Nanticoke, Pennsylvania

The name Nanticoke was derived from Nentego ("tidewater people"), an Algonquian-speaking Native American people who moved to the Wyoming Valley when their Maryland lands were spoiled for hunting by the European settlers.[4] For quite some time, the tribe maintained a village in the valley before Europeans settled there. The nearby Nanticoke Creek, also named after the tribe, was once known as Muddy Run. However, its current name was appearing on maps as early as 1776. The creek has also historically been referred to by many other names, including Lee's Creek, Miller's Creek, Robbins Creek, Bobbs Creek, Rummage Creek, and Warrior Run Creek.[5] All of these names were described as erroneous in Henry C. Bradsby's 1893 book History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.[5]

A forge was constructed on Nanticoke Creek in 1778 by Mason F. Alden and John Alden. During that same year, a log gristmill was also built near the creek by a Mr. Chapman. The mill was heavily guarded in 1780. By 1793, a sawmill and gristmill both existed on the creek.[5]

An old postcard of Main Street

In the 19th century, Nanticoke was carved out of Hanover Township and Newport Township. The settlement was incorporated as a village in 1830; Nanticoke was chartered by the Pennsylvania Legislature as a borough on January 31, 1874. Nanticoke experienced its greatest population increase between 1917 and 1925. This allowed for it to qualify as a third class city.[6]

The citizens voted in the fall of 1924 to form a city government; and elections were held the following year. The new city government consisted of a mayor and several councilmen, who took office in January 1926 (which was the official date of becoming a third class city). The first mayor of Nanticoke City was Dan Sakowski.[7]

Samuel H. Kress opened his first store, which grew into the national S. H. Kress & Co. chain, in Nanticoke.[8]

The city gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining community, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants. At its peak, in the 1930s, the city was home to over 27,000 people. However, when the mining industry in the region collapsed, Nanticoke witnessed urban decay and a shrinking population. The collapse of the mining industry also left behind a scarred landscape – abandoned mines, breakers, buildings, and an impaired creek due to mine drainage.[9] Concrete City, built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's coal division in 1911, is located near the Hanover Section of Nanticoke. Abandoned since 1924, it was designated as an historic site in 1998, and its remnants still stand as a tourist attraction. The original entrance has since been bulldozed. However, there is an alternate route that does not appear on maps; it can be found at the end of Bliss & Mosier Streets.[10]

In 1967, Luzerne County Community College, a two-year community college, was established in the city. Today, the main campus covers roughly 167 acres in Nanticoke. The school also maintains eleven satellite learning centers located throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.[11]

Nanticoke City officials voted unanimously to apply for Act 47, or economically distressed city status, which was granted by the state in 2006. Nanticoke faced a projected $700,000 deficit that year, with revenues flat and falling far behind expenses.

Armory in Nanticoke

An old postcard of the post office in Downtown Nanticoke

An old postcard of Nanticoke Park

An old postcard of the World War II memorial in Nanticoke Park

• Hanover Township (east and south)
• Newport Township (west and south)
• Plymouth Township (north)

Nanticoke has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and the hardiness zone is 6a bordering on 6b. Average monthly temperatures range from 26.9 °F in January to 72.6 °F in July.[17]

• I-81
• US 11
• PA 29

• Nanticoke is served by the Luzerne County Transportation Authority, which provides bus service to the city and other communities within Luzerne County and Lackawanna County.[18]

• Rail line service is provided by the Norfolk Southern Railway; the city is situated on the railroad's Sunbury Line (where a small freight yard is located).

• The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is located in Pittston Township. The airport is served by eight international airlines and has hosted Air Force One on regional presidential visits several times in the past. In the spring of 2002, the airport began offering an increased number of non-stop flights across the nation. Service is provided by Continental Airlines, Delta, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways.[19]
• The Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport is located three miles north of Wilkes-Barre.[20]
• The Hazleton Municipal Airport is located two miles northwest of Hazleton.[21]

• Greater Nanticoke Area School District serves the city of Nanticoke and the surrounding townships of Plymouth, Newport, and Conyningham. Greater Nanticoke Area School District encompasses approximately 52 square miles (130 km²).
• Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) is a two-year community college located in Nanticoke. LCCC offers over 100 academic, technical, and career programs. It has an open admissions policy for most programs and has over 30,000 graduates. In addition to the 167-acre main campus in Nanticoke, the school maintains 11 satellite learning centers located throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. College Centers are located in Berwick, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Shamokin, Hazleton, and Kulpmont.
• Mill Memorial Library

WQFM 92.1 FM, WSFX-FM at 89.1, WVHO 94.5 FM, and WGMF 730 AM are licensed in Nanticoke.