Editing Bear Creek Township, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Township in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | official_name            = Bear Creek Township, Pennsylvania
 | settlement_type          = [[Township (Pennsylvania)|Township]]
 | nickname                 = 
 | motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
 | image_skyline            = Bear Creek Falls Icefalls (1).jpg
 | imagesize                = 
 | image_caption            = Bear Creek Falls
 | image_flag               = 
 | image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
 | image_map                = Map of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Highlighting Bear Creek Township.PNG
 | mapsize                  = 250x200px
 | map_caption              = 
Map of Luzerne County highlighting Bear Creek Township
 | image_map1               = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County.svg
 | mapsize1                 = 250x200px
 | map_caption1             = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County
<!-- Location -->
 | coordinates              = 
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = [[Pennsylvania]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne]]
<!-- Government -->
 | government_footnotes     = 
 | government_type          = [[Board of supervisors]]
 | leader_title             = 
 | leader_name              = 
 | leader_title1            = 
 | leader_name1             = 
 | leader_title2            = 
 | leader_name2             = 
 | established_title        = Settled
 | established_date         = 
 | established_title1       = Incorporated
 | established_date1        = 
<!-- Area -->
 | unit_pref                = Imperial
 | area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_42.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 14, 2017}}</ref>
 | area_magnitude           = 
 | area_total_km2           = 176.00
 | area_land_km2            = 172.17
 | area_water_km2           = 3.83
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 67.95
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 66.47
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 1.48
<!-- Population -->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
 | population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020—2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=August 1, 2022}}</ref>
 | population_total         = 2752 {{decrease}}
 | population_density_km2   = 16.04
 | population_density_sq_mi = 41.53
<!-- General information -->
 | timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
 | utc_offset               = -5
 | timezone_DST             = EDT
 | utc_offset_DST           = -4
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -->
 | postal_code_type         = 
 | postal_code              = 
 | area_codes               = [[Area codes 272 and 570|570 & 272]]
 | website                  = {{URL|www.bearcreektownship.org}}
 | footnotes                = 
 | pop_est_as_of            = 2021
 | pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
 | population_est           = 2752
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
 | blank_info               = 42-079-04592
}}

'''Bear Creek Township''' is a [[Township (Pennsylvania)|township]] in [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States. The township has a total area of {{convert|67.8|sqmi|km2}}, making it is the largest [[List of municipalities in Pennsylvania|municipality]] (by total area) in Luzerne County. The population was 2,752 at the 2020 census.<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>

==History==
===First settlers===
Bear Creek was first settled in the late 18th century. The first [[log cabin]] was built in 1786 (about nine miles from [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]]).<ref name="Bear Creek Township">{{Cite web|url=http://www.pagenweb.org/~luzerne/patk/bearcrk.htm|title = Bear Creek Township}}</ref> Bear Creek, with its abundance of trees, became the [[Logging|lumber king]] of Luzerne County. The first [[sawmill]] was built in 1800 by Oliver Helme. Many more sawmills were later constructed throughout the 19th century.<ref name="Bear Creek Township"/>

===Township===
Bear Creek was later incorporated as a [[Township (Pennsylvania)|township]]; it was carved from territory taken from Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, Bucks, Plains, and Jenkins (in 1856). By 1890, the community had a population of 343.<ref name="Bear Creek Township"/>

In 1961, the [[Francis E. Walter Dam|Bear Creek Dam]] was constructed in the southern portion of the township. The dam spans the [[Lehigh River]] at its [[confluence]] with the [[tributary]] Bear Creek. Although the dam was originally constructed for flood management, its [[reservoir]] has since become a popular recreational area for fishing, kayaking, and boating. In 1963, the dam was renamed after a United States Congressman ([[Francis E. Walter]]).<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Francis-E-Walter-Dam/| publisher=[[United States Army Corps of Engineers]]| title=Francis E. Walter Dam Flow Management Plan| access-date=June 26, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv?cb_all_00062_00045=on&cb_00062=on&format=gif&period=7&site_no=01447780| title=USGS 01447780 Francis E. Walter Reservoir near White Haven, PA| access-date=June 26, 2017| publisher=[[USGS]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite act|title=Public Law 88-56|number=H.R. 5367|date=July 8, 1963|url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-77/pdf/STATUTE-77-Pg75.pdf}}</ref>

In 1993, [[Bear Creek Village, Pennsylvania|Bear Creek Village]] broke away from the township and became a borough. Today, the township is made up of several small villages, thick forests, lakes, and streams.

===Air disaster=== 
[[File:East Coast Aviation Services N16EJ wreckage.jpg|thumb|left|Site of the plane crash]]
Bear Creek Township was the site of a plane crash on May 21, 2000; it crashed while attempting to land at the [[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport]]. As described by the [[BBC]], the crash occurred in a "wooded area" of the township, near the intersection of Bear Creek Boulevard ([[Pennsylvania Route 115|PA-Route 115]]) and the [[Interstate 476|Northeast Extension]] of the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]].

The accident killed the pilot as well as all 19 passengers. NTSB investigation ruled that the crash was probably due to low fuel. The incident spurred an [[FBI]] investigation and made news across the globe. Passenger safety in the aviation field became a major issue of the [[2000 U.S. presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0005/21/wv.10.html|title = CNN Transcript - WorldView: NTSB Begins Investigation into Charter Plane Crash in Pennsylvania Which Killed All 19 Onboard - May 21, 2000|website = [[CNN]]}}</ref>

===21st century===
The [[Bear Creek Wind Power Project]] began commercial operation in 2006. The [[wind farm]] consists of twelve [[Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica|Gamesa 2.0 MW wind turbine]]s.<ref name=windpower>{{cite web|title=Wind Farms in Pennsylvania|url=http://www.pawindenergynow.org/pa/farms.html|publisher=Pa Wind Working Group|access-date=March 1, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100130175932/http://www.pawindenergynow.org/pa/farms.html| archive-date= January 30, 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Government==
[[File:Bear Creek Township, PA municipal building, July 2024.jpg|thumb|Bear Creek Township Building]]
List of Bear Creek Township Supervisors:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bearcreektownship.org/index.php?minutes|title = Home}}</ref> 
{| class=wikitable
|- style="background:#ccc;"
!Position!!Name
|-
|[[Chairperson]]||Gary Zingaretti
|-
| Vice Chairperson||Joseph Masi
|-
|Supervisor||James Smith
|-
|Supervisor||Ruth A. Koval
|-
|Supervisor||Jeffrey Popple
|}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|67.8|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|66.2|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|1.6|sqmi|km2}}, or 2.42%, is water. Bear Creek Township is the largest [[List of municipalities in Pennsylvania|municipality]] (by total area) in Luzerne County. It is drained by both the [[Susquehanna River|Susquehanna]] and [[Lehigh River|Lehigh]] rivers. The [[Francis E. Walter Dam|Francis E. Walter Dam and Reservoir]] is located in the southernmost section of the township (along the Lehigh River). The township's villages include Forest Park, Llewellyn Corners (also in [[Plains Township, Pennsylvania|Plains Township]]), and Pleasant View Summit.

Bear Creek's numbered routes are [[Interstate 476]] (the Northeast Extension of the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]]) and [[Pennsylvania Route 115|Route 115]]. These two routes are connected by the Wilkes-Barre turnpike interchange just north of Forest Park. 115 connects Wilkes-Barre with [[Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Monroe County]]. Other local roads of note include Laurel Run Road, Meadow Run Road, Thornhurst Road, and White Haven Road.

The township has a warm-summer [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfb'') and average monthly temperatures at the Turnpike interchange range from 23.1&nbsp;°F in January to 69.1&nbsp;°F in July.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ | title=PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University }}</ref> The [[hardiness zone]] is mostly 5b except at lower elevations in the NW where it is 6a.
<div style="overflow:auto">{{multiple image
| align     = center
| direction = horizontal
| header=
| image1= Lake at Bear Creek Camp.jpg
| alt1=
| caption1= Lake at [[Bear Creek Camp Conservation Area]]
| width1={{#expr: (120 * 1500/ 600) round 0}}
| image2= Gamesa wind turbine at bald mountain.jpg
| alt2=
| caption2= [[Wind turbine]] on [[Bear Creek Wind Power Project|Bald Mountain]] (in Bear Creek Township)
| width2={{#expr: (120 * 750/ 600) round 0}}
| image3= Francis E. Walter Dam And Reservoir Side View.jpg
| alt3=
| caption3= The [[Francis E. Walter Dam]] and Reservoir; Bear Creek Township is visible in the background
| width3={{#expr: (120 * 1500/ 600) round 0}}
}}</div>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2000= 2580
|2010= 2774
|2020= 2752
|estyear=2021
|estimate=2752
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 2,580 people, 997 households, and 754 families residing in the township. The population density was {{convert|39.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,216 housing units at an average density of {{convert|18.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the township was 98.88% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.31% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.04% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.31% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.39% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.78% of the population.

There were 997 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the township the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $43,900, and the median income for a family was $49,107. Males had a median income of $36,726 versus $26,053 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $19,427. About 4.6% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Gallery==
{{wide image|Francis E. Walter Reservoir and Dam At Kayak Launch.jpg|1000px|The [[Francis E. Walter Dam|Francis E. Walter Reservoir and Dam]] in southern Bear Creek Township}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|www.bearcreektownship.org}}

{{Luzerne County, Pennsylvania}}

{{coord|41|07|29|N|75|45|04|W|type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Townships in Pennsylvania]]