Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
| Borough of Old Forge | |
|---|---|
| Borough | |
Dooley's Pub
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 Old Forge
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| Coordinates: 41°22′11″N 75°44′18″W / 41.36972°N 75.73833°WCoordinates: 41°22′11″N 75°44′18″W / 41.36972°N 75.73833°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lackawanna |
| Established | 1899 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor/Council |
| • Mayor | Bob Mulkerin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.5 sq mi (9 km2) |
| • Land | 3.5 sq mi (9 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 732 ft (223 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 8,313 |
| • Density | 2,375.1/sq mi (917.0/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 18518 |
| Area code(s) | 570 |
| Website | www |
Old Forge is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,313 at the 2010 census. It is located approximately 2 miles from Scranton and 9 miles from Wilkes-Barre.
Old Forge is located at 41°22′11″N 75°44′18″W / 41.36972°N 75.73833°W (41.369679, -75.738297). The borough has a total area of 3.5 square miles (8.9 km²) which is all land. The major body of water flowing through the borough is the Lackawanna River, part of the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed. Acid mine drainage into the Lackawanna River from a borehole in Old Forge is the largest point source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.
The history of Old Forge can be traced back to 1789 by Dr. William Smith, who was an army surgeon in the American Revolutionary War. During the 1820s, Charles Drake operated the only stagecoach 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.
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 Georgia. 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.
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