Slocum Township is a township in

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. The population was 1,053 at the 2020 census.

History

The Lutsey family settled in what is now Slocum Township in 1785. They established the first settlement (known as the “Lutsey Settlement”). Others followed in their footsteps and colonized the territory. A

sawmill 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 ...

was erected by John Rosencrans in 1836. The following year, in 1837, William Lutsey built the first frame house. Slocum Township was formed from a segment of Newport Township in 1854. It was named in honor of Joseph Slocum of

Wilkes-Barre Wilkes-Barre ( or ) is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Luzerne County. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. It is the secon ...

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 3.67%, is water.

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 ...

, a forested ridge, defines the township's northern border. The central portion of the township is made up of homes, businesses, and farms. Lily Lake is located in the western portion of Slocum, while Mud Pond is located in the east. The township's southern border is mostly made up of thick forests.

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 1,112 people, 419 households, and 321 families living in the township. The population density was . There were 435 housing units at an average density of . The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the township was 98.83% White, 0.45% African American, 0.09% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90%. There were 19 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, and 23.2% were non-families. 21.2% of households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.07. The age distribution was 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median household income was $45,000 and the median family income was $52,115. Males had a median income of $32,115 versus $23,214 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,326. About 1.8% of families and 4.5% 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 4.2% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

References

{{Coord, 41, 09, 00, N, 75, 59, 58, W, type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki, display=title Townships in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania