The Battle of Wyoming in 1778Pittston as depicted on an 1892 panoramic mapHundreds gather at the site of the Twin Shaft Disaster immediately after the cave-in (1896).Child laborers at a Pittston coal mine (in 1911). The photo was taken by Lewis Hine.
1 July 1778: During the Revolutionary War, Fort Jenkins (apatriotstockade in present-day West Pittston) surrendered to the British (under Major John Butler). It was later burned to the ground.
3 July 1778: A force of British soldiers, led by John Butler, with the assistance of about 700 Indians, attacked and killed nearly 300 Wyoming Valley settlers. Today in the Borough of Wyoming, a monument marks the gravesite of the victims from the Battle of Wyoming.
4 July 1778: Fort Pittston (located in what is now Pittston City) surrendered to the British and some of it was partially destroyed. It was later restored and used until the end of the Revolutionary War.
September 1778: Revenge for the Wyoming defeat was taken by American Colonel Thomas Hartley who, with 200 soldiers, burned nine to twelve Seneca, Delaware and Mingo villages along the Susquehanna River in northeast Pennsylvania, including Tioga and Chemung.
1833: The Wyoming Monument was constructed in Wyoming to commemorate the 1778 battle and the gravesite of the victims from the massacre.
1908 – 1912: The anthracite coal mining industry, and its extensive use of child labor in the early part of the 20th century, was one of the industries targeted by the National Child Labor Committee and its hired photographer, Lewis Hine. Many of Hine's subjects were photographed in the mines and coal fields in and around Pittston during this time. The impact of the Hine photographs led to the enactment of child labor laws across the country.
1930s – 1980s: Pittston City emerged as a national center for clothing manufacturing. Thousands of workers, mainly women, labored in many factories throughout the Greater Pittston area. One such woman was Susan Sebastianelli of Pittston Township. Most were members of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) that gained higher wages, workplace health & safety improvements, and employee rights. The ILGWU was active in civic and political life throughout Pennsylvania.
1934: The right arm of Hughestown resident, Harry Tompkins, was crushed by an Erie Railroad train. This resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court case, Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, which laid the foundation for a large part of modern American civil procedure.
22 January 1959: The Knox Mine DisasterinPort Griffith, Jenkins Township, claimed the lives of 12 people and essentially shut down the mining industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
June 1972: Hurricane Agnes was responsible for massive flooding in and around the Greater Pittston area.
1974 – 1989: Alleged ghost hauntings took place in the home of Jack and Janet Smurl in West Pittston, inspiring the 1991 film The Haunted.
1992: The opening scenes from the movie School Ties was filmed in West Pittston; it shows David Green, the hero of the movie (played by Brendan Fraser), hanging out with friends in the streets of the tiny town.
15 March 1993: Two Pittston firefighters (John Lombardo and Len Insalaco) were killed while fighting a blaze in the city's downtown. A monument was built and the nearby Water Street Bridge was renamed to commemorate their sacrifice.
2011: The Borough of Duryea received national attention for its role in the landmark Supreme Court case Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri, in which the court stated that "a government employer's allegedly retaliatory actions against an employee do not give rise to liability under the Petition Clause unless the employee's petition relates to a matter of public concern."
September 2011: The Greater Pittston area, along with the rest of Luzerne County, witnessed historical flooding from Tropical Storm Lee. The Susquehanna River reached a record high of 42.6 feet (13.0 meters) in Wilkes-Barre. The river topped the 40.9-foot (12.5-meter) level in flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972.[3][4][5]
A map of Luzerne County. Greater Pittston, which makes up the northeastern portion of the county, is outlined in yellow.Atopographic map of Luzerne County. Greater Pittston makes up the northeastern section of the county.
Greater Pittston is a 65.35 sq mi (169.3 km2) region in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, encompassing the Susquehanna River. Jenkins Township is the largest municipality with a total area of 13.98 sq mi (36.2 km2). Yatesville is the smallest community in Greater Pittston. It covers a total area of only 0.62 sq mi (1.6 km2).
Pittston City is the most populous community in Greater Pittston.
According to the 2010 census, 48,020 people live in and around Pittston City. Pittston has the highest population with 7,739 citizens. Yatesville has the smallest population with around 600 citizens.
There are many fire and police departments scattered throughout Greater Pittston. The firefighters provide fire protection for all of its citizens. The police provide full-time protection to its citizens, visitors, businesses, and public property.
Pittston Area, Wyoming Area, and Wilkes-Barre Area School Districts are located in the northeastern corner of Luzerne County (they can be seen in green, pink, and blue).
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 Allegiant, Delta, United Airlines, and American Airlines.
At present, the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad, Canadian Pacific Railway (successor to the Delaware and Hudson) and the Luzerne & Susquehanna Railroad (designated-operator of the county-owned shortline) provide freight service within the city and Pittston Township. A proposed nearby commuter train from Scranton to New York City has received government funding.
Charley Trippi, University of Georgia football player, 1943 Rose Bowl MVP, College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Chicago Cardinals quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee. The football stadium at Pittston Area High School in Yatesville is named in his honor.
