Luzerne Borough
144 Academy Street
Luzerne, PA 18709
P: (570) 287-7633 | F: (570) 287-7842
Office Hours: 9:00am – 3:00pm

History

Luzerne  is a borough located 5 miles north of Wilkes Barre in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

The population was 2,845 at the 2010 census.

Luzerne Borough consists of 442 acres.

During its existence, Luzerne Borough has held three (3) names.  First it was called HARTSEPH HOLLOW after Zachariah Hartseph who first settled here in 1790.  May of 1866 the town was changed to MILL HOLLOW after the various mills that operated on the banks of Tobys Creek. The present name of Luzerne was adopted September 23, 1882 when it became incorporated as a borough.

The first Council was organized November 15, 1882. In 1889 the valuation of Luzerne was $104,430  There were 389 taxable persons.

The name Luzerne Borough came from the County of Luzerne which got its name after the French Nobleman Chevalier de la Luzerne who gave financial aid to the colonies during the Revolutionary War.

During the Civil War of 1861-65, Camp Luzerne was a training site of the 143 rd Pennsylvania Volunteers located near the junction of Chestnut & Miller Streets.  This detachment broke camp for the front November of 1864 during one of the most severe snow storms recorded.

The Spanish-American War of 1898 was represented by men from Luzerne Borough

On July 4, 1922 a monument on the school grounds was dedicated as a fitting memorial to Luzerne’s sons who so nobly served in World War I.

In the early twentieth century, coal mining and manufacturing were the main industries in the community. The borough had coal mines, a foundry, drill factories, flour and feed mills, a canning factory, and a silk mill.

Today 2018, the borough is mostly a residential community with a charming Main Street consisting of thriving businesses including a variety of shops, family owned restaurants and professional offices.

For further information on Main Street shops, visit WWW.ILoveLuzerne.com or Facebook: Luzerne Merchants.