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Towanda is a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...
in, and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of, Bradford County in the U.S. state of
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
. It is part of
Northeastern Pennsylvania Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA or Nepa) is a region of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that includes the Pocono Mountains, the Endless Mountains, and the industrial cities of Scranton (the area's largest city), Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Ha ...
and is located northwest of Wilkes-Barre, on the
Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...
. The name means "burial ground" in the Algonquian language. As of the 2020 census, the population of Towanda was 2,833.


History

Towanda was settled in 1784 and became the county seat in 1812. It was variously known for some years as Meansville, Overton, Williamson, Monmouth, and Towanda, and incorporated in 1828. Towanda was once known primarily for its industrial interests, which included flour, planing and silk mills, a foundry and machine shop, dye works, and manufacturers of talking machines, cut glass, toys and furniture. The population in 1900 was 4,663 and 4,281 in 1910. The Towanda Historic District and Bradford County Courthouse are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. The Pennsylvania Guide, compiled by the Writers' Program of the
Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to car ...
, described Towanda in 1940 as:


Geography

Towanda is located near the center of Bradford County at (41.770251, −76.446545), at approximately 730 ft. above sea level, on the west bank of the
Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...
. It is bordered to the north and west by North Towanda Township, to the south and west by Towanda Township, and to the east, across the river, by Wysox Township. U.S. Route 6 passes through the center of the borough, leading southeast to Tunkhannock and to the Scranton area, and west to
Mansfield Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of the Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area and the second largest settlement in Nottinghamshire (following the city ...
. U.S. Route 220 bypasses the borough to the west and leads north to its terminus at Waverly, New York and southwest to Williamsport. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , of which , or 2.55%, is water.


Climate

Towanda has a humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm to hot summers.


Demographics

As of the 2000
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
, there were 3,024 people, 1,279 households and 795 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,459 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 96.36%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.86%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.36% Native American, 1.19% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population. There were 1,279 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92. Age distribution was 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males. The median household income was $35,814, and the median family income was $41,884. Males had a median income of $35,663 versus $23,796 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the borough was $17,438. About 9.9% of families and 13.4% 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 ...
, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.


Education

Towanda is home to Lackawanna College Towanda Center, a private, accredited two-year college serving
Northeastern Pennsylvania Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA or Nepa) is a region of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that includes the Pocono Mountains, the Endless Mountains, and the industrial cities of Scranton (the area's largest city), Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Ha ...
and its satellite campus of Lackawanna College in Scranton.


Government

Towanda has a council–manager form of government.


Notable people

* Jean Brenchley, microbiologist * Nate Bump,
relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
for the Florida Marlins * Mike Conley, boxer * Edward T. Fairchild, Chief Justice of the
Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest and final court of appeals in the state judicial system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. In addition to hearing appeals of lower Wisconsin court decisions, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also ...
* Wilson D. Gillette, U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania * William W. Kingsbury, U.S. Delegate from Minnesota Territory *
Gregory La Cava Gregory La Cava (March 10, 1892 – March 1, 1952) was an American film director of Italian descent best known for his films of the 1930s, including ''My Man Godfrey'' and ''Stage Door'', which earned him nominations for Academy Award for Best ...
, film director ('' My Man Godfrey'', ''
Stage Door ''Stage Door'' is a 1937 American Tragicomedy, tragicomedy film directed by Gregory La Cava, and starring Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Constance Collier, Andrea Leeds, Samuel S. Hinds, and Lucille Ball. Adapt ...
'') *
Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter (' Porter; June 15, 1876 – April 26, 1963) was an American translator and writer, best known for translating almost all of the works of Thomas Mann for their first publication in English. Personal life Helen Tracy Porte ...
, translator, maternal great-grandmother of British prime minister
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He wa ...
* Roger A. Madigan, Pennsylvania state legislator * Tina Pickett, Pennsylvania state legislator * Charlotte Porter, co-founder and co-editor of '' Poet Lore'' * Julia H. Scott (1809–1842), poet * Sabra Wilbur Vought (1877–1942), librarian * Charles M. Webb, Wisconsin jurist and politician * David Wilmot, U.S. Senator and Congressman from Pennsylvania


References


External links


Borough of Towanda official websiteTowanda Online
local guide
''The Daily Review''
local newspaper {{Authority control County seats in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1784 Pennsylvania populated places on the Susquehanna River Boroughs in Bradford County, Pennsylvania 1828 establishments in Pennsylvania