If you drive around northeastern Pennsylvania, you’ll notice the ubiquitous presence of roadside signs marking a seemingly endless succession of boroughs and townships.
Luzerne County alone has 76 municipal jurisdictions, including four cities. In the region’s industrial past, the anthracite coal industry fueled the growth of dense, immigrant-majority “patch” towns. But today, after decades of profound economic change, many Luzerne boroughs are a fraction of their early-twentieth-century size. The county’s smallest borough, Jeddo, is home to just 108 residents.
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