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Originally known as Braintrim (see above) and Skinner's Eddy (see below), the area for a couple centuries was a camping grounds for Indians of the Tuscarora tribe. When the Laceyville toll bridge was completed across the Susquehanna in 1899, the fare was five cents for pedestrians and 25 cents for horses. Lackawanna Means "the stream that forks," and the fork in question is the confluence of the Lackawanna River with the northern branch of the Susquehanna. Lackawanna County was once part of Luzerne County, and the breakoff did not come easy. The first rumblings of secession were heard in the 1830s, some 20 years after Bradford and Susquehanna counties had broken off, due mainly to the impracticalities, not to mention the social regression, of having to travel to Wilkes-Borough to transact official business. When suggestions started floating about that another northern chunk of Luzerne County wanted to break off, the PTB (powers-that-be) of Wilkes-Borough became alarmed, so they developed a two-point scheme. One, they agreed to the breakoff and formation of Wyoming County, centered around Tunkhannock, throwing as it were a bone to folks clamoring for more self rule. (Wyoming County was viewed as offering relatively little in terms of financial value.) Two, and this is the slimy part, Luzerne County decided to stack the deck: it pushed through a state constitutional amendment -- of highly dubious legality, one would add -- mandating that if any county were to split up it would require a majority vote of both the new section as well as the old. Prospects for the formation of a new county called Lackawanna must have seemed doomed. But a unique development occurred in 1874 as Pennsylvania established a new constitution: this self-serving amendment was omitted, whether intentionally or not. Lackawanna County was now free to call its own shots, and in 1874 did just that: break away from the old county that shamelessly tried to handcuff it. This same type of shenanigans would occur many years later as the Avoca airport was named backwards by a dubious legislative mechanism initiated in Washington by congressman Dan "Mr. Corruption" Flood. A few decades later, Luzerne County authorities once again managed to diddle with state law and constitutional intentions, overriding the decision of voters by ramming through a hotel tax of dubious legal merit so as to finance an arena, based on the absurd contention that hotels in Hazleton, some 23 miles away, would benefit. The true purpose of the arena, as with the airport, was the advancement of a childish indulgence known as Gulch-O-Centrism. This is the only line of reasoning that explains the irrational fanaticism of the proponents (including the so-called neutral media), and if they give you any other story they are lying. The dates and faces do change, but the service-to-self mindset keeps rolling along, never satisfied with what it has, always insatiable for more. In some of the earliest of records, dating to 1771, Lackawanna is seen spelled in documents as "Lockawarna." Lackawaxen Similar of course to Lackawanna, this word means "where the way forks" or similarly "where the roads part." Lackawaxen is near Minisink Ford NY, the site of the only major Revolutionary War battle (Battle of Minisink) fought in the upper Delaware River region. A few dozen American militiamen, outnumbered and hastily assembled against the British, met their maker in quick fashion in 1779. It took up to 43 years for widows, mostly from the area of Goshen NY, to make the hazardous 46-mile journey to the battlegrounds to retrieve the bones of their husbands. Some 68 years later, the bones of one of these men was found at Lackawaxen, leading to a memorial for unknown soldiers of the Revolutionary War and spelling a closure to one of the most morbid and heartwrenching episodes to occur militarily on American soil. Laflin Here's another of several towns that sprung up around mills, this time a gunpowder mill. The wealthy H.D. Laflin built seven powder mills here in 1872 and 1873, and for a time he competed with the powerful du Pont family mill in Dupont. Whenever old H.D. told his family he was going to take a powder, they took him at his word. Lake Ariel Early maps describe the lake as Jones Pond and/or Jones Lake with the surrounding vicinity named Jonestown. In 1851 the local post office took the simple name of Ariel, and it took years for the locals to refer to the entire district as Lake Ariel. Two explanations have emerged regarding the source of the name: First, Ariel is the lead character -- a playful spirit -- in Shakespeare's The Tempest. Second: Ariel is the more poetic name for the city of Jerusalem. The humble author of this web page suggests that two other explanations are possible: One, that 'Ariel' is also a Hebrew word meaning "Lion of God;" and two, that the schooner USS Ariel played a significant role in pushing back the British at the Battle of Lake Erie, part of the War of 1812. Of the four explanations mentioned here, the final one appears the strongest at the moment, a point reinforced by the appearance of Ariel Street on Scranton's East Mountain. Note that Blakely also stems from a War of 1812 source name. Lake Como This one's named for Italy's third-largest lake, located in the Lombardy region in the north-central part of the country. The local version of Lake Como is located southeast of Starrucca in the far-northeast corner of the commonwealth. Lake Winola A tragic legend. Winola, whose named means "water lily," was a daughter of an Indian chief. Her involvement with a white captive brought dishonor, and once, while looking at her reflection in a lake, she saw an image of her father in war paint. Fresh scalps hung from the chieftain's waist, and Winola recognized the scalp of her suitor, "whiter than the water lilies." Winola threw herself at the reflection, never to surface again. Lanark This small spot in the Lehigh Valley takes its name from a village near Glasgow, Scotland. LaPlume Some town names in the greater Abington region indicate a people with a taste for finer literature. Glenburn is a name suggested by the novels of Sir Walter Scott; Waverly is itself the title of a Scott work (Waverley). The name La Plume was taken in 1885 by Mrs. Isaac Tillinghast who used "La Plume" as the pen name for her various writings. A more correct term for "pen name" is the French phrase nom de plume (name of the feather/quill/pen), giving evidence of Mrs. Tillinghast's verbal playfulness. Despite being the playful type (and given the illustrious history of Beaver County) it has yet to be established whether Mrs. Tillinghast ever considered using the pen name Le Castor, which is French for "beaver," or whether Mr. and Mrs. Tillinghast preferred to play not with the word but with something more substantial along those lines. Laporte Located 45 miles west of Scranton, the town is named for John LaPorte, born in 1798 in Asylum, the haven for French aristocracy (see above). LaPorte seved as a congressman and also as surveyor general of Pennsylvania. Laquin This is the town that wasn't content to let Colver (see above) have all the fun when it came to merging names. In the early 1900s, two companies combined operations to take advantage of Bradford county's extensive lumbering opportunities. Together, the Barclay Brothers of Cameron county along with Quinn & Company of Elk county scrunched their names together to form a new enterprise called Laquin. Larksville Up until around 1840 or so, people called this area Blindtown, for reasons one can only imagine. The story goes that the name slowly changed after the death of old Peggy Lark, who lived in Blindtown until she passed away at the ripe age of 106. Lausanne This is the name of a township located on the Carbon/Luzerne county border in the Weatherly area. The name comes from the capital of the Vaud region in Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva. Leather Corner The name comes from a pre-Revolutionary inn that was eventually called the Leather Corner Post, or so it is said. Someone apparently nailed an expensive piece of leather to a post, it was eventually stolen, but just as mysteriously it reappeared in due time. Lebanon Known for its awesome Lebanon balogna, word is that the town took its name from the preponderance of cedar trees in the immediate area, calling to mind the "Cedars of Lebanon" from Biblical times, even tracing back to the Phoenician era. Lehigh River / County From the Delaware Indian word lechauwekink, meaning "where there are forks." (Forks along rivers and paths of the time were as important as highway interchanges of today.) The name was shortened and anglicized by local settlers, since the original word was a little rough on a white man's tongue. One of the main trails of the Delaware Indian crossed the Lehigh River, and at this point the trail branched off into various forks, giving us the name. Lemon township There's hardly a line in this township's history to pique anyone's interest -- or garnish anyone's drink -- short of the fact that Judge Percifer Lemon had a penchant for selling land. Leroy Located in Bradford County, the name is sometimes seen spelled as LeRoy. The name was taken in 1835, is French for "the king," and the town would almost certainly extend a hearty welcome to Elvis impersonators. In 1848, a dam gave way near LeRoy in the middle of the night. It had been raining for several days, and a couple residents thought maybe the end of the world was at hand, a theme apparently suggested by a local preacher. Once the rumble of trees and boulders was heard, one prominent resident is said to have exclaimed, "Put on your ascension robes!" Lickdale (Lebanon county) A story that's suitable for the whole family (aww, shucks). One of the more prominent Americans of the 19th century was one James Lick, a carpenter, landowner, piano maker, and patron of the arts and sciences. At one time he was the wealthiest man in California. In recognition for his financial support of the scientific community, the Lick Crater on the moon and the asteroid 1951 Lick are named after him. It is unknown, except to the long-deceased Mrs. Lick, whether James played any role in the above-mentioned Big Beaver Lick, but apparently some things in life are better left unsaid anyway. Light Street Alternately, and perhaps more correctly spelled Lightstreet, this town near Bloomsburg was named by a minister who once lived on Light Street in Baltimore. Lititz Located near Lancaster, the town was named around 1756 by Moravians for a castle in Bohemia (once an independent kingdom, now part of the Czech Republic, sandwiched between Germany and Moravia) that was home to a medieval church connected with that religious denomination. For nearly a century only Moravians could live in Lititz. Later this practice was eased up a bit so that non-Moravians could lease property but still not own it. Rest assured that informed sources have verified that the Moravians were in no shape or form responsible for the gloriously named, but now defunct, Lancaster County town of Puseyville. Fortunately a Puseyville Road still exists near Quarryville, where it is assumed one can quarry for better things than beaver, with or without a posse to chase down the original Mr. Pusey who dignified the area with his name but left behind no mementos from the life and times of Mrs. Pusey (as it were). And how this discussion of Puseyville ever ended up under the heading of Li-TITZ and not Honey Hole is simply one of the great mysteries of life. To make matters even more interesting, a separate Puseyville may have once been located in Clearfield county. One can imagine the postmaster general from a hundred years ago struggling with the choice of which Puseyville to rename, hopefully consulting his wife in this urgent matter. Little England A neighborhood of Scranton that got virtually eliminated during the flooding caused by Hurricane Diane in 1955. It was known for British immigrants, or at least that's how the story goes. The neighborhood was located between the Petersburg and Bunker Hill sections. Another extended neighborhood that the floodwaters erased was Scranton's South Side Flats area, a heavily Jewish section once known as Dodgestown and now the home to baseball fields, a shopping center, old factories and flood control projects, but few families. Those of us who are not entirely naive must hold out the remote possibility that Hurricane Diane, a watershed event in Scranton's history, was not purely an act of nature. Given the track record, capacities, and connections to certain technologies in the hands of at least one individual whose career made a sport out of taunting Scranton . . . . well, you figure out the rest. (One federal attempt at weather modification, formerly classified, went by the name of Project Cirrus in 1947. In that year, the military figured out how to use silver iodide to help seed a hurricane that eventually hit the Georgia coast near Savannah.) Lock Haven In 1833, Jeremiah Church bought some land adjacent to the Pennsylvania Canal and alongside the Susquehanna River. In a display of self-promotion, Church reasoned that the canal contained a lock and that the river made an excellent harbor, or haven, for rafts. Thus was christened Lock Haven, which of course some locals call Schlock Haven. Lofty Drive a few miles down Interstate 81 from Hazleton as you'll pass right near the village of Lofty. At a lofty 1750 feet above sea level, this was once was the highest point along the old Catawissa Railroad, leading to the original name of Summit Station, an important switching point for cars on the line and obviously a point of pride for someone with Lofty intentions for the future of this locale. Lopez Located south of Dushore in Sullivan County, the town takes its name from nearby Lopez Creek, whose name origin is not crystal clear. It's been said that around 1816 a man named Lopez provided food and lodging for laborers clearing out a local turnpike (a pay-as-you-go, dirt road that was often impassible in winter and during rainy spells). Another story says that John Lopez was actually one of the laborers on this new road leading westward from what's now the Ricketts Glen area (see below) who met his maker when he got conked by a falling tree. Out of respect, the other workers called the nearby stream Lopez. Loyalsock (Williamsport area) The name is a corruption of an Indian word meaning "middle creek," referring to Loyalsock Creek's location between Lycoming and Muncy creeks. Lungerville (Muncy area) This pleasant-sounding village came on the scene rather late -- after 1900, in fact, the year Mark Lunger opened his general store. A federal official came into the store one day and asked Mark if he'd like to house the local post office in the store. Mark replied forcefully and vigorously: "Guess so," to which the federal official replied, "You are officially a United States post office." Mark then asked, "What's the name of the post office?" The official spotted the sign in the store that said "Lunger." He thought for a moment and then said, "Lungerville, okay, that's the name of it." Why the federal official didn't ask whether the sign signified a glorified spittoon is a question that historians around the globe may never answer for sure. Luzerne County Luzerne, in effect, means "lighthouse." The name honors the Chevalier de la Luzerne, a French nobleman who raised critical funds for the colonial forces at a low point during the Revolutionary War. He later became French minister to the United States from 1779 to 1783. The family name is traced to Luzern, a village in central Switzerland on Lake Lucerne. The village and lake take their names from the prominent lucerna nearby -- French for lighthouse or watchtower. Note that in 1878 when Lackawanna County became a separate entity from Luzerne County, some local businessmen in Wilkes-Borough were so incensed that they stopped talking to their associates in the Scranton area for years to come. Effects of the breakup are still felt today. For instance, some Lackawanna County residents searching for geneological records must sometimes travel to archives in Luzerne County, a good deal of which were ravaged in the 1972 flood. Lycoming County The name comes from the phrase "sandy or gravelly creek." The original Lycoming County was quite huge, in fact as large as Connecticut and New Jersey combined. It was later spun off into regions that now form parts of 17 other counties. The current Lycoming County is still the largest in the state, larger than Rhode Island and nearly three times the size of Lackawanna County. The county seat is Williamsport, home to Lycoming College, known to some students as "Camp Lyco." Macungie Located near Allentown, the name comes from a Delaware Indian word for "feeding place for bears." Macungie's town logo still features the picture of a bear. A section of East Macungie still shows up on maps as Centreville, so named because every child within a two-mile radius at one time was entitled to a free education. Mahanoy City Indians noted the fact that deer congregated at the salt deposits near what is now Mahanoy City. In English we refer to these deposits as licks. The Delaware Indian name for lick is mahoni, hence the transition over time from "Mahoni City" into the present-day form of this Schuylkill County town: Lick City, as it were. The locals have no pretensions of actually being a city; this title was tagged on to differentiate the place from Mahanoy Township. Manheim Apparently named by early settlers from Mannheim, Germany, who it seems got a big kick out of dropping 'N's, as in the transition of Hannover, Germany to Hanover, Pennsylvania. The city was named around 1765 by the illustrious Baron Henry Steigel, who wasn't really a baron and didn't even come from Mannheim. He was actually from Cologne, Germany, to the northwest of Mannheim. Steigel was a successful, for a time, ironmaster and glassmaker, though he later died in the poor house. Back in his salad days he gave a parcel of land to a local Lutheran church with but one stipulation: each June they pay back a "rent" of one red rose. To this day, the local Zion Lutheran Church holds a Festival of the Red Rose every June, and the recipient is one of "Baron" Steigel's descendents. Mansfield Laid out in 1824 on the field of Asa Mann, resulting for a time as Mann's Field, a spelling that lasted for several years before morphing into the modern form. Quite literally, Mann was out-standing in his field. Mars This town near Pittsburgh was named not for the planet but for the god of war, and is located safely away from Venus PA, named ostensibly for the goddess of love. In the same general part of the state we find Lickingville, which reportedly enjoys strong diplomatic relations with Venus, or so it is said. When things are really humming the locals can head over to nearby Climax for a nightcap (as it were). Matamoras Like Hazleton, here's another case of a famous misspelling. The town apparently took its name during the Mexican War (1840s), after the American army captured the Mexican city of Matamoros near the border with Brownsville, Texas. That city had originally been named for Mariano Matamoros, a hero of the Mexican Revolution. How the spelling ever changed to Matamoras in Pike County is unclear, but the typo seems to be a common one. A Catholic priest, Matamoros was active in Mexico's war of independence from Spain. After his capture by the Spanish he was defrocked, convicted of treason and then executed by firing squad. Technically speaking, if one could walk to the southernmost point of Matamoras (on Interstate 84, midway over the Delaware River), one could stand in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York simultaneously. This also happens to be the easternmost point of Pennsylvania, in a virtual tie, that is, sharing the honors with a speck of land just south of White Horse, New Jersey. The longitude of both locations clocks in at 74.70 degrees west. Mayfield Originally known as Glenwood, the area later became Mayville, named for Captain William May, a manager in nearby mining operations. That name changed to the more pleasant sounding Mayfield in 1891, joining Glenburn and Elmhurst as town names chosen to help convey pastoral images. In this regard, Factoryville doesn't quite cut the mustard. At least one other source says Mayfield was once known as Greenwood, but this explanation doesn't hold up as well, and here's why: a Glenwood Street still exists today in Mayfield, and a Greenwood does not. On a related note, if you drive up the newer Route 6 on the eastern side of the Lackawanna Valley (a road known as the Casey Highway, or better yet, the Casey Speedway) as you approach Carbondale (Kar-BONN'-da-lay) you see the sign for Meredith Street. Samuel Meredith was the first treasurer of the United States, and his grandson Thomas owned a good chunk of land in Mayfield and lived in a mansion here, though it eventually burned down. It's said that until 1891, locals were content to consider themselves residents of Carbondale Township. Around that time a few disagreements arose that eventually led to the "erection of the borough," (Thomas Murphy, History of Lackawanna County, 1928) a fairly exciting event to imagine, whether in 1891 or otherwise. One wonders whether the erection of an entire borough would require emergency reserves of Viagra as well as an ambulance crew on hand, not to mention a parade with floats and marching bands and a special appearance by the local Hose Company to kickstart the day's festivities. One also wonders what percentage of male residents would be required to reach a quorum, and whether all must participate simultaneously in this celebration of democracy, and whether the female residents were allowed the full privileges of fulfilling their civic duties (as it were). McAdoo Once known as Sailor's Hill and later Pleasant Hill, the town is named for William McAdoo, secretary of state under Woodrow Wilson. Back in the glory days of radio station WARM (before it went down the shoot and out of the loop by moving to the smaller Wilkes-Borough area), the morning announcer would give the fictional baseball score from the previous evening's game between the McAdoo Stompers and the Honeypot Cheaters. McKeansburg (Schuylkill county) First built up around 1813 and named for Thomas McKean (pronounced McKane) who strangely held two government posts at once: governor of Pennsylvania and congressman from New Jersey (some say it was Delaware). Despite the public misgivings, he refused to yield either position. A signer of the Declaration of Independence, McKean reportedly once called the people of Pennsylvania "clodpoles" (dolts), a remark he claimed was taken out of context. As Pennsylvania governor he was notorious for periodic temper tantrums and axing personal enemies and replacing them with Republican friends, leading some to suggest he was the "father" of political spoilage in America. Media (west of Philadelphia) The name (chosen around 1853) may stem from the city’s central location in Delaware County, since the Latin word for 'middle' is medius. Another suggestion mentions the Biblical area of Medea, spoken about in Isaiah 13:17. The first explanation seems a much more convincing one, unless a deliberate play on words is involved. At least one critic at the time decried the heinous crime of turning the adjective 'medius' into a noun. Mehoopany Referred to as "Hoppeny" as far back as 1792, the name means "place of wild potatoes." Merryall They say you can feel the effects of rum right to the toes, and the result is felt two centuries later in the name of Merryall, located both in Bradford County as well as the area of New Milford, Connecticut. It was a cold spring day, so it's been said, when these Connecticut settlers popped the cork on the rum, not long before embarking to north-central Pennsylvania where there was enough good cheer left over to name a new town. The event was certainly a merry time for one and all, so much so that a Merryall Road still exists today back in New Milford. If the Pennsylvania settlers had any hint of the future market for real estate along Merryall Road, however, they may have never left and would long ago have ditched the cheap rum in favor of pricey French champagne. Meshoppen Indian for "glass beads," referring perhaps to an early trading point where glass beads were accepted as a medium of exchange. Milford A ford is a shallow part of a body of water that can be crossed by wading. Prior to the Revolution, the Wells brothers operated a saw mill and a grist (grain) mill near an old ford on Saw Creek, which feeds the Delaware. This ford came to be called the mill ford, and the nearby settlement took on the Mill-ford name after a brief stint as Wells Ferry. Other people say the town's name is borrowed from Milford Haven in Wales, and perhaps both explanations are correct to an extent. At one point in the 1800s Milford had a whopping nine mills powered by water. Milford is one of America's first "planned" communities, patterned roughly after the street-and-alley layout of Philadelphia. Several streets were named after the children of a prominent judge named John Biddis, and the alleys were named after fruit trees and berry bushes found in the area. The planning included allowances for wider-than-normal streets and several public squares. Note that Scranton's streets include the names of most American presidents as well as a wide array of trees. It's been suggested, without verification as yet, that most of Wilkes-Borough's streets are named after NASCAR drivers, various brands of chewing tobacco, and heroes of "professional" heavyweight wrestling on pay-per-view. Milton Like Milford, Milwaukee and Miners Mills, Milton takes it named from a local mill and was in fact first called Mill Town. Milwaukee This village to the west of Scranton was once known as the rather unglamorous Flickerville, but the name was changed in 1842 to coincide with the opening of a new mill. Local inhabitants celebrated the name-change with great fanfare, and many believed the modern-sounding Milwaukee was now headed for the big time. The precise reason for choosing Milwaukee is uncertain. Perhaps the supposed double-whammy of promoting the "mill" aspect as well as forming a mental association, however tenuous it may seem in retrospect, with the prominence of the well-known Wisconsin city bode well for future success. Or perhaps the town fathers understood Milwaukee as an approximation of the Algonquin Indian name for "good land" (which is always a nice plug for the home team when you're trying to attract new residents). Or perhaps some self-assumed litterateur (one of the most annoying types of people that exist, both then and today), decided to show off their amateur wordsmith skills. Mingo Back in the 1820s the construction of the Lehigh Canal was a labor-intensive operation that included black workers who were originally from the Dominican Republic. The old name for that country was Santo Domingo, and thus the old nickname of Mingo for a section of east Allentown. Minisink This is the name of an Indian tribe related to the Munsee, with the name meaning 'rocky land.' Minooka (section of south Scranton) Minooka might not be derived from an Indian name, and its origin is unclear. Some have linked the word, in convoluted fashion, to something akin to "good land," a la Milwaukee. They claim that mino means "good" and aki means "land," but this explanation seems a speck forced and contrived. And apparently there is no truth to the rumor that a clairvoyant Indian once coined the word as a new expression meaning "land of many Irish bars." For those of you who gravitate toward the "good land" side of the story, apparently the word Minooka resembles the Potowatomi Indian (not native to this region) name for "good land," with an additional connotation of "contentment" as well, a more satisfying explanation that starts to put the icing on the cake (not to mention adding yet one more cheesy cliche to this page). Apparently the name Minooka was first applied to the region around 1792, and at times it was known as Needham's Patch. Mocanaqua In 1778, a young Frances Slocum was kidnapped by Delaware Indians from her home near Forty Fort. Raised with the customs and language of the Delaware, Slocum was renamed "Mocanaqua," meaning "little bear," and later married a chief of the Miami tribe. For 59 years her brothers searched for her, only to find her in 1837. By that time she was so accustomed to the Indian way of life she found her brothers’ way of life odd. Montoursville Located east of Williamsport, the original settlement here was an important staging ground for Moravian missionaries in the mid-1700s. The Moravians were given the nod of approval by Chief Shikellamy, an intermediary between the bureaucrats in Philadelphia and northern Indian tribes. Crucial to colonist/tribal relations were skilled interpreters, and top-notch ones were few and far between. Enter Elizabeth Couc of Quebec, daughter of a French fur-trader father (though some might dispute this point) and an Indian mother. In fact, Couc's language skills were held in such high esteem that British authorities did the unheard-of: for her interpreting services she was paid the same salary as a man. Her son Andrew later served as a captain and translator for George Washington during the French & Indian war. Elizabeth's first husband was a Seneca Indian named Roland Montour; with her second husband she moved to the area of Pennsylvania we now call Montoursville, leading her native peoples who called this strategic river junction their home. In addition to her language skills, Elizabeth Couc Montour also possessed great skills of communication, helping to soothe the fears of local tribes sensing the dangers of the white man's westward expansion. Because of her influence over Indians, Montour was "much caressed by wealthy people of Philadelphia," so said professor A. H. Espenshade of Penn State in 1925. (She must have been a real hit at late-night parties.) Espenshade added that she was "friendly to whites without losing the respect and confidence of the Indians." Montour's Indian husband, Robert Hunter, was also known as "Big Tree," possibly making him a big hit at parties as well, and which may help explain his wife's calm and content demeanor ;-) Montour was also apparently a paragon of patience and loyalty, for sometimes the British wouldn't get around to paying her for an entire year at a time, despite attempts by the French to woo her over to their side. Montrose Named around 1812 by a local landowner, Dr. Robert Rose, Montrose combines the doctor's name with the French mont, meaning "mountain." The area had previously been known as Hinds' Settlement, after a Captain Hinds who brought his family here from Long Island ten years earlier. In choosing Montrose, Dr. Rose no doubt also had in mind a historic Scottish town of the same name, in which case we'd throw out the "mount" part of the meaning and lean toward the Gaelic "moor on a peninsula." Rose was apparently a charming man. When residents of nearby Brooklyn mounted a campaign to locate the Susquehanna County seat in their town, Rose's personality (and maybe also his wallet) carried the day, and Montrose eventually claimed the prize. Montrose was also active in upholding the rights of Pennsylvania landowners whose claims often conflicted with the deeds of Connecticut settlers. Moon Located near Pittsburgh International Airport, the name is said to derive from a crescent-shaped bend in a nearby river. Pittsburgh's airport is truly international; the Scranton/Wilkes-Borough airport is called "international" because the vending machine sells Doritos. Moosic Very simply, "Mooseland," until a better explanation appears. More precisely the name means "large herds of moose," and yes, moose could at one time be found in Moosic. Another explanation suggests that Moosic is a derivation of a Lenape Indian word (Unami language) meaning "elk place." The area was once known as Marathon and later Springbrook. The Spike Island neighborhood of Moosic, off Route 502 (Springbrook Avenue), supposedly takes its name from an island off the coast of County Cork, Ireland. Moscow Once part of Drinker's Beeches, Moscow is said to be named in the 1830s by Drinker (see above) in honor of some immigrants from the great Russian capital. This popular explanation has yet to be confirmed, apparently, and a good lawyer could start off by asking, "If it were named for Russian immigrants, where are some artifacts, some conclusive evidence?" Regardless, Pennsylvania does display a fair amount of town names taken from prominent European cities, among them Versailles, Berlin, Manchester, Dublin, Belfast, Newry, Sligo, Hamburg, Athens and Rome. However, the Scranton Times-Tribune of January 5, 2012 has offered the best explanation yet. According to Ren Vasiliev, Ph.D., a geography professor at the State University of New York at Geneseo and a student of town names, there are currently about 18 municipalities in the United States named Moscow. Vasiliev says most Moscows were named to commemorate Napoleon's defeat by the Russians back in 1812. This explanation seems to hold up, given the origins of Inkerman and Sebastopol. Mountain Top / Mountaintop This name refers not to a formal municipality but to a region. The area east of Wilkes-Borough was once a section of Fairview township, and the last post office to remain active in the area was known as the Mountain Top post office. (It seems that an old practice allowed postmasters to call the post office by a different name from the municipality it sat in, as with Chinchilla.) Some locals call the area Mountain Top, while others, notably the town newspaper, calls it by the one-word form of Mountaintop. Mount Carmel One of many towns and villages whose name was inspired by the Bible. Around 1812 a settler opened a pit-stop called the Mount Carmel Inn on a well-travelled turnpike (toll road). As far as Bible names go, Ephrata and Sharon are but two of several other examples. Appropriately enough, Mount Carmel has been nicknamed the "City of Churches." Mount Cobb Asa Cobb came to this area around 1784 and worked the land near what is now Mount Cobb. The gap in the mountain -- for a time called Cobb's Mountain -- leading east out of Dunmore was long known as Cobb's Gap, and Moosic Lake was for years called Cobb's Mountain Pond. Mount Zion Located north of Stroudsburg, this name technically refers back to the hill just outside the walls of the old city of Jerusalem. However, Zion was often used as a catch-all term for the entire city of Jerusalem and often for the land of Israel as a whole. Additionally, in older parlance the words 'Jerusalem' and 'Israel' were often used more metaphorically, as in "the great city of God in the sky" or heaven itself, in the sense of the poem Jerusalem by the great British mystic poet William Blake. Given this shade of meaning, the name Mount Zion takes on a similar tone as Promised Land (see below), minus the dose of sarcasm in the latter name. The Zion name appears at various other points on the Pennsylvania map, for instance the town of Zionhill between Allentown and Quakertown. Muncy Formed as Pennsborough by four Quaker brothers around 1787, the name was changed in 1827 to commemorate the local Monsey tribe. Muncy was the site of an infamous riot in 1842 between supporters of the slavery movement and their abolitionist foes. Many of the rioters were later convicted of various misdemeanors, but their convictions were overturned by governor David Porter, acting it is said under intense political pressure. For this blatant act of weaseldom, the governor earned the dubious nickname "Previous Pardonin' Porter." Lest we forget, the word "munsee" has been translated as "where stones are gathered together." Nanticoke Apparently the town of Nanticoke was an early home of Nanticoke Indians, and the story goes that Nanticoke owed its beginnings to the water power made possible by a nearby falls. The Nanticoke Indians, by the way, known for settling the eastern shore region of Maryland, are sometimes known as "the seashore settlers." At least one other town in this region, Towanda, owes its name to the Nanticoke. Nanty Glo Named in 1901 from the Welsh Nant-Y-Glo, or "stream of coal." The word "stream" has also been translated as brook or ravine, but you get the point. Located in the Johnstown area. Also, special thanks go out to Richard Morgan, of Cardiff, Wales. Richard mentions that a village of Nant-y-Glo once existed about 25 miles north of the Welsh capital, in a densely populated coal mining region. He points out the linguistic distinction that Nant-y-Glo can be translated as "a stream flowing over (or adjacent to) coal," or "the coal (or charcoal) stream." Mr. Morgan also mentions that the former Welsh Nant-y-Glo was located near today's village of Bryn-Mawr. (As a youth living near Bryn Mawr street in West Scranton, the humble author of this web page was once asked by a delivery man how to find the street named "Brian Mauer.") Nativity A section of south Scranton built around Nativity church. This bit of information in itself is hardly earth-shattering, but it's interesting to note that the area was once called Shanty Hill, most likely because of the "Shanty Irish" (see below) living in the neighborhood. Nay Aug (Park) From Naw-yaug, meaning "roaring brook," which now of course passes right through the park. Some people translate it as "noisy water." A section of far-eastern Dunmore, near the present-day Holiday Inn, was also once referred to as the Village of Nay-Aug (prior to this it was known as Greenville). Some people suggest the Nay Aug name was delivered our way by settlers from Connecticut. This assertion does have some merit, as the names Nay Aug and Roaring Brook can still be found in the area of Glastonbury, near Hartford. In fact a Nay Aug tribe may have existed here in the 1600s. Perhaps we can thank our lucky stars that Nay Aug does not come from Greenwich CT, which boasts a neighborhood named Mianus. Comedians have had a field day with this one, asking locals such probing questions as "Is Mianus a big place?" Nebraska The best explanation is that this section of Jermyn was named by or for residents who headed west to the state of Nebraska in the 1870s, were disillusioned by what they found, and later returned. Negro Pond Found in Wyoming County near Laceyville and once listed on maps as "Nigger Pond," a possible holdover from the days of the underground railroad. The older designation does sound offensive to the modern ear, but in earlier times it probably contained a lesser amount of shock value, similar to Mark Twain's use of the word in books such as Tom Sawyer. In the 1840s, by the way, Wilkes-Barre reportedly had a section called "Nigger Hill." Nescopeck Means "black, deep and still water." Nesquehoning (Carbon County) Once known as Hell's Kitchen or simply The Kitchen. Means "narrow valley." New Castle Township (Schuylkill county) Named after the coalmining city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Part of the idea was to turn this Pennsylvania town into an industrial powerhouse just like its namesake city in Britain. Newfoundland Here we find the new found land of Daniel Stroud, who along with his father Jacob helped establish Stroudsburg. It's a safe assumption that no one around here confuses the local Newfoundland with the Canadian province which boasts a small fishing village named Dildo. This cheeky little name started appearing on maps as early as 1771. These days the town features an annual Dildo Days every August, featuring music, games, and of course a beer tent, and television crews from around the world have filmed feature stories here. Over the years many people have called for a change of name, but as one resident puts it, "It was good enough for our forefathers, so it's good enough for us." If you're ever looking for a good debate among beer and friends, consider discussing whether the name Dildo can top a now-defunct location along today's Route 29 in Susquehanna County that was known as Butts Corners. The spot may have been located in Liberty Township, which was once referred to as Lawsville until 1836. Perhaps the Butts Corners contingent simply packed up and moved to the oh-so-special place in Tennessee known as Coon Butt. New Milford Known as McCarty's Corners in the 1790s, this town 30 miles north of Scranton was first inhabited by settlers from the area of Milford, Connecticut and apparently bears no special relation to Milford on the Delaware River. Newport Township Named by setters from Newport, Rhode Island. Newton Located to the west of Scranton, Newton was named around 1844 by settlers from Newton in northwestern New Jersey. Other Jersey towns that share Pennsylvania names include Lewistown, Quakertown, Milford, Allentown, Lebanon, and Hamburg. And don't forget, Pennsylvania has a Jersey Shore (but for better or worse, no Newark). New Tripoli Located north of Allentown. The name was probably bestowed by one Samuel Ely, a landowner in the early 1800s. At the time, the American navy had just subdued the belligerent city-state of Tripoli on the North African coast. Part of what were called the Barbary States, Tripoli took great pleasure in confiscating American ships and crew, demanding ransom money in lieu of enslavement, particularly for American crew members who were obviously Christian. The local name is pronounced not TRIP'-o-lee, but for some odd reason is called New Trip-OH'-lee, possibly reflecting the strain of individualism which is such a deeply ingrained aspect of the American psyche. Nicholson Once known as Thornbottom, the town is named for John Nicholson, Pennsylvania comptroller from 1782 to 1794. A land speculator, Nicholson claimed ownership to some 3.7 million acres covering parts of 39 counties. Due to "unsettled accounts" and charged with using state funds to fuel his devious land deals, Nicholson was nearly impeached and his land reverted to the state. In 1800, this apparent charlatan died in debtor's prison in Philadelphia. Nicholson is home to the famed, and rightfully so, Nicholson Bridge, properly known as the Tunkhannock Viaduct. Whether both a dead body and a stash of gold are buried inside are legends that may never die. Nicholson also contains the old village of Baconville, named for tavern owner Nathan Bacon. Nippenose township (Williamsport area) The story behind this one is up in the air, right with someone's nose. One suggestion says the name is taken from the Indian phrase nippenowi, meaning "a warm and genial summer-like place." The other story smells like a fish tale: An old Indian named Nippenose had remained behind in the valley long after it was settled by whites. Apparently his nose had been "nipped" by exposure to the frost, and the rest of the story is fodder for barbershops, taverns, political debates, and most any other place where tall tales are the order of the day. Nittany As in Nittany Mountains. The name means either "single mountain" or "protective barrier against the elements." Nolo Two explanations exist for this town in southwest PA. The first is that "nolo" is Latin for "I will not," reflecting the standard level of defiance toward established authority that was expected of an early frontiersman. The second explanation also works, since Nolo is located high on a hill where there is "no low ground." Noodledoosie Most place-names don't make this list until the explanation is rock solid and crystal clear, or as the British might stay, it's been stamped "Paid in Full." But let's make an exception here given the colorful nature of this place near Ephrata (see above) in the Lancaster area. Some productive orchards exist near here, which once led to the name Fruitville (and note that one possible translation of the word Ephrata is "fruitful;" those Amish really knew what they were talking about). Though the village of Fruitville is gone, thank goodness the road from Lancaster to Manheim is still called the Fruitville Pike. And maybe someday, many centuries hence, an obscure researcher holed up in a lonely reference room may someday put the "Paid" stamp to the story behind the noodle and the doosie. Normalville Found in the Pittsburgh metro area, it's so named because it's the home of a state teachers' college, once known as a "normal school." For instance, Bloomsburg, Mansfield and East Stroudsburg Universities (one cringes to call these joints universities) were all at one time "normal schools," designed to expose future teachers to the educational standards, or norms, they were expected to achieve and practice. Northumberland county Formed in 1772 and named after the most northern county in England. Its largest towns are Shamokin and Sunbury. Norvelt One of the more recent towns to appear on the Pennsylvania landscape. In the years following the great depression, President Roosevelt was a main architect of the New Deal designed to lift Americans by their own bootstraps. One such effort was originally called the Westmoreland Homesteads, a federal housing development in Westmoreland County (greater Pittsburgh area) designed to facilitate home ownership to families that couldn't otherwise afford it. Spearheading the local effort was Eleanor Roosevelt who visited the Homesteads in 1937 -- driving her own car, no less. In her honor, the locals took the last syllables of EleaNOR and RooseVELT and welded together a tribute that will last for ages. If that's not enough acknowledgement for the former First Lady, the Eleanor Roosevelt Banquet Hall still exists in Norvelt today. Norwegian Township (Schuylkill county) Early settlers thought its mountains resembled rugged Norway, though the settlers themselves were generally German. Noxen Sitting on the southern border of Wyoming County, a few miles up the road from Harvey’s Lake, Noxen was once a bustling spot back in its heyday in the 1800s. The Lehigh Valley Railroad extended this far, servicing the lumber and tanning trades. Legend says that way back in the day, a team of oxen was plodding down the main street, and a little girl chirped "Look mommy, there goes a team of n'oxen." These days Noxen is home to an annual fundraiser called the Rattlesnake Roundup, held every June for the not-so-squeamish, though it’s not known for sure whether oxtail soup is on the menu. Nuangola Possibly means "people of the north." Nuangola Lake, south of Nanticoke, is supposedly named after the Indian maiden who drowned there, a story that bears an eerie resemblance to Lake Winola (see above). Both stories resemble the legend behind Winona Falls, south of Matamoras. It's been said that Princess Winona jumped to her death from a cliff overlooking the falls once she learned her tribe declared war on the tribe of her lover. The close correspondence of all three stories suggests the legends are more a matter of a singular Indian myth revolving around the destructive force of love sickness, a theme the ancient Greeks took up on occasion. Although it's shaped more like a heart, Nuangola Lake was originally called Triangular Lake and Three Cornered Pond. Ohiopyle The word Ohio comes from the Seneca Indians and means "beautiful river" or "large creek," depending upon who you ask. Originally both the Ohio and Allegheny rivers went by these names, and the Iroquois Indians of upstate New York considered the rivers to be one and the same. The name Ohiopyle (ohiopehhla) is a refinement upon the word Ohio, and it is taken to mean "white frothy water." The town is located south of Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, anyone who buys into the childish delusion there's an actual place called "Wilkes-Barre"/Scranton qualifies as a gomer-pyle. Old Forge The mediocre quality of ore in the Old Forge area, once known as Mudtown, led to at least one abandoned forge by the year 1800 (it was built around 1789). A quarter century later, when settlers returned, the community referred to the abandoned works as the "old forge," located near the meeting point of the Lackawanna River and Ascension Brook, possibly near the bridge that leads to Duryea. Olyphant Originally named Queen City and Midway City, at least unofficially, the town was eventually named after George Talbot Olyphant, a president of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. An obscure legend still persists that there's a hidden treasure or some form of occult mystery hidden within Olyphant. Hints are said to be encoded in the placement of the town's downtown churches and synagogue, the positions of which, if plotted on a map, form the same pattern as the stars in the constellation Orion. The volunteer firemen of Olyphant still go by the name of Queen City Hose Company. Orangeville and Orange Township (Columbia County) The names come from settlers arriving from Orange County, New York, which was named in honor of William III (1650-1702) of the House of Orange. William is remembered for hemming in the French and thwarting their ambitions to rule over the entire European continent. His reign marked an era of greater power for Parliament as opposed to a strong-arm monarchy, in addition to sidetracking any Catholic ambitions to control the throne, a development still commemorated by the Orangemen of Northern Ireland. The Oranges of northern New Jersey are also named after him. Overshot No self-respecting town in olden times could long survive without a nearby mill or two, and the water-powered sawmill in question apparently overshot or hung over a small stream in Towanda Township, part of Bradford County. Paint Takes its name from Paint Creek in the Johnstown area, which in the 1900s attracted artists from miles around who would recreate the picturesque waterfall and gorge. Palmyra Located near Hawley, Palmyra basically means "Palm City." It was once the name of an ancient caravan city (now called Tudmur) in central Syria. A desert oasis, Palmyra dated well into Biblical times. In the Book of Genesis, chapter 12, Abraham gathers his family and possessions and begins the journey to the land of Canaan, a trip that took him through four regions whose names now or at one time appeared in Wayne County: Palmyra, Damascus, Galilee, and finally, Canaan. Indeed, if he took a little detour, he might find himself in present-day Abrahamsville. Biblical names are not uncommon in eastern Pennsylvania. They include Nazareth, Ararat, Bethlehem, and Mount Carmel. Palo Alto (Schuylkill county) Formed in 1854, named after the first major battle of the Mexican-American War in 1846. Paoli In 1769, a rather famous inn opened here west of Philadelphia, named for General Pasquale Paoli of Corsica. At a St. Patrick's Day celebration around that time, he received the final toast of the night (the 45th, to be precise). Possibly as a reward for his patience, the inn was eventually named in honor of the general, and the town later grew up around the inn. The inn was frequented by the Sons of Liberty, who were inspired by Paoli's attempts to set up a democracy back in Corsica. The Sons, some of whom pulled off the Boston Tea Party, were sometimes called "The Sons of Violence" by the British. Paradise (Lancaster county) Some people credit an early settler, Joshua Scott, with declaring that the region "seems like a paradise." Scott later became known for creating early maps of the Lancaster area. A more plausible explanation revolves around French Huguenots (Protestants) who had been driven into Germany for fear of persecution at the hands of the Catholic church. Fearing they'd be tracked down in Germany, many resettled in the New World. Compared to the fears they'd experienced in Europe, the Lancaster area must surely have seemed like a paradise, regardless of the topography. Not all the locals were pleased with the choice of Paradise. Some settlers lobbied for the name Tanawa, after a local Indian chief with whom they'd lived in peace. Others pushed for the name Pequea, which possibly means "straight arrow," giving rise to the eventual Pequea Township (pronounced PECK'-way). Parsons (section of Wilkes-Borough) Once known as Laurel Run, Parsons became a station on the Lehigh & Susquehanna line in the mid 1800s. Since the line already had a Laurel Run station elsewhere, a name-change was in order and the honor fell upon Calvin Parsons, a prominent resident. A patch This term refers to a settlement of miners huts. Paxtang Here's another locality that got kick-started by the presence of several Indian trails that converged at or near one point. Located near Harrisburg, the word comes from a Susquehannock Indian word that settlers pronounced as "peshtank," meaning "still waters." The area was, and still is, in some cases, referred to as Paxton. It was the home turf of a Scotch-Irish vigilante group known as the Paxton Boys, a group who felt that Quaker leaders were a bit too pacifist in their relations with Indians, so they took matters into their own hands, often with reckless and bloody results. Peach Bottom Located in York County and named around 1815, the honor possibly goes to the peach orchard of a farmer named John Kirk. Peckville Williamsport was once the unofficial lumber capital of the world, but northeastern Pennsylvania also "saw" its share of the lumber industry as well. For many years the Peck Lumber Manufacturing Company contributed heavily to the region's economy. The operation was begun by Samuel Peck of Massachusetts. Pennsylvania Our state was almost called New Wales before the name Sylvania was bantered about. It was King Charles II who added the prefix Penn, much to Penn's distaste. Penn gives other indications of being a humble, spiritual man, including this incisive quote taken from The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley: "There is something nearer to us than Scriptures; to wit, the Word in the heart from which all Scriptures come." Until around 1786, the colony/state of Connecticut claimed as its own territory the entire northern third of Pennsylvania, which in colonial times was known as The Quaker Province. In honor of this former distinction, we can still go to Pep Boys and buy a quart of Quaker State motor oil (which is a fine substitute for wine if you're ever invited to a dinner in Wilkes-Borough and need a quick gift). Petersburg This site is still awaiting a strong explanation behind the name of this Scranton neighborhood, which may then shed light on the mysterious origin of Moscow and help explain why the two great Russian cities are represented in our area. Picture Rocks (Muncy area) The name of the borough is derived from pictographs left behind by some Munsee Indians who once inhabited the Muncy Creek valley. Unfortunately the paintings on the cliffs above Muncy Creek have long since disappeared. See Standing Stone for another example of pictographs/petroglyphs left behind by the natives. Pigeon It is difficult to comprehend how a species of North American bird could number in the billions in the 1800s yet be totally extinct today, a shocking tragedy that highlights the devastation that can happen when we take nature for granted. In the mid 19th century, passenger pigeons by the millions would roost in parts of northwest Pennsylvania, the town of Pigeon included. So many pigeons could be lined up in one tree that the branches would snap. Considered so numerous they were impervious to totally destruction, the passenger pigeon did just that, with the final member of the species passing away in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. Pike County Named for General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, killed in 1813 at the Battle of York (now Toronto) during the War of 1812. This is the same Pike who, seven years earlier when exploring the western United States, discovered Pike's Peak -- apparently from at least 80 miles away. As a youth, Pike is said to have made several trips through the Pike County region. Pillow This borough in the Harrisburg area was originally incorporated as Uniontown. However, when the town hit the big time and got its own post office, it was soon evident that a post office under the name Uniontown already existed. A postal official soon saved the day, substituting the name "Pillow" in honor of General Gideon Pillow. The good general was popular at the time for his military victories in the Mexican-American War. However, it took another hundred years (until 1965, in fact) for voters to formalize the switchover from the name Uniontown to Pillow. Pittston Pittston was once known as Pittstown, in honor of Sir William Pitt, the same Pitt as in Pittsburgh. Prior to the American Revolution, settlements along the Susquehanna were considered part of the western frontier and were the victims of scattered Indian attacks. Frequently these attacks were encouraged by Spanish and French agents eager to intimidate the English-born settlers. Pitt was the first to successfully convince the British to commit enough resources to repel the Spanish and the French, and his efforts gained him considerable popularity in the colonies. Pitt, a British prime minister, as was his son, also believed that British lawmakers were too heavy-handed in their dealings with colonists. An important river ferry point after the Revolution, Pittstown later became Pittston Ferry, until eventually both the ferry and the name were dropped. Many ferries plowed the Susquehanna and Delaware in Pennsylvania's early days, leaving us names like Dingman's Ferry on the Delaware, Fisher's Ferry near Selinsgrove, and McCall's Ferry south of Lancaster. As mentioned above, Harrisburg was once called Harris' Ferry, and Milford was once known as Wells' Ferry. Plains Township The area was originally occupied by the Wanami tribe of the Delaware Indians, whose chief's name was Jacob. He lived on the level portion of the township near the borough of Parsons, and the name Jacob’s Plains was given to that area, until eventually old Jake was given the heave-ho and nothing but Plains remained. Plymouth Named by settlers from Plymouth, Connecticut, which took its name from Plymouth, Massachusetts, which was named in honor of Plymouth, England, home port of the Mayflower and located at the mouth of the River Plym. The local Plymouth was first known as Shawneetown, since the village sat near the site of an old Shawnee community. Others say the borough was renamed Plymouth not so much by transplants from Connecticut but simply as a tribute to the first place the Puritans had touched in the new world. Pocono From the Indian (probably Delaware) word pocohanne, meaning "stream between two mountains," and probably referring to the Delaware Water Gap. Port Clinton As with Clinton Township (see above), this section of Schuylkill county is named for DeWitt Clinton, the prime shaker and mover behind the Erie Canal. Port Clinton was a terminus of the Schuylkill Canal, serving as a loading point for coal headed toward larger markets. The town is now home to the venerable Port Clinton Hotel, a major stop for stagecoaches on the old road from Sunbury to Philadelphia. It's located on Route 61, which used to be Route 122 until the number was divided in half. Like other inns and taverns in olden times, the guestbook served also as a news bureau where travelers could relay the latest news, possibly even the baseball scores between the McAdoo Stompers and the Honeypot Cheaters. Port Jervis Named for John Jervis, a chief engineer of the Delaware & Hudson canal, later to become the chief engineer of the Erie Canal. Jervis also designed and oversaw the construction of the Croton Aqueduct and water system built to serve New York City. Port Matilda (Centre County) The port without water. Laid out by squire Clement Beckwith in 1850 and named in honor of his daughter, Matilda. The name may have reflected Beckwith's hope that the town would eventually be connected to the Pennsylvania Canal. The canal never did reach Port Matilda, but at least the railroad did. Potter County General James Potter, who made his name in the Revolutionary War, may have never set foot in this part of the state, perhaps to steer clear of the antics of another war veteran, Major Isaac Lyman. Lyman is considered the founder of the county, leaving his first wife in order to settle here. After he remarried, his first wife tracked him down and the lovely trio, it is said, lived within spitting distance of each other ever after. Pottsville Named for John Pott, a German whose last name was pronounced "putt," the ramifications of which might leave us with a high school sports team called the Pottsville Putz's. Promised Land Now a state park in Pike County, the name originated as a term of ridicule for rocky land that was barely able to support any reasonable degree of agriculture, despite the promises of the shysters who sold the tracts. For this reason an old religious sect known as the Shakers came and went, as did lumbering companies who chopped down most every tree in sight and shipped them off to the shipbuilding yards in Philadelphia. The area has since been replanted with second-growth forests. The poor agricultural conditions have also been attributed to the damage caused by ancient glaciers, and note that glaciers may have also played a role in the history of the area in and around Brooklyn PA (see above). Prompton Were the original settlers in the early 1800s prompt in paying their debts and obligations? So says one theory regarding the name origin of this town near Honesdale. Prosperity After the first settlers hunkered down here in southwest PA, they did the next natural thing: they wanted their own post office. So in order to encourage postal authorities to locate one here, they presented a glowing report (with not one iota of exaggeration, one would assume) of their village's prosperity. Providence The original township in the Scranton area, Providence remained an independent community until its merger with Scranton in 1866. The township was founded around 1770 by settlers from Providence, Rhode Island and quickly became known as a place to fetch a good bottle of whiskey. In its early years, people referred to the area as Centerville as well as The Corners, a name that remains today in the form of "Providence Corners." By 1827 folks outside of Providence often called the place "Razorville," poking fun at the supposed shady horse-trading practices of the ex-Yankees from Rhode Island, not to mention their habit of racing horses on Sundays. In naming the township, the founders (perhaps with Indians on their mind) no doubt sought to elicit all the "divine providence" they could get their hands on. One of the more memorable moments in Providence history was "The Great Blow," a tornado that touched down on July 3rd, 1834. In a matter of a few seconds, it is said, most every home was severely damaged or destroyed. Cattle were lifted in the air. A mad search went on for a baby buried under a collapsed chimney. Fortunately the tot was found under the rubble an hour later -- laughing like nothing ever happened. Another young woman sought refuge in a bed, and after her roof blew off the wind picked her up, bed and all, carrying her "several rods" to a nearby meadow. (A rod measures a little over 16 feet.) Punxsutawney Apparently the early settlers were overwhelmed at times by the huge numbers of nearly-invisible gnats that infested the region. The nickname for these gnats or sand flies, as some people called them, was "punkies," a name you'll still find in a good dictionary. So Punxsutawney is merely the "town of punkies." Puseyville See Lititz, for God's sake. Quakake This town in Schuylkill county and stream in Carbon county come from an Indian word meaning "pine woods." Ransom Named for Captain Samuel Ransom who raised a company to defend the Wyoming Valley from the British. Ransom was decapitated in the Wyoming Massacre of July 1778. Red Lion (York county) |