Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania is located in the Wyoming Valley of Luzerne County. The surrounding terrain is decorated with the beautiful Pocono and Endless Mountains, and the Susquehanna River runs through the Valley. Originally famous as a pioneer of peanut farming, the city is now a thriving industrial city of 40,000 residents. Wilkes Barre offers a safe and peaceful neighbourhood at very affordable costs. People moving to Wilkes Barre have a range of housing options and moving companies to choose from. The city has very efficient transport networks, so people working out of state do not have commuting problems.
Economy:
Wilkes-Barre is an industrial city that is ideally located in the tri-state area. This makes it the crossroads for surrounding cities like Philadelphia and New York. Main manufacturing activities in the city include industries of clothing, electronics, metal products, leather goods and perfume. The city government is very keen on economic development. It has formed partnerships with both public and private organizations which have resulted in very successful progress in the city's economy. Significant projects include the $31 million R/C Theatres project. It now serves 10,000 people per week. Another successful project was the $25million Intermodal Transportation Center, which has increased parking space near Public Square and hence made the area more accessible to people. The local chamber of business and industry encourages new ventures to start operations in the valley. This has resulted in a number of young entrepreneurs moving to Wilkes Barres for business.
History:
The area at Wilkes Barres was originally inhabited by the Shawwanese and Delaware Indians. The first settlers were a group of Europeans headed by John Durkee who arrived here in 1769. The consequent settlement was named after two members of the British Parliament, John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, who had given great support to colonial America. During the Revolutionary War, this was a frontier town and got burnt by the British. The area was part of another dispute soon afterwards when the states of Pennsylvania and Connecticut had a dispute on the ownership of Wyoming Valley. The population of the town was loyal to Connecticut, but the US Congress favoured Pennsylvania's claim to the valley in 1784. In protest the residents burnt down the town for a second time. Today Wilkes-Barre is an important industrial town with a rich history.
Tourism:
Popular attractions in Wilkes-Barre include the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs which features a casino and a harness racing track. The Pocono International Raceway holds major events and is located nearby. Petrol-heads visit the area often for racing events. People interested in arts can visit the Kirby Centre for Performing Arts which hosts live performances each week. Performers at the venue include the Wyoming Valley Band, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic and Choral Society. In winter, the mountains attract tourists for snowboarding and skiing. Montage Mountain is a famous location for winter sports. Visitors can stay at the Hampton Inn, Days Inn, Fairfield Inn or Holiday Inn.