Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Old Forge is a borough in Lackawanna County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 8,313 at the 2010 census.
inn between Wilkes-Barre
and Carbondale
. Drake's son, Ebenezer, secured a post office for Old Forge in 1848, where he served as postmaster until 1885. On May 26, 1871, Old Forge Township was designated, as it previously had been part of Lackawanna Township. Old Forge Borough was incorporated on May 2, 1899.
. It was during this time that the borough's population reached an all-time high of over 14,000 residents. As a result of a major coal mining strike, many people left Old Forge and the population dropped to 12,661 according to the 1930 census
.
The 1930s brought a new industry to the borough in that of textiles. This was an important addition to the industry of Old Forge during World War II
. By the 1950s, the Maxson Corporation began operating its electronics factory, at one point employing as many as 1,000. The Knox Mine Disaster
on January 22, 1959 virtually put an end to all anthracite coal mining in the area.
The 1960s and 1970s saw the growth of what has become the borough's trademark, the pizza business. The origins of selling pizza are believed to be rooted within the Ghigiarelli family, when Mrs. Ghigiarelli used to serve her homemade pizza to coal miners who gathered to play cards. This led to what is known as "Old Forge Pizza." This pizza is typically rectangular in shape with a balanced tangy sauce, and topped with a creamier cheese, similar to fontina
or white American
, on a crispy thicker crust. Old Forge style pizza is served at many restaurants in Northeastern Pennsylvania
and as far away as Michigan
, Florida
, and Colorado
.
Here are some of the restaurants, past and present, that are famous for pizza:
from Erie
24-19 for the state basketball championship. At the time, schools were not divided by class, thus there was only one state champion in the whole state. Sixty years later in 1992, Old Forge won the Class ""AA" state championship in baseball by beating Ridgway
15-5. In 2009, the high school softball team lost 1-0 in the state championship.
Old Forge has had a long standing rival with neighboring town Taylor
that goes back to 1939 when Old Forge beat the Taylor Trojans 2-0 in the first meeting of the two teams on the football field. Thus began the "Old Forge-Taylor Football Rivalry". A tradition began in 1940 of the two teams meeting on Thanksgiving Day. This continued until 1974. The rivalry was on hiatus from 1988 until 2000, when the two teams met renewing the heated rivalry between the two neighboring towns. Riverside has won 8 of the 12 recent meetings, including 5 of the last 6.
of 2010, there were 8,313 people, 3,734 households, and 2,276 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 2,375.1 per square mile (927.8/km²). There were 4,040 housing units at an average density of 1,154.3 per square mile (450.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.9% White, 1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.
There were 3,734 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46% were married couples
living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.5% under the age of 18, 61.1% from 18 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.1 years.
The median income for a household in the borough was $35,090, and the median income for a family was $46,152. Males had a median income of $34,159 versus $22,887 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $19,228. About 4.7% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under the age of 18 and 12.0% ages 65 or older.
s. One of the more notable nor'easters to hit Old Forge was the Blizzard of 1993 when Old Forge received approximately 21" of snow from that storm. Winter also brings the more dangerous ice, sleet, and freezing rain, which has caused several traffic accidents over the years. Tropical storms and hurricanes occasionally survive up the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and cross into Pennsylvania
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 213,295 people, 86,218 households, and 55,783 families residing in the county. The population density was 465 people per square mile . There were 95,362 housing units at an average density of 208 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 8,313 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Old Forge is located at 41°22′11"N 75°44′18"W (41.369679, -75.738297). The borough has a total area of 3.5 square miles (8.9 km²) which is all land..History
The history of Old Forge can be traced back to the creation of the original iron forge in 1789 by Dr. William Smith, who was an army surgeon in the Revolutionary War. During the 1820s, Charles Drake operated the only stagecoachStagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
inn between Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
and Carbondale
Carbondale, Pennsylvania
Carbondale is a city in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carbondale is located approximately 15 miles due northeast of the city of Scranton in Northeastern Pennsylvania...
. Drake's son, Ebenezer, secured a post office for Old Forge in 1848, where he served as postmaster until 1885. On May 26, 1871, Old Forge Township was designated, as it previously had been part of Lackawanna Township. Old Forge Borough was incorporated on May 2, 1899.
Coal mining era
During the early part of the twentieth century, the borough's main industry was anthracite coal mining along with a minor silk throwing industry. During the 1920s, the Dutchess Underwear Company came to Old Forge where many residents worked until the 1950s, when the company relocated to GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It was during this time that the borough's population reached an all-time high of over 14,000 residents. As a result of a major coal mining strike, many people left Old Forge and the population dropped to 12,661 according to the 1930 census
United States Census, 1930
The Fifteenth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau one month from April 1, 1930, determined the resident population of the United States to be 122,775,046, an increase of 13.7 percent over the 106,021,537 persons enumerated during the 1920 Census.-Census questions:The 1930 Census...
.
The 1930s brought a new industry to the borough in that of textiles. This was an important addition to the industry of Old Forge during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. By the 1950s, the Maxson Corporation began operating its electronics factory, at one point employing as many as 1,000. The Knox Mine Disaster
Knox Mine disaster
The Knox Mine disaster was a mining accident that took place in Port Griffith, a town in Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, near Pittston, on January 22, 1959....
on January 22, 1959 virtually put an end to all anthracite coal mining in the area.
Pizza
The 1960s saw the Butler Silk Mill and the Maxson Corp. close. The Gabriel Sporting Goods Company moved into a portion of the Maxson plant. Brooks Manufacturing was the major employer in town during this time. By the 1970s, though, Brooks was undergoing a major reduction in workforce and eventually closed in the 1980s to be replaced by its current tenant, King Coil Mattress Co.The 1960s and 1970s saw the growth of what has become the borough's trademark, the pizza business. The origins of selling pizza are believed to be rooted within the Ghigiarelli family, when Mrs. Ghigiarelli used to serve her homemade pizza to coal miners who gathered to play cards. This led to what is known as "Old Forge Pizza." This pizza is typically rectangular in shape with a balanced tangy sauce, and topped with a creamier cheese, similar to fontina
Fontina
Fontina is a cow's milk Italian cheese. Fontina cheese has been made in the Aosta Valley, in the Alps since the 12th century. It has a milk fat content of around 45%. As with many original varieties, the name "Fontina" has been imposed upon by such derivatives as "Fontinella", "Fontal", and...
or white American
American cheese
American cheese is a processed cheese. It is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. American cheese was originally only white, but is usually now modified to yellow. In the past it was made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby...
, on a crispy thicker crust. Old Forge style pizza is served at many restaurants in Northeastern Pennsylvania
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Northeastern Pennsylvania is a geographic region of Pennsylvania that includes the Pocono Mountains, the Endless Mountains and the industrial cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Hazleton and Carbondale....
and as far away as Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Here are some of the restaurants, past and present, that are famous for pizza:
- Salerno's
- Arcaro & Genell's
- Revello's
- Café Rinaldi
- Ghigiarelli's
- Mucciolo's
- Augustine's Club 17
- Lettieri's
- Pelosi's
- Gabello's
- Brutico's
- Laurenzi's
- Anthony's
- Old Forge Pizza
- Fortunato's
- Maxie's
- Mancuso's
- Talarico's
Government
Old Forge consists of a burgess (mayor) and a six-seat council government established in 1899. The first election was held on May 13, 1899. In 1901, a petition was filed to divide the borough into wards and in 1903 six election wards were established . In 1927, the Sixth Ward was divided into 3 districts. The term "burgess" was used until 1961 when office became known as "mayor". Here is a history of the Burgesses/Mayors in Old Forge.| Name | Term |
|---|---|
| Andrew Kennedy | 1899–1900 |
| R.W. Rees (Resigned) | 1900–1902 |
| J.N. Cooke | 1902–1903 |
| John Hayes (Grandfather of Congressman Joseph McDade Joseph M. McDade Joseph Michael "Joe" McDade is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district.-Early life and career:... ) |
1903–1906 |
| Edward Garvin | 1906–1909 |
| William Repp | 1909–1913 |
| Martin Memlo | 1913–1917 |
| Michael Farrell | 1917–1921 |
| Frank Costanza | 1921–1925 |
| Frank Burger | 1925–1929 |
| Louis Pagnotti | 1929–1933 |
| Thomas Carey | 1933–1937 |
| James Tedesco | 1937–1945 |
| Bart Petrini | 1945–1965 |
| Edmund Wascavage | 1965–1969 |
| Elio Ghigiarelli | 1969–1973 |
| Edward Salerno | 1973–1977 |
| Frank DeGennari | 1977–1981 |
| Anthony Cristiano | 1981–1985 |
| Amil Bertocki | 1985–1989 |
| Anthony Trotta | 1989–1993 |
| Edward Kania | 1993–1997 |
| Philip Tagliaterra | 1997–2001 |
| Anthony Torquato | 2001–2005 |
| Michelle Avvisato | 2005–present |
Neighborhoods
There are many sections of Old Forge named in the early years of the borough, which still are referenced to today.| Name | Location |
|---|---|
| Austin Heights | West Northwest, above Milwaukee Avenue |
| Babylon | South, in lower Old Forge along Main Street |
| Barbertown | North Northwest, area near Vine Street |
| Bush Patch | West, area along Milwaukee Avenue |
| Connel's Patch | West Southwest, in lower Old Forge on the north side of the Lackawanna River |
| Goose Alley | East Southeast, area of River Street |
| Lawrenceville | South, area along Bridge Street |
| Rendham | Northeast, area around Dunn Avenue |
| Rosemount | North, near Keyser Avenue |
| Sibley | North Northwest, area along Keyser Avenue between Oak Street and Sibley Avenue |
| Snyder's Patch | East, area behind Moosic Road between First & Hoover Streets |
Sports
The Old Forge Blue Devils have a long, rich history in the area of sports. During the 1950s and 1960s, Old Forge dominated the area in football and basketball, winning several league championships and conference titles. During the 1950s, Old Forge compiled the highest winning percentage for football in the entire state. The school has been to the state championship game three times and has won twice. In 1932 Old Forge beat St. Vincent HighStrong Vincent High School
Strong Vincent High School is a public high school in Erie, Pennsylvania.-History:Construction began in 1928 and Strong Vincent opened for classes in the1930’s. Originally named West High School. Later changed to honor General Strong Vincent,...
from Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
24-19 for the state basketball championship. At the time, schools were not divided by class, thus there was only one state champion in the whole state. Sixty years later in 1992, Old Forge won the Class ""AA" state championship in baseball by beating Ridgway
Ridgway, Pennsylvania
Ridgway is a borough in and the county seat of Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:Ridgway was founded by Philadelphian shipping merchant Jacob Ridgway and James Gillis. Jacob Ridgway earned substantial wealth both in Philadelphia and abroad in London. He constantly sent sums of money...
15-5. In 2009, the high school softball team lost 1-0 in the state championship.
Old Forge has had a long standing rival with neighboring town Taylor
Taylor, Pennsylvania
Taylor is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, four miles southwest of Scranton on the Lackawanna River. Silk manufacturing and coal mining were once practiced in the borough. In 1900, 4,215 people lived in Taylor; in 1910, 9,060; and in 1940, 9,002 people resided in the...
that goes back to 1939 when Old Forge beat the Taylor Trojans 2-0 in the first meeting of the two teams on the football field. Thus began the "Old Forge-Taylor Football Rivalry". A tradition began in 1940 of the two teams meeting on Thanksgiving Day. This continued until 1974. The rivalry was on hiatus from 1988 until 2000, when the two teams met renewing the heated rivalry between the two neighboring towns. Riverside has won 8 of the 12 recent meetings, including 5 of the last 6.
Notable people
- Robert NardelliRobert NardelliRobert Louis "Bob" Nardelli was the chairman and chief executive officer of Chrysler. He had earlier served in a similar capacity at The Home Depot from December 2000 to January 2007. Prior to that, Nardelli had risen to become one of the top four executives at General Electric...
- CEO of ChryslerChryslerChrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
Corporation - Allan Jones - Actor
- Louis Carpellotti - World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero and namesake of the USS Carpellotti (APD-136)USS Carpellotti (APD-136)USS Carpellotti was a , the second ship of the United States Navy to be assigned the name Carpellotti, after Marine Private First Class Louis J... - Lou TomasettiLou TomasettiLouis Vincent Tomasetti was an American football running back in the NFL from 1939 to 1942 and in the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949. Tomasetti played college football at Bucknell University....
- Professional football player - Chuck CherundoloChuck CherundoloCharles James "Chuck" Cherundolo, Jr. is a former American football player and coach. He played center and linebacker for ten seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Rams, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers...
- Professional football player - Paul PlishkaPaul PlishkaPaul Plishka is a Ukrainian-American bass opera singer.Mr Plishka comes from Old Forge, Pennsylvania and Paterson, New Jersey; his parents were American-born children of Ukrainian immigrants...
- OperaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer - Glynn LunneyGlynn LunneyGlynn S. Lunney is a retired NASA engineer. An employee of NASA since its foundation in 1958, Lunney was a flight director during the Gemini and Apollo programs, and was on duty during historic events such as the Apollo 11 lunar ascent and the pivotal hours of the Apollo 13 crisis...
- NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
engineer. - Peter Carew (Rinaldi) - Actor
- Rosalie AllenRosalie AllenRosalie Allen was born Julie Marlene Bedra on June 27, 1924, in Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania and died September 24, 2003. Allen grew up the daughter of a Polish immigrant chiropractor in a large, impoverished Pennsylvania family...
- Singer - Ray Rychleski - Special teams coordinator for the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
- Joe Amato - NHRA Top Fuel championship a record five occasions and scored 52 event victories.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 8,313 people, 3,734 households, and 2,276 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,375.1 per square mile (927.8/km²). There were 4,040 housing units at an average density of 1,154.3 per square mile (450.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.9% White, 1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.
There were 3,734 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.5% under the age of 18, 61.1% from 18 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.1 years.
The median income for a household in the borough was $35,090, and the median income for a family was $46,152. Males had a median income of $34,159 versus $22,887 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $19,228. About 4.7% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under the age of 18 and 12.0% ages 65 or older.
Climate
The climate of Old Forge is classified as humid continental. The town generally has hot and humid summers. Old Forge's warmest month (on average) is July at 87 °F (29 °C) and the coldest month (on average) being January at 34 °F (1 °C). Old Forge occasionally has some severe weather, mostly thunderstorms and flooding. Winters bring snow, with some years bringing low amounts of snow to others with several feet of snow caused by Nor'easterNor'easter
A nor'easter is a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, so named because the storm travels to the northeast from the south and the winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada...
s. One of the more notable nor'easters to hit Old Forge was the Blizzard of 1993 when Old Forge received approximately 21" of snow from that storm. Winter also brings the more dangerous ice, sleet, and freezing rain, which has caused several traffic accidents over the years. Tropical storms and hurricanes occasionally survive up the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and cross into Pennsylvania