When was wilkes barre pa founded

It was founded in by John Durke and colonists from Connecticut , and was originally known as Wyoming. Later, it was renamed in honor of two British members of parliament, John Wilkes and Col. Isaac Barre, who had defended the American colonies in parliamentary debates.

Fort Wilkes-Barre was built in as a defense against Indians. It was rebuilt but again destroyed by fire during the second Pennamite-Yankee War.

Conflicting claims by Pennsylvania and Connecticut were finally settled in favor of Pennsylvania. The storm pushed the Susquehanna River to a height of nearly 41 feet 12 m , four feet above the city's levees, flooding downtown with nine feet of water.

Throughout the s and s, Wilkes-Barre attempted to repair the damage from Agnes by building a levee system that rises 41 feet; it has successfully battled less threatening floods of , , and , and the Army Corps of Engineers has praised the quality of the levees.

In the city made the front page of national newspapers when , residents were told to evacuate in the wake of flooding that was forecast to reach levels near that of but fell short of predictions. In late August , Hurricane Irene off the New Jersey coast caused the Susquehanna River to rise to flood stage but was no cause for alarm for the city.

However, from September 6 to September 8, heavy rains from the inland remnants of Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Katia offshore funneled heavy rain over the Wyoming Valley and into the Susquehanna River watershed. The Susquehanna swelled to record levels across the state, and in Wilkes-Barre crested on September 9 at an all-time record of Wilkes-Barre was spared from any major flooding by the levees built on the river banks of the city, however nearby boroughs that were unprotected by levees such as West Pittston , Plymouth , and parts of Plains Township were affected by extreme flooding and the subsequent water damage.

Luzerne County Courthouse seen from River Commons. On June 9, , Mayor Thomas M. Leighton unveiled his I believe Construction began on a planned downtown theatre complex which had a grand opening on June 30, , and renovation of the landmark Hotel Sterling was being pursued by CityVest, a nonprofit developer.

The expansion of Wilkes University and King's College took place. Also, the canopy and matching street lights in Public Square and across downtown were removed; the replacements are new green lampposts. The City of Wilkes-Barre celebrated its th anniversary in Several events, including a Beach Boys concert, were planned but canceled due to extremely heavy rains which caused most of the city's population to evacuate on June 28, The Riverfront revitalization project River Common , broke ground in and completed in early , once again making the riverfront accessible to the public.

The riverfront now includes an amphitheater, handicapped-accessible ramps and sidewalks, fountains, and color-changing lights underneath two bridges which carry pedestrian traffic across the normally-open levee breachings. The project stretches approximately four blocks from the Luzerne County Courthouse to the intersection of S. River Street and W. South Street. The River Common has since hosted concerts and charity events and is used by residents on a daily basis.

Since completion of the River Common, various improvements to city infrastructure have been progressing. New crosswalks have been installed downtown, which include signage reminding motorists that pedestrians have the right-of-way. The completion of the James F. Conahan Intermodal Transportation Facility has added parking and moved Luzerne County Transportation Authority buses from their former Public Square staging locations, reducing congestion in the square.

Private carrier Martz offers coach bus service from the terminal as well. The new Coal Street provides four lanes over the original two lanes, making travel between the highly commercial Wilkes-Barre Township and the city itself much easier.

The realignment also provides a rather spectacular view of the city center when traveling west into Wilkes-Barre City. Political corruption in Wilkes-Barre and Luzerne County became a major regional news story following nationwide publication of stories about the Kids for Cash scandal , a kickback scheme involving two local judges, Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan , charged with enriching themselves by investing in juvenile detention facilities to which they subsequently sentenced children under their judicial power.

Instead of risking a trial Conahan reconsidered and accepted a guilty plea. A federal jury convicted Ciavarella on corruption charges in February The arrest of the city's towing firm LAG Towing has increased these fears. Another story that developed from the case involved implications of fraud involving the towing contractor, police force and the cities credit union.

When an investigation was started by the FBI the head of the credit union killed himself. Add in a shrinking industrial base and lack of high paying jobs, Wilkes Barre like many cities is in decline with no sign of recovery.

Executive The city is headed by a mayor, elected to a four-year term. Thomas M. Leighton , the current mayor, is a Democrat and has been in office since Legislative The legislative branch of Wilkes-Barre is the City Council , comprising five members who are elected by district to four-year terms. Barrett and George are former Wilkes-Barre City police chiefs. Vinsko Jr. Its probation system is divided into two divisions: adult and juvenile. Luzerne County senior judges are Hugh F.

The U. Bankruptcy Judge John J. Thomas is son of Thomas C. Thomas, a prominent produce dealer whose terminal remains a prominent part of the Wilkes-Barre skyline. According to the city's Facebook page, Wilkes-Barre houses the 4th largest downtown workforce in the state of Pennsylvania. In Interstate 81 passes north—south near Wilkes-Barre, and the city is also located near the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and is about 10 miles 16 km north of Interstate Public transportation is provided by the Luzerne County Transportation Authority.

In addition to servicing the main arteries of the city, it provides transportation for the northern half of the county, as well as a connecting bus to Scranton via an interchange at Pittston with County of Lackawanna Transit System COLTS , the public transit authority of Lackawanna County.

The Wilkes-Barre Traction Company formed a streetcar line from Georgetown to Nanticoke and over the river into Plymouth ceasing operations in the mids. At present, the Canadian Pacific Railway successor to the Delaware and Hudson and the Luzerne and Susquehanna Railroad designated-operator of a county-owned shortline provide freight service within the city.

Template:Wyoming Valley roads. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 7. While the Susquehanna River has a wide floodplain that has necessitated the construction of floodwalls to protect a large percentage of the city, the areas away from the river increase in elevation approaching Wilkes-Barre Mountain. The elevation of the downtown is about feet m above sea level.

Downtown panorama from Laurel Run. Central City The area now referred to as "Downtown", between South and North Streets, and bordered by River Street and Wilkes-Barre Boulevard to the West and East respectively, is the original foundation of Wilkes-Barre, the 16 blocks claimed by the Connecticut settlers who founded the city.

Throughout the city's history, the area has remained a hub for all of Luzerne County. During the city's boom, this small area was home to the headquarters of more than national corporations. North End This is the area northeast of Downtown. It comprises a number of urban and suburban communities, and is renowned for its interesting and beautiful architecture.

Parsons This is a quiet part of town with a suburban atmosphere. It includes two city parks, a golf course, and a number of factories. Miners' Mills Named after an early prominent local family, it is the last neighborhood on the northeastern border of the city.

South Wilkes-Barre This is the area directly southwest of Downtown. The tallest church in Luzerne County, St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, dominates the south end skyline at nearly '. Supreme Court. Artist C.

Luzerne County School Districts Consolidation plan begins - dropping from 60 to 10 districts. Hurricane Agnes floods Wilkes-Barre and the Wyoming Valley and becomes the costliest natural disaster in the United States at that time. Everything Wilkes-Barre Merchandise. Hoyt of Kingston elected Governor of Pennsylvania.