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Wyoming is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north of Wilkes-Barre, along the Susquehanna River. The population was 3,073 as of the 2010 census.
[edit] History
[edit] Early historyBy the 1700s, the Wyoming Valley was inhabited by several Native American tribes (including the Susquehannock and the Delaware). In the mid-18th century, Connecticut settlers ventured into the valley. These were the first recorded Europeans in the region. In 1768, the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut devised a plan to divide the Wyoming Valley into five townships. Each township was to be divided amongst forty settlers. Wyoming was originally part of Kingston Township. [edit] Wyoming MassacreOn June 30, 1778, British (Tory) forces, under the command of Colonel John Butler, arrived in the Wyoming Valley to confront the American settlers. On July 1, the American militia at Fort Wintermute (Wintermoot) and Fort Jenkins (a Patriot stockade in present-day West Pittston) surrendered. On July 3, the British spotted the American militia near Forty Fort. Butler wanted to lure the Americans away from their fortifications. He ordered for Fort Wintermute to be set ablaze. The Patriots, believing it signified a British retreat, advanced rapidly. British soldiers, with the assistance of about 700 Native Americans, ambushed the oncoming American militia in and around the present-day Exeter and Wyoming. In the end, nearly 300 Wyoming Valley settlers were killed in what would be known as the Wyoming Massacre. On July 4, the American colonel, Nathan Denison, agreed to surrender Forty Fort along with several other posts. [edit] Wyoming MonumentToday, in the Borough of Wyoming, a monument marks the gravesite of the victims from the battle; it was constructed in the early 1830s. An annual observance, sponsored by the Wyoming Commemorative Association, takes place at the obelisk grounds to honor the fallen heroes of this Revolutionary War battle. The monument has also been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Along with the Wyoming Monument, the Luzerne Presbyterial Institute and Swetland Homestead are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [edit] Borough of WyomingWyoming was officially incorporated as a borough in 1885. The Eighth Street Bridge was constructed over the Susquehanna River during the early 20th century; it connected the Borough of Wyoming to Jenkins Township. In 2011, it was demolished and replaced with a new bridge. The flood of 2011 prompted the evacuation of the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport (in southern Wyoming). The planes were moved to a higher elevation to prevent flood damage; they were relocated to the Wyoming Monument.
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