the "unbelievable," delivers something else. The Associated Press. June 23, 2005.
- Walzer, Allison. Wanted: A leader to inject some life into Wilkes-Barre. Times Leader. April 7, 2002.

External links

- [http://www.wilkes-barre.pa.us Official city Web site]
- [http://www.diamondcity200.org Wilkes-Barre bicentennial Web site]
- [http://www.wilkes-barre.org/ Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce] Category:Cities in Pennsylvania Category:Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Susquehanna River

:For the nuclear power plant, see Susquehanna Nuclear Generating Station. The Susquehanna River is a river in the northeastern United States. At approximately 410 mi (715 km) long, it is the longest river on the American East Coast. The Susquehanna forms from two main branches, with the North Branch, which rises in upstate New York often regarded as an extension of the main branch. The shorter West Branch, which rises in western Pennsylvania, is sometimes regarded as the principal tributary, joining the North Branch near Sunbury in central Pennsylvania. The river drains a large watershed within the Allegheny Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains, cutting through water gaps in the lateral mountain ridges in a broad zigzag course to flow across the rural heartland of southeastern Pennsylvania, emptying in the north end of the Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Bay]

Description

Rising as the oulet of Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, New York, the north branch of the river runs west-southwest through dairy country, receiving the Unadilla River at Sidney and the Chenango in downtown Binghamton. At Athens in northern Pennsylvania, just across the New York state line, it receives the Chemung from the northwest and makes a right angle curve between Sayre and Towanda to cut through The Endless Mountains in the Allegheny Plateau. It receives the Lackawanna River southwest of Scranton and turns sharply to the southwest, flowing through the former anthracite industrial heartland in the mountain ridges of northeastern Pennsylvania, past Wilkes-Barre, Berwick, Bloomsburg, and Danville. It receives the smaller West Branch from the northwest at Northumberland, just above Sunbury. Northumberland Downstream from the confluence of its branches it flows south past Selinsgrove and cuts through a water gap at the western end of Mahantongo Mountain. It receives the Juniata River from the northwest at Duncannon, then passes through its last water gap, through Blue Mountain Pennsylvania , just northwest of Harrisburg. It passes downtown Harrisburg (where it is nearly a mile wide), the largest city on the lower river, and flows southeast across rural south central Pennsylvania, receiving Swatara Creek from the northeast. It crosses into northern Maryland approximately 30 mi northeast of Baltimore and enters the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace.

Geology

Geologically, the river is extremely ancient, often regarded as the oldest or second oldest major system in the world. It is far older than the mountains through which it turns - the flow of the ancient Susquehanna was so strong that it was able to cut through the mountains even as they were forming from the collision of Africa and North America some 300 million years ago. Remarkably, the river's age means that it actually predates the Atlantic Ocean. Before the end of the last ice age, the Susquehanna was a much longer river. The Chesapeake Bay constituted its lower valley before it was flooded by rising waters at the conclusion of the Pleistocene.

Pollution

The environmental group American Rivers named the Susquehanna "America's Most Endangered River for 2005" due to the excessive pollution it receives. Most of the pollution in the river is due to excess animal manure, agricultural runoff, urban and suburban stormwater, and raw or inadequately treated sewage. In 2003 the river alone contributed 44% of the nitrogen, 21% of the phosphorus, and 21% of the sediment flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. The state of Pennsylvania may be subject to EPA sanctions if it does not reduce its pollution in the watershed by 2010. [http://www.cbf.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10769]

Historic Importance

The river has played an enormous role throughout the history of the United States. In the 17th century, it was inhabited largely by the Lenape, forming roughly the western boundary of their inhabited territory, known as Lenapehoking. In the 18th century, William Penn, the founder of the Pennsylvania Colony, negotiated with the Lenape to allow white settlement in the colony between the Delaware River and the Susquehanna. Local legend claims that the name of the river comes from an Indian phrase meaning "mile wide, foot deep," referring to the Susquehanna's unusual dimensions, but while the word is Algonquian, it simply means "muddy water." In the late colonial times, the river became an increasingly important transportation corridor with the discovery of anthracite coal by Necho Allen in its upper reaches in the mountains. In 1792, the Union Canal was proposed linking the Susquehanna and the Delaware along Swatara Creek and Tulpehocken Creek. In the 19th century the river became the scene of the growth of industrial centers. Conflicting land claims by Pennsylvania and Connecticut to the Wyoming Valley along the Susquehanna led to the founding of Westmoreland County, Connecticut and the Pennamite Wars, which eventually led to the territory being ceded to Pennsylvania. During the American Civil War's 1863 Gettysburg Campaign, the commander of the Department of the Susquehanna, Union Major General Darius N. Couch resolved that Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia would not cross the Susquehanna. He positioned militia units under Maj. Granville Haller to protect key bridges in Harrisburg and Wrightsville, as well as nearby fords. Confederate forces approached the river at several locations in Cumberland and York counties, but were recalled on June 29 when Lee chose to concentrate his army to the west. In 1972, the remnants of Hurricane Agnes stalled over the New York-Pennsylvania border, dropping as much as 20 inches of rain on the hilly lands. Much of that precipitation was received into the Susquehanna from its western tributaries, and the valley suffered disastrous flooding. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was among the hardest hit communities. The Chesapeake Bay received so much fresh water that it killed much of the marine life. In 1979 the river was the scene of the most serious nuclear power accident in U.S. history at Three Mile Island southeast of Harrisburg.

External links

- [http://www.srbc.net/ Susquehanna River Basin Commission]
- [http://www.americanrivers.org/site/News2?abbr=AMR_&page=NewsArticle&id=7194 American Rivers article: Susquehanna River "Most Endangered"]
- [http://portdeposit.com/History/RiverArks.htm History of the Susquehanna River Ark] Category:Chesapeake Bay Watershed Category:Connecticut history Category:Rivers of Maryland Category:Rivers of New York Category:Rivers of Pennsylvania Category:Streams of Pennsylvania

Water gap

Water gap is an opening or notch which flowing water has carved through a mountain. Water gaps often offer a practical route for roads and railroads to cross a mountain ridge. A water gap is usually an indication of a river that is older than the current topography. The river likely established its course when the landform was mature, at a low elevation, with a very low stream gradient and a thick layer of unconsolidated sediments. The river therefore established its channel without regard for the deeper layers of rock. A renewed period of uplift caused increased erosion and removal of the overlying sediments and exposure of the rock layers underlying. Rejuvinated drainage cause streams to follow weaker layers of rock, but larger watercourses, as long as the uplift did not exceed the rate of erosion, were able to cut through the harder rocks which generally became ridges. Water gaps are common in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians of eastern North America. see also:
- Delaware Water Gap
- peneplane

Anthracite

Anthracite (Greek Ανθρακίτης, literally "a form of coal", from Anthrax [Άνθραξ], coal) is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster. It has the highest carbon count and is the best burning of all coals. Anthracite coal is the highest of the metamorphic rank, in which the carbon content is between 92% and 98%. The term is applied to those varieties of coal which do not give off tarry or other hydrocarbon vapours when heated below their point of ignition. Anthracite ignites with difficulty and burns with a short blue flame, without smoke. Other terms having the same meaning are blue coal, hard coal, stone coal (not to be confounded with the German Steinkohle), blind coal (in Scotland), Kilkenny coal (in Ireland), and black diamond. The imperfect anthracite of north Devon, which however is only used as a pigment, is known as culm, the same term being used in geological classification to distinguish the strata in which it is found, and similar strata in the Rhenish hill countries which are known as the Culm Measures. In America, culm is used as an equivalent for waste or slack in anthracite mining.

Properties

Anthracite is similar in appearance to the mineraloid jet, and is sometimes used to imitate it. Physically, anthracite differs from ordinary bituminous coal by its greater hardness, higher density, 1.3-1.4, and lustre, the latter being often semi-metallic with a somewhat brownish reflection. It contains a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter. It is also free from included soft or fibrous notches and does not soil the fingers when rubbed. Anthracitization is the transformation of bituminous coal into anthracite coal. The moisture content of fresh-mined anthracite generally is less than 15 percent. The heat content of anthracite ranges from 22 to 28 million Btu per short ton (26 to 33 MJ/kg) on a moist, mineral-matter-free basis. The heat content of anthracite coal consumed in the United States averages 25 million Btu/ton (29 MJ/kg), on the as-received basis (i.e., containing both inherent moisture and mineral matter). Note: Since the 1980s, anthracite refuse or mine waste has been used for steam electric power generation. This fuel typically has a heat content of 15 million Btu/ton (17 MJ/kg) or less. Anthracite may be considered to be a transition stage between ordinary bituminous coal and graphite, produced by the more or less complete elimination of the volatile constituents of the former; and it is found most abundantly in areas that have been subjected to considerable earth-movements, such as the flanks of great mountain ranges. Anthracite coal is a product of metamorphism and is associated with metamorphic rocks, just as bituminous coal is associated with sedimentary rocks. For example, the compressed layers of anthracite that are deep mined in the folded (metamorphic) Appalachian Mountains of the Coal Region of northeastern Pennsylvania are extensions of the layers of bituminous coal that are strip mined on the (sedimentary) Allegheny Plateau of Kentucky and West Virginia, and Eastern Pennsylvania. In the same way the anthracite region of South Wales is confined to the contorted portion west of Swansea and Llanelly, the central and eastern portions producing steam, coking and house coals. Structurally it shows some alteration by the development of secondary divisional planes and fissures so that the original stratification lines are not always easily seen. The thermal conductivity is also higher, a lump of anthracite feeling perceptibly colder when held in the warm hand than a similar lump of bituminous coal at the same temperature. The chemical composition of some typical anthracites is given in the article coal.

Economic value

Pottsville, Pennsylvania anthracite coal history began in 1790 with the discovery of coal made by the hunter Necho Allen in what is called the Coal Region. Legend has it that Allen fell asleep at the base of the Broad Mountain and woke to the sight of a large fire. His campfire had ignited an outcropping of anthacite coal. By 1795, an anthracite fired iron furnace was established on the Schuylkill River. Anthracite was first experimentally burned as a fuel on February 11, 1808 by Judge Jeese Fell in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on a open grate in a fireplace. It delivers high energy per its weight and burns cleanly with little soot, making it a sought after variety of coal and hence of higher value. It is also used as a filter medium. The principal use of anthracite is as a smokeless fuel. In the eastern from the United States, it is largely employed as domestic fuel, usually in close stoves or furnaces, as well as for steam purposes, since, unlike that from South Wales, it does not decrepitate when heated, or at least not to the same extent. For proper use, however, it is necessary that the fuel should be supplied in pieces as nearly uniform in size as possible, a condition that has led to the development of the breaker which is so characteristic a feature in American anthracite mining (see coal). The large coal as raised from the mine is passed through breakers with toothed rolls to reduce the lumps to smaller pieces, which are separated into different sizes by a system of graduated sieves, placed in descending order. Each size can be perfectly well burnt alone on an appropriate grate, if kept free from larger or smaller admixtures. In the early 20th century United States, the Lackawanna Railroad started using only the more expensive anthracite coal, dubbed themselves "The Road of Anthracite," and advertised widely that travelers on their line could make railway journeys without getting their clothing stained with soot. The advertisements featured a white-clad woman named Phoebe Snow and poems containing lines like "My gown stays white / From morn till night / Upon the road of Anthracite". Formerly, anthracite was largely used, both in America and South Wales, as blast-furnace fuel for iron smelting, but for this purpose it has been largely superseded by coke in the former country and entirely in the latter. An important application has, however, been developed in the extended use of internal combustion motors driven by the so-called "mixed," "poor," "semi-water" or "Dowson gas" produced by the gasification of anthracite with air and a small proportion of steam. This is probably the most economical method of obtaining power known; with an engine as small as 15 horse-power the expenditure of fuel is at the rate of only 1 lb per horse-power hour, and with larger engines it is proportionately less. Large quantities of anthracite for power purposes are now exported from South Wales to France, Switzerland and parts of Germany.

Major Reserves

The largest fields of anthracite coal in the United States are found in Northeastern Pennsylvania called the Coal Region, where there are 7 billion short tons (6.4 petagrams) of minable reserves. Deposits at Crested Butte, Colorado were mined historically. Anthracite deposits of an estimated 3 billion short tons (2.7 Pg) in Alaska have never been mined. Anthracites of newer, tertiary or cretaceous age, are found in the Crow's Nest part of the Rocky Mountains in Canada, and at various points in the Andes in Peru.

Classifications

The common American classification is as follows:-- Lump, steamboat, egg and stove coals, the latter in two or three sizes, all three being above 1-1/2 in. size on round-hole screens. From the pea size downwards the principal use is for steam purposes. In South Wales a less elaborate classification is adopted; but great care is exercised in hand-picking and cleaning the coal from included particles of pyrites in the higher qualities known as best malting coals, which are used for kiln-drying malt and hops.

References

External links

- [http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/enved/go_with_inspector/coalmine/Anthracite_Coal_Mining.htm Map of the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania]
- [http://www.msha.gov/District/Dist_01/History/history.htm History of anthracite coal mining]
- [http://www.coalregion.com/home.htm Coalregion.com]
- [http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/ppet/eckley/page1.asp?secid=31 "A Jewel In the Crown of Old King Coal Eckley Miners' Village" by Tony Wesolowsky, Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine, Volume XXII, Number 1 - Winter 1996]
- [http://www.pioneertunnel.com/history1.html The Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania]
- [http://www.readinganthracite.com/story.html History of Reading Anthracite]
- [http://www.orangewaternetwork.org The Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation]
- [http://www.coaldelivery.com/faq/ FAQ on Anthracite Coal]
- [http://www.huberbreaker.org/ The Huber coal breaker, the last remaining coal breaker of a bygone era. ]
- [http://www.anthracitemuseum.org/ The Anthracite Heritage Museum. ]
- [http://www.minecountry.com/ Mine Country, dedicated to promoting and preserving the history and culture of the Appalachian Pennsylvania Anthracite Region. ] Category:Coal Anthracite

Knox Mine Disaster

The Knox Mine Disaster was a mining accident that took place near the village of Port Griffith in Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, near Pittston, on January 22, 1959. The River Slope Mine, an anthracite coal mine owned by the Knox Coal Company, flooded when coal company management had the miners dig too close to the riverbed. Tunneling sharply upwards toward the Susquehanna River, the miners reduced the thickness of rock between the mineshafts and the river bed to about 6 feet -- 35 feet was considered the minimum for safety. This caused the waters of the river to break through into the mine. It took 3 days to partially plug the hole in the riverbed, which was done by dumping railcars into the whirlpool formed by the water draining into the mine. 12 people died; 69 others escaped. One miner, Amadeo Pancetti, was awarded the Carnegie Medal for leading 32 miners to safety. The bodies of the 12 who died were never recovered, despite efforts of divers and an attempt to pump the water out of the shafts. Eventually an estimated 10 billion US gallons (38,000,000 m³) of water filled the mines. Ten people, including the mine superintendent and August J. Lippi, the president of District 1 of the United Mine Workers, were indicted for on a variety of charges, but only 3 (including Lippi) served jail time. The accident was later the subject of a song by folk singer Tom Flannery.

External links

- [http://www.kikomusic.com/lyrics/knox.htm Song Lyrics]
- [http://www.minecountry.com/homeMine/knox.cfm Web article]
- [ISBN 0-8927-10-810]
- [http://www.rootsweb.com/~paluzern/mines/knox.htm County historical article]
- [http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/minres/dms/website/papers/knoxmine.htm Pennsylvania Bureau of Deep Mine Safety]
- [http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10845647&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=460522&rfi=8 2004 retrospective]
- [http://www.msha.gov/District/Dist_01/Reports/Knox/cover.htm U.S. Mine Safety Report] Category:1959 Category:Coal mines Category:Engineering failures Category:Geography of Pennsylvania Category:Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Category:Mines in the United States Category:Mining disasters

Connecticut

Connecticut (pronounced ) is a state of the United States, part of the New England region, as well as the southernmost state in New England and the wealthiest state in the country. Connecticut was one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. USS Connecticut was named in honor of this state.

History

Main article: History of Connecticut The name "Connecticut" comes from an Algonquin Indian word meaning "on the long tidal river." Connecticut is one of the original 13 states. The first Europeans to settle permanently in Connecticut were English Puritans from Massachusetts in 1633. Its first constitution, the "Fundamental Orders," was adopted on January 14, 1639, while its current constitution, the third for Connecticut, was adopted in 1965. The traditional abbreviation of the state's name is "Conn." Connecticut is nicknamed the "nutmeg state," and a resident of Connecticut is a "Nutmegger." The western boundaries of Connecticut have been subject to dramatic changes over time. According to a 1650 agreement with the Dutch, the western boundary of Connecticut ran north from the west side of Greenwich Bay "provided the said line come not within 10 miles of Hudson River." On the other hand, Connecticut's original Charter in 1662 granted it all the land to the "South Sea," i.e. the Pacific Ocean. Agreements with New York, the "Pennamite Wars" with Pennsylvania over Westmoreland County, followed by Congressional intervention, and the relinquishment and sale of the Western Reserve lands brought the state to its present boundaries.

Law & Government

Hartford has been the sole capital of Connecticut since 1875. Prior to that, New Haven and Hartford alternated as capital. Unlike most other states, Connecticut does not have county governments or county seats; rather, there is only the state government and the governments of the local municipalities. The associated state marshal system, however, is still divided by county, the judicial system being divided, at the trial court level, into judicial districts, and, within those, geographical areas, and the eight counties are still widely used for purely geographical purposes, e.g. in weather reports. There are 169 incorporated cities and towns across the state. Most cities are coterminous with their namesake towns and have a merged city-town government. The two exception are the City of Groton, which is a subsection of the Town of Groton and the City of Milford, which is most, but not all, of the Town of Milford. There are also nine incorporated boroughs, eight of which provide additional services to a section of town. One, Naugatuck, is a consolidated town and borough. The two U.S. senators representing Connecticut are Christopher J. Dodd (Democrat) and Joseph I. Lieberman (Democrat). Connecticut currently has five representatives in the U.S. House. Once considered one of the most conservative states in the Northeast, the state now tends to vote Democratic for presidential and congressional elections. Connecticut has given its electoral votes to Democratic presidential candidates in the past four presidential elections. In 2004 election, John Kerry had a comfortable margin of 10 percentage points with 54.3% of Connecticut's popular vote. George W. Bush had only won Litchfield County at a small margin. Connecticut Republicans tend to be more liberal than their counterparts in many other states. The majority of Republican senators voted in favor of the civil unions bill, which passed the General Assembly, and was signed into law in 2005. Christopher Shays, a Republican representing Connecticut in the U.S. House of Representatives, has sided with the Democrats on a range of issues including gun control, abortion, and the environment. Governor Jodi Rell and former governors John Rowland and Lowell Weicker have all been considered more liberal than most Republicans. Conversely, some state Democrats tend to be conservative or moderate, Senators Joe Lieberman and Christopher Dodd being the most notable cases. The supreme executive power is vested in the Governor, who heads the executive branch. The current Governor of Connecticut is Her Excellency, M. Jodi Rell (Republican). There are several executive departments responsible for administering the laws of Connecticut, they are: Administrative Services, Agriculture, Children and Families, Correction, Education, Environmental Protection, Higher Education, Information Technology, Insurance, Labor, Military, Motor Vehicles, Public Health, Public Utility, Revenue Services, Social Services, Transportation, Veterans Affairs. In addition to these departments, there are many other independent bureaus, offices and commissions [http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=843&q=246450]. Historically, from 1639 until the adoption of the 1818 constitution, the Governor presided over the General Assembly. The legislature, referred to as the General Assembly, is a bicameral body consisting of an upper body, the Senate (36 senators); and a lower body, the House of Representatives (151 representatives). Before a bill can be signed into law, it must be passed by a vote of at least two thirds of each house. The Governor can veto the bill, but this veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in each house. Senators and Representatives, all of whom must be at least eighteen years of age, are elected to two-year terms in November on even-numbered years. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the senate, except when absent from the chamber, when the President Pro Tempore presides. The Speaker of the House presides over the House; James A. Amann is the current Speaker of the House of Connecticut. The Democrats currently hold the majority in both houses of the General Assembly. The highest court of Connecticut's judicial branch is the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of Connecticut. The Supreme Court is responsible for deciding on the constitutionality of the law or cases as they relate to the law. Its proceedings are similar to that of the United States Supreme Court, i.e., no testimony can be given by witnesses, and the lawyers of the two sides each present an oral argument no longer than thirty minutes. Following a court proceeding, the court may take several months to arrive at a judgment. The current Chief Justice is William J. Sullivan. Historically, the highest court in Connecticut was the General Assembly, and later, the Upper House, with the Governor having the title "Chief Judge". In 1818, the court became a separate entity, independent of the legislative and executive branches. Below the Supreme Court, are the Appellate Court, the Superior Courts, and the Probate Courts.

Politics

Republicans are the minority in the state legislature, but oddly enough they currently hold three of the five congressional seats. Connecicut's last Republican to serve in the US Senate was Lowell P. Weicker Jr, who was a Senator from 1971-1989 when he was defeated by Joe Lieberman. Weickler ws known as a liberal Republican, who served as Governor of Connecticut from 1991-1995 as a member of the indepedent A Connecticut Party. Weickler later supported Howard Dean in 2004 Presidential Election. Before Weickler, the last Republican to represent Connceticut in the Senate was Prescott Bush from 1953-1963. Bush is the father of former president George H.W. Bush and thus the grandfather of President George W. Bush. The state's main Republican strongholds are Litchfield County and parts of Fairfield County near the New York State border. The suburban towns of New Canaan and Darien in Fairfield County are considered the most Republican areas in the state, the former being the hometown of conservative activist Ann Coulter. Democrats are the majority almost everywhere else, especially in the cities of Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport. The once Republican strongholds of Stamford and Waterbury have been trending more Democratic over the years, increasing their mandate in the state. President George W. Bush was actually born in New Haven, Connecticut and lived there for a short time before moving to Texas. See also : U.S. presidential election, 2004, in Connecticut

Geography

Connecticut is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New York State, on the north by Massachusetts, and on the east by Rhode Island. The state capital is Hartford, and the other major cities include New Haven, New London, Norwich, Stamford, Waterbury, Torrington and Bridgeport. In all, there are a total of 169 incorporated towns in Connecticut. There is an ongoing civic pride and economic competition between Hartford and New Haven, which stems back to the days when the two cities shared the state's capital, and even back to when New Haven and Hartford were two separate colonies. incorporated town incorporated town The highest peak in Connecticut is Bear Mountain in Salisbury in the northwest corner of the state. Once the location of a stone tower, currently a stone plaque alongside the Appalachian Trail identifies the point as as "the highest ground in Connecticut, 2354 feet above the sea"; however, this is wrong on both counts. The current estimate of the height of the summit is only 2,316 feet; and although it is the highest peak in Connecticut, it is not actually the highest point in the state. That distinction belongs to an anonymous location a mile to the northwest and a quarter-mile east of the point where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York meet (42° 3' N; 73° 29' W), on the southern slope of 2,453 foot high Mount Frissell whose peak lies 740 feet north in Massachusetts. Only a green metal stake set into a rock ledge marks this, the 2,372 foot (723 meters) high top of Connecticut. According to [http://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=7083 Peakbagger.com,] this makes Connecticut the only state whose highest point is not also its highest peak. The Connecticut River cuts through the center of the state, flowing into Long Island Sound, Connecticut's outlet to the Atlantic Ocean. See: List of Connecticut rivers List of Connecticut rivers The state, although small, has regional variations in its landscape and culture from the wealthy estates of Fairfield County's "Gold Coast" to the rolling mountains and farms of the Litchfield Hills and the casinos of Southeastern Connecticut. Connecticut's rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities, located along the coastal highways from the New York border to New Haven, then northwards to Hartford, as well as further up the coast near New London. Many towns center around a small park, known as a "green," e.g. New Haven Green. Near the green may stand a small white church, a town meeting hall, a tavern and several colonial houses. Forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and a sandy shore add to the state's beauty. The northern boundary of the state with Massachusetts is marked by the distinctive Southwick Jog, an approximately 2.5 mile square detour into Connecticut slightly west of the center of the border. Somewhat surprisingly, the actual origin of this anomaly is not absolutely certain, with stories ranging from surveyors who were drunk, attempting to avoid hostile Native Americans, or taking a shortcut up the Connecticut River; Massachusetts residents attempting to avoid Massachusetts' (even then) high taxes for the (even then) low taxes of Connecticut; Massachusetts' interest in the resources represented by the Congamond Lakes which lie on the border of the jog; and the need to compensate Massachusetts for an amount of land given to Connecticut due to inaccurate survey work.[http://www.southwickma.org/Public_Documents/F000102F9/S00476B50-00476B5B.0/The%20Southwick%20Jog.pdf] [http://www.cslib.org/jog.htm] [http://strsd.southwick.ma.us/woodland/teachers/bwhalley/childshistory/jog.htm] Perhaps the only suggested reason which can be safely ruled out is that the jog is necessary to prevent Massachusetts from sliding out into the Atlantic Ocean. In any event, the dispute over the border retarded the development of the region, since neither state would invest in even such basic amenities as schools for the area until the dispute had been settled. The southwestern border of Connecticut, where it abuts New York State, is marked by a panhandle in Fairfield County, containing Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan, and Darien, housing some of the wealthiest residents in the world. This irregularity in the boundary is the result of territorial disputes in the late 1600s, culminating with New York giving up its claim to this area, whose residents considered themselves part of Connecticut, in exchange for an equivalent area extending northwards from Ridgefield, Connecticut to the Massachusetts border as well as undisputed claim to Rye, New York.[http://www.cslib.org/panhandle.htm] See also: Geology of Connecticut

Regions of Connecticut

Geology of Connecticut The state of Connecticut can be said to be sub-divided into eight general regions which generally correspond with the eight counties of the state, though there are differences in the boundaries. Each region boasts varied qualities which distinguish it within the state, and at times there are minor cultural frictions between the regions and their major cultural centers as each competes for tourists, new residents, and internal state pride. Fairfield County's "Gold Coast" and towns west of Waterbury and New Haven, for example, are often derided by residents of the rest of the state as being more similar to New York than to New England, and many of the residents go for years or even decades without ever traveling to other regions of the state, considering themselves more attached to New York City and its suburbs in eastern New York State. The eight regions of Connecticut are:
- Gold Coast
- Litchfield Hills
- Naugatuck River Valley
- Greater New Haven
- Greater Hartford
- Lower Connecticut River Valley
- The Quiet Corner
- Southeastern Connecticut

Transportation

Transportation in Connecticut is predominantly via highway. Bradley International Airport (BDL) is located in the central part of the state (15 miles North of Hartford). Another large airport mostly used by corporate executives is the Oxford Airport in western Connecticut. The airport is located 15 miles east of Danbury and 12 miles south of Waterbury. There is railway service along the coastline from New York City to Boston, including commuter rail service between New Haven and New York and a new commuter service along the river north of New Haven, with spur service running northwards to cities such as Hartford. (In an episode of the American television show Miracles, the protagonist took a train from Boston directly to Hartford, causing Connecticut residents to joke that that would really have been a miracle.) Bus service is supplied by Connecticut Transit, owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. In practice, most Connecticut residents find public transportation not fully adequate for all their needs and either own a private vehicle or have access to one. The glaciers carved valleys in Connecticut running north to south; as a result, many more roadways in the state run north to south than do east to west, mimicking the previous use of the many north-south rivers as transportation. The Interstate highways in the state are I-95 (the Connecticut Turnpike) running southwest to northeast along the coast, I-84 running southwest to northeast in the center of the state, I-91 running north to south in the center of the state, and I-395 running north to south near the eastern border of the state. The other major interstate traffic arteries in Connecticut are the Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway, which together form Connecticut State Route 15, running from the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York State parallel to I-95 before turning north of New Haven and running parallel to I-91, finally becoming a surface road in Berlin, Connecticut. This road and I-95 were originally toll roads; they relied on a system of toll plazas at which all traffic would stop and pay an incremental fare, rather than the alternative system of providing drivers a ticket where they entered the highway and charging them when they exited. A series of terrible crashes at these plazas eventually led to abandonment of the whole toll system in 1988. Other major arteries in the state include [http://www.nycroads.com/roads/CT-8/ State Routes 8 and 25] and U.S. Highway 7. I-95 from south of New Haven to the New York border is one of the most congested highways in the United States due to increasing population density, increasing business in the New York area, and a general increase in American driving, and the congestion spills over to clog the parallel Merritt Parkway. At rush hours, multiple backups tens of miles long are common, and the daily radio broadcasts of where crashes have completely blocked traffic are a fact of life for commuters in this area. As a result, commuter rail is also heavily crowded, along with parking facilities and traffic at the stations. Funds to relieve the situation, either by enhancing commuter rail, increasing highway capacity, or both, are lacking, and the problem is noted as one hindering further economic development for the state. See [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/index.html] for a very complete and in-depth discussion of Connecticut roadways, current, past, and future.

Economy

The total gross state product for 2004 was $187 billion. The per capita income for 2004 was $55,398, ranking 1^st among the states [http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/regional/statelocal.htm]. There is, however, a great disparity in incomes through the state; although New Canaan has the highest per capita income in America, Hartford, is one of the ten cities with the lowest per capita incomes in America. This is due to Fairfield County having become a bedroom community for higher paid New York City workers seeking a less urban lifestyle, as well as the spread of businesses outwards from New York City having reached into southwestern Connecticut, most notably to Stamford. The state did not have an income tax until 1991, making it an attractive haven for high earners fleeing the heavy taxes of New York State, but putting an enormous burden on Connecticut property tax payers, particularly in the cities with their more extensive municipal services. As a result, the middle class largely fled the urban areas for the suburbs, taking stores and other tax-paying businesses with them, and leaving only the urban poor in the now impoverished Connecticut cities. As evident from the dichotomy in income figures described above, this problem has yet to be successfully solved. Exacerbating this problem, the state has a very high cost of living, due to a combination of expensive real estate, expensive heating for the winters, the need to import much food from warmer states, and the dependence on private automobiles for mobility. While Connecticut is home to four poor cities (Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven and Wate