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Notes on Dalton Borough,
Pennsylvania, USA written by Mary felley
BACKGROUND
This small town nestled in
the hills between the Wyoming Valley and the Endless Mountains has a
population of about 1,300 which has remained relatively stable in recent
decades. Within easy commuting distance to the city of Scranton to the
southeast and a vast expanse of woods, farmlands and creeks to the north and
west, it occupies an enviable corner of northeastern Pennsylvania. The
region enjoys a mild climate, with summer temperatures ranging up into the
80s F (25-30 C); our winters bring us moderate snow and low temperatures
around 10 F (-12 C). The growing season runs from about May to October.
Part of the town’s
attractiveness is that all the basic amenities are an easy walk from most
parts of town: grocery, post office, bank, pharmacy, library and bar. In
car-mad USA, this is becoming a rarity. “Downtown” Dalton has real charm,
and despite the fact that a major road corridor bisects the borough, the
town is hidden away from the view of through-travelers and retains its
small-town feel.
OUR SISTER CITY
We established our Sister
City program in the spring of 1995 with Dalton in Furness,UK. Our Borough
Council received a letter from Mrs. Wendy Maddox, Town Clerk for the Council
of Dalton-in-Furness advising us that they were considering this
relationship. We immediately jumped on the idea and it was established. In
October 1995 some local residents of Dalton, PA were visiting friends in
England and took a couple of days to go into the lake country to meet the
folks in Dalton, UK. Mr. John M. Phillipson was Mayor that year and sight
unseen insisted that they cancel their hotel and stay at their home. In 2000
we were fortunate to have an official contingency visit from our Sister
City. They stayed with several local families and it was a much enjoyed
visit by all.
EVENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
With current trends in land
development, traditional creekside towns like Dalton are increasingly prone
to floods. In 2003, a disastrous flood—one of several “hundred year floods”
in the past decade—struck the town center, flooding the Borough offices and
police department. Losses included a police vehicle, many Borough records,
and other equipment. The Borough and the police have been steadily building
their way back from this severe setback.
Streamside Park, on the
banks of the Ackerly Creek, underwent significant improvements in the past
four years, and now boasts a picnic shelter and playground equipment as well
as a tennis court and baseball field. In 2007, the Natural Lands Trust gave
the Borough ownership of Platt Park, a “pocket park” on the corner of Main
Street and North Turnpike Road.
The landmark Dalton Baptist
Church closed its doors in 2006, but the stately old wooden structure was
reopened in 2007 by the growing Parker Hill Church, which uses it as a youth
campus. The Dalton Baptist Church recently donated a fine clock to the
Borough. Installed in autumn 2007, the clock stands on the corner of Main
Street and Turnpike Road at the center of town.
Town improvements being
planned in Dalton include a streetscape project to improve sidewalks and
install more attractive street lighting, and plans to repave the borough’s
roads in the near future.
Dalton is increasingly
viewed as a desirable site for new homes. Recent and ongoing housing
developments in the past ten years include Huntington Woods and Woodwind
Hills (both single-family detached homes), and most recently Dalton Ridge
(townhouses).
 Dalton
Ridge Townhomes
Glenburn Pond, a local
landmark of about 35 acres, has been drawn down in the past year to relieve
pressure on the dam, which has been identified as unsafe. The long-term
fate of the dam, and the chances for restoring the pond, are exciting much
local concern. The situation is made more complex by chromium contamination
in the pond sediments, originating from a former industrial site upstream.
While the Pond lies outside the boundaries of Dalton Borough, it is less
than a mile upstream from the Borough boundaries, and Dalton residents feel
a strong sense of ownership in it.
In the past few years,
Dalton Borough has gone through a renaissance in local government, electing
an almost completely new Council and hiring new office staff. Local
residents view the future with optimism.
CIVIC GROUPS AND COMMUNITY
EVENTS
The Dalton Fire Company is
a key local institution serving Dalton and adjoining communities. The
volunteer firefighters of the DFC keep their distinctive yellow trucks and
equipment in apple-pie order, and are always ready to come to the aid of our
community. A new ladder truck was added in 2001. The Dalton Borough Police
also provide invaluable services to the local community, and are greatly
appreciated by residents.
The Dalton Business and
Professional Association is an active group in our borough. They put on one
of the children’s most anticipated events of the year…the Fishing Derby. It
is held right in town creekside.
Dalton has an active Girl
Scout (equivalent of Girl Guides) presence, with Brownie Troop 43, Junior
Troop 438 and Cadette Troop 409.
In youth baseball, the
Dalton Little League is a formidable presence. Many improvements have been
made to our ball field in the past years making it one of the nicest
facilities and a true gem in our community.
Memorial Day ceremonies are
a solemn observance in late May each year. The day commemorates members of
the armed forces who have given their lives in the service of their
country. Observations in Dalton include a parade, and the reading of the
names inscribed on the town’s memorial tablet.
The Dalton Fireman’s
Carnival is the town’s premier summer celebration. It is held in July each
year at the Carnival grounds on the west side of town and features a
classic-car parade, games, rides, entertainment and the classic beverage
tent. It is a great social event for families in the area.
The Carnival Grounds also
host the annual Dalton Horse Show in September each year. This year will be
the 43rd. More details on the wonderful event can be read at
www.daltonhorseshow.com
February 22,
2008 |
