Newport Township is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

Luzerne County Luzerne County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is Northeastern Pennsylvania's second-largest county by total area. As of ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, United States. As of

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

, the population was 4,444. Newport is located on the outskirts of Nanticoke City.

History

Establishment

Newport was incorporated as a

in 1790. It is one of the original townships in Luzerne County. The municipality derives its name from

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...

. The first settlement in modern-day Newport Township was established by Major Prince Alden in 1772. A few years later, his sons (Mason and John) erected a forge on

Nanticoke Creek Nanticoke Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately long and flows through Hanover Township and Nanticoke. The watershed of the creek has an area of . The creek h ...

. One of the first stores in the territory was established by Jacob Ramback; it was constructed on a road between Wanamie and

Nanticoke Nanticoke may refer to: * Nanticoke people in Delaware, United States * Nanticoke language, an Algonquian language * Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape, a state-recognized tribe in New Jersey Place names Canada * Nanticoke, Ontario ** Nanticoke Generating S ...

. Due to the growing

coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

industry in the

Wyoming Valley The Wyoming Valley is a historic industrialized region of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The region is historically notable for its influence in helping fuel the American Industrial Revolution with its many anthracite coal-mines. As a metropolitan are ...

(in the 19th century), farmers were selling large tracts of land to the coal companies. Even

sawmills A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

and

gristmills A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...

were replaced by coal mines.

Alden Alden may refer to: Places United States * Alden, California, a former settlement * Alden, Colorado * Alden, Illinois *Alden, Iowa * Alden, Kansas * Alden, Michigan *Alden, Minnesota * Alden, Oklahoma *Alden, Pennsylvania *Alden, New York ** Alde ...

Glen Lyon Glen Lyon ( gd, Gleann Lìomhann) is a glen in the Perth and Kinross region of Scotland. It is the longest enclosed glen in Scotland and runs for from Loch Lyon in the west to the village of Fortingall in the east. This glen was also kno ...

, and Wanamie were just a few of the mining villages in the township. Mine shafts and collieries were constructed throughout the territory.

Boom and bust

At the beginning of the 20th century, Luzerne County was in the midst of an economic boom. Industry, which included

manufacturing Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a r ...

and coal mining, drew thousands of

immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...

(mostly from

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

) to the region. By the mid-20th century, anthracite production was declining at a fairly steady rate. Consumers were gradually switching from coal to other forms of energy (e.g., oil, gas, and electricity).Healey, Richard (2005) ''"The Breakers of the Northern Anthracite Coalfield of Pennsylvania", 'Vol. 1, Major breakers prior to 1902'.'' Dept of Geography, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth. quote=''"Northern Anthracite Coalfield of Pennsylvania" There also are Central and Southern Anthracite Coalfields of Pennsylvania, the one around Hazelton and the other around Pottsville.Sevon, W. D., compiler, 2000, , Pennsylvania Geological Survey of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th ser., Map 13, scale 1:2,000,000. The

Knox Mine Disaster Knox may refer to: Places United States * Fort Knox, a United States Army post in Kentucky ** United States Bullion Depository, a high security storage facility commonly called Fort Knox * Fort Knox (Maine), a fort located on the Penobscot River i ...

was the final blow to the industry. On January 22, 1959, the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

broke through the River Slope Mine in Port Griffith, Jenkins Township. The incident claimed twelve lives. 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.

Contemporary history

St. Stanislaus Institute, also known as St. Stanislaus Orphanage and Holy Child Church, was built between 1918 and 1939. The facility served as a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

orphanage An orphanage is a Residential education, residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the Childcare, care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parent ...

until it closed in 1972. St. Stanislaus was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2008. The building is now occupied by apartments. Holy Child closed in 2010. A nursing home was built nearby. In 1986, State Correctional Institute at Retreat opened in northwestern Newport Township, replacing the mental hospital. SCI Retreat closed in June 2020. It iwas a medium security

correctional facility In criminal justice, particularly in North America, correction, corrections, and correctional, are umbrella terms describing a variety of functions typically carried out by government agencies, and involving the punishment, treatment, and s ...

for men.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.49%, is water. Most of the township is forested. It is drained by the

(which forms its northern boundary). The northern and southern portions are mountainous. The elevation of

Penobscot Mountain Penobscot Knob, also Penobscot Mountain, is a summit located in the western fringe of the Poconos nearest to Mountain Top, Pennsylvania which in the Solomon Gap pass below it lies an important multi-modal transportation corridor. At one time bef ...

reaches above sea level along the township's southern border with Slocum Township. Most of the people live in the basin of

Newport Creek Newport Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is in length. Named tributaries of the creek include South Branch Newport Creek. The entire watershed of Newport Creek is considered b ...

, which flows northeast from

to the Susquehanna River (in

). Newport Township consists of the communities of Alden Station,

, Lee, Newport Center, Sheatown, and Wanamie. The State Correctional Institute at Retreat is in a remote area of the municipality (along the Susquehanna River). The facility can only be accessed by a bridge over the river from U.S. Route 11 or by helicopter.

Neighboring municipalities

(northeast) * Hanover Township (east) * Nuangola (southeast) * Slocum Township (south) * Conyngham Township (west) * Union Township (northwest) * Hunlock Township (north) * Plymouth Township (north)

Government officials

* Township manager: Joseph Hillan * Commissioners: ** John Zyla — President of Board of Commissioners/Police Dept. ** Michael Roke — Fire Dept. ** John Vishnefski — Parks and Recreation Dept. ** Deborah Forgach Zaleski — Code Enforcement Dept. *Police chief: Jeremy Blank *Fire chief: Jason Kowalski

Public safety

Police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

: The Newport Township Police Department provides full time police coverage to township residents. *

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...

: Fire suppression is provided by the Newport Township Fire Department (Luzerne County Station 163). The department is a combination department with a paid apparatus operator (who is supplemented by volunteer staff). The department also provides mutual aid responses to surrounding communities. * EMS: Ambulance service is provided by the

Community Ambulance Association (Medic 25/Ambulance 558), which is located in Nanticoke City. Nanticoke EMS provides residents with both

ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. ALS is the most com ...

(Advanced Life Support) and BLS (Basic Life Support) levels of pre-hospital care.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 5,006 people, 1,789 households, and 1,118 families residing in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 306.1 people per square mile (118.1/km²). There were 2,166 housing units at an average density of 132.4/sq mi (51.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.17%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 8.57%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.12% Native American, 0.30%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.54% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.30% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 2.30% of the population. There were 1,789 households, out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87. In the township the population was spread out, with 16.1% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 127.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 129.6 males. The median income for a household in the township was $32,073, and the median income for a family was $40,987. Males had a median income of $28,466 versus $22,035 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the township was $16,930. About 9.3% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Bob Duliba Robert John Duliba (born January 9, 1935) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. The , right-hander played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–60, 1962), Los Angeles Angels (1963–1964), Boston Red Sox (1965) and Kansas City Athletic ...

, baseball player * John S. Fine, governor of Pennsylvania

Gallery

Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania.jpg,

Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania (8482401238).jpg, Glen Lyon Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania (8482402492).jpg, Glen Lyon Wanamie, Pennsylvania streetscape.jpg, Wanamie St Stan LuzCo PA 2.JPG, St. Stanislaus Institute’s

chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...

St Stan LuzCo PA 3.JPG, St. Stanislaus Institute's

boiler A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, central h ...

building

References

External links

* {{Coord, 41, 10, 30, N, 75, 59, 58, W, type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki, display=title Populated places established in 1772 Townships in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania