Forty Fort, Pennsylvania

Infobox Settlement
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settlement_type = Borough
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Pennsylvania
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Luzerne
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government_type = Borough Council
leader_title = Mayor
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established_title = Settled
established_date = 1778
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 = 1887
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area_total_sq_mi = 1.5
area_land_sq_mi = 1.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.2
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population_as_of = 2000
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population_total = 4579
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi = 3418.3
timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
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latd = 41
latm = 17
lats = 0
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longd = 75
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longs = 24
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postal_code_type = Zip code
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area_code = 570
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Forty Fort is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,579 at the 2000 census. It neighbors the surrounding boroughs of Kingston, Wyoming, and Swoyersville. The Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport and the Susquehanna River dike are both located in the borough.

History

Forty Fort was named for a Revolutionary War era fort that the towns original settlers built, there were forty of these settlers, so the town was later named Forty Fort. Forty Fort was prominent in the Pennamite-Yankee War and in the American Revolution. In the vicinity of this fort occurred, in 1778, the infamous Wyoming Massacre. The first forty settlers from Connecticut built the fort, which explains how the borough got its name.
*Pearce, Annals of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, (Philadelphia, 1860)
*Smith, History of Wyoming Valley, (Kingston, Pa., 1906)

Forty Fort is home to the oldest building known in all of what is considered northeastern Pennsylvania, the Forty Fort Meeting House, located in the borough's cemetery. The meeting house has survived since the late 1700s. In late October, 2005, Forty Fort's Wyoming Seminary Lower School launched a thus-far successful attempt "to save" the building from damage and preserve it as a recollection of past historic memories of Forty Fort. Forty Fort also hosts the historical Nathan Denison house. Denison served as colonel of the militia the area during the American Revolution.

Forty Fort has a strong council/weak mayor form of government. Council basically makes all decisions for the borough and the Council President is the head. Joe Chacke is the current Council President.

Forty Fort has a proud sporting tradition, including the 1980 championship by the Forty Fort Flyers.

Transportation

*The lengthy, famous U.S. Highway 11 that stretches out from Canada to Louisiana runs across Forty Fort on Wyoming Avenue, which is the longest non-highway road in all of northeastern Pennsylvania.
*Forty Fort is home to the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport below the dike of the Susquehanna River and it serves private flights such as jets and much more minimally sized planes than those that fly through Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in the nearby town of Avoca.

Education

Four schools are located in Forty Fort:
*Wyoming Seminay Lower School, a private school suited for pre-K-8th grade
*Dana Elem. Center (public elementary school)
*Appletree Nursery and Elementary School (public school)

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.5 square miles (4.0 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (12.99%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 4,579 people, 1,989 households, and 1,261 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,418.3 people per square mile (1,319.4/km²). There were 2,098 housing units at an average density of 1,566.2/sq mi (604.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.47% White, 0.50% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52% of the population.

There were 1,989 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the borough the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $40,306, and the median income for a family was $50,667. Males had a median income of $36,696 versus $29,199 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,558. About 5.4% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

* [http://www.fortyfortumc.org Forty Fort United Methodist Church]