# Back Mountain

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Not to be confused with [Black Mountain](/source/Black_Mountain_(disambiguation)) or [Brokeback Mountain](/source/Brokeback_Mountain).

The **Back Mountain** is a [region](/source/Region) and former [census-designated place](/source/Census-designated_place) (CDP) in [Luzerne County, Pennsylvania](/source/Luzerne_County,_Pennsylvania), United States. It is near the cities of [Scranton](/source/Scranton,_Pennsylvania) and [Wilkes-Barre](/source/Wilkes-Barre,_Pennsylvania). The population was 33,551 as of 2016.[citation needed] The region has a total area of 117.59 square miles (304.6 km2). The area was not delineated as a CDP for the 2010 census. The name "Back Mountain" refers to the area's location behind the mountain ridge forming the northwest side of the [Wyoming Valley](/source/Wyoming_Valley). The area includes the townships of [Dallas](/source/Dallas_Township,_Luzerne_County,_Pennsylvania), [Franklin](/source/Franklin_Township,_Luzerne_County,_Pennsylvania), [Jackson](/source/Jackson_Township,_Luzerne_County,_Pennsylvania), [Kingston](/source/Kingston_Township,_Luzerne_County,_Pennsylvania), [Lake](/source/Lake_Township,_Luzerne_County,_Pennsylvania), and [Lehman](/source/Lehman_Township,_Luzerne_County,_Pennsylvania). The region also includes the boroughs of [Dallas](/source/Dallas,_Pennsylvania) and [Harveys Lake](/source/Harveys_Lake,_Pennsylvania). Each township and borough is independently governed.

## History

The townships of Dallas, Franklin, Jackson, Kingston, Lake, and Lehman were formed in the 1800s. The area now known as Dallas was first settled in 1797. It was incorporated as a borough on April 21, 1879, from a section of Dallas Township.[1] The township, formed in 1817,[1] and was named for [Alexander J. Dallas](/source/Alexander_J._Dallas_(statesman)), the 6th [United States Secretary of the Treasury](/source/United_States_Secretary_of_the_Treasury) and the father of [George M. Dallas](/source/George_M._Dallas) the vice president of [James Polk](/source/James_Polk). The Borough of Dallas is known as the “Pride” of the Back Mountain.

The second borough in the Back Mountain region is Harveys Lake. The lake was named after Benjamin Harvey, who discovered the [lake](/source/Harveys_Lake_(Pennsylvania)) in 1781. He was a member of the [Sons of Liberty](/source/Sons_of_Liberty), an eminent colonial-era group opposed to [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain)'s [Stamp Act](/source/Stamp_Act) and a driving force behind the [American Revolution](/source/American_Revolution). The first resident in the vicinity of the lake, Matthew Scouten, arrived in the early 1790s, others settlers, the Worthingtons, arrived in 1806.

Historically the area offered many forms of recreation and entertainment attracting tourists from all over the [Northeast](/source/Northeastern_United_States). Harveys Lake became a major resort destination in the early 20th century. [Hotels](/source/Hotels), [boathouses](/source/Boathouses), a [casino](/source/Casino), and an [amusement park](/source/Amusement_park) were constructed around Harveys Lake. Grand Hotel Oneonta was especially prominent in the early 1900s, and former [United States President](/source/United_States_President) [Theodore Roosevelt](/source/Theodore_Roosevelt) visited the hotel in August 1912.[2] Harveys Lake was incorporated as a borough in 1968.

[Frances Slocum State Park](/source/Frances_Slocum_State_Park) is the only [state park](/source/List_of_Pennsylvania_state_parks) in the Back Mountain. In 1968, the lake, which is the centerpiece of the park, was built to control [flooding](/source/Flood) in the [North Branch Susquehanna River](/source/North_Branch_Susquehanna_River). In 1972, the park became a temporary home to 280 families who were displaced by the [Agnes](/source/Hurricane_Agnes) floods. The park was closed temporarily to the public and reopened in 1974 after all the families were relocated.

## Population and geography

As of 2016, 33,551 people lived in the Back Mountain. It consists of six townships and two boroughs. The Back Mountain is located at [41°19′13″N 75°58′22″W](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=41_19_13_N_75_58_22_W) (41.320230, -75.972645).[3] The region has a total area of 117.59 square miles (304.6 km2). It is home to [Frances Slocum State Park](/source/Frances_Slocum_State_Park), [Lake Louise](/source/Lake_Louise_(Pennsylvania)), and [Harveys Lake](/source/Harveys_Lake_(Pennsylvania)).

Name of community Population as of 2016 Total area Dallas Borough 2,768 2.42 sq mi (6.25 km2) Dallas Township 9,216 18.7 sq mi (48.5 km2) Franklin Township 1,745 13.1 sq mi (33.8 km2) Harveys Lake Borough 2,773 6.17 sq mi (15.99 km2) Jackson Township 4,633 13.4 sq mi (34.6 km2) Kingston Township 6,935 13.9 sq mi (36.0 km2) Lake Township 2,025 26.7 sq mi (69.1 km2) Lehman Township 3,456 23.2 sq mi (60.1 km2) Total 33,551 117.59 sq mi (304.34 km2)

## Demographics when it was a CDP

As of the [census](/source/Census)[4] of 2000, there were 26,690 people, 9,267 households, and 6,894 families residing in the [census-designated place](/source/Census-designated_place) (CDP). The [population density](/source/Population_density) was 249.5 people per square mile (96.3/km2). There were 9,997 housing units at an average density of 93.5/sq mi (36.1/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.45% [White](/source/White_(U.S._Census)), 4.30% [African American](/source/African_American_(U.S._Census)), 0.10% [Native American](/source/Native_American_(U.S._Census)), 0.52% [Asian](/source/Asian_(U.S._Census)), 0.02% [Pacific Islander](/source/Pacific_Islander_(U.S._Census)), 0.18% from [other races](/source/Race_(United_States_Census)), and 0.43% from two or more races. [Hispanic](/source/Hispanic_(U.S._Census)) or [Latino](/source/Latino_(U.S._Census)) of any race were 1.05% of the population.

There were 9,267 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were [married couples](/source/Marriage) living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $49,298, and the median income for a family was $57,342. Males had a median income of $39,566 versus $27,202 for females. The [per capita income](/source/Per_capita_income) for the CDP was $23,105. About 4.8% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the [poverty line](/source/Poverty_line), including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

## Education

### Public school districts

- [Dallas School District](/source/Dallas_School_District)
- [Lake-Lehman School District](/source/Lake-Lehman_School_District)

### Colleges and universities

- [Misericordia University](/source/Misericordia_University) in Dallas
- [Penn State Wilkes-Barre](/source/Penn_State_Wilkes-Barre) in Lehman

### Libraries

- Back Mountain Memorial Library

## Transportation

### Nearby airports

- [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport](/source/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton_International_Airport)
- [Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport](/source/Wilkes-Barre_Wyoming_Valley_Airport)

## Notable people

- [Lisa Baker](/source/Lisa_Baker_(Pennsylvania_politician)), [State Senator](/source/Pennsylvania_State_Senate) from Pennsylvania
- [Fletcher C. Booker Jr.](/source/Fletcher_C._Booker_Jr.), US Army major general[5]
- [Raye Hollitt](/source/Raye_Hollitt), an [American](/source/United_States) actress, [female bodybuilder](/source/Female_bodybuilding), and one of the original cast members of *[American Gladiators](/source/American_Gladiators_(1989_TV_series))*
- [Mitchell Jenkins](/source/Mitchell_Jenkins), a former Republican U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania; he lived in Shavertown toward the end of his life
- [Greg Manusky](/source/Greg_Manusky), NFL [football](/source/American_football) player and coach.
- [Francis T. McAndrew](/source/Francis_T._McAndrew), Social Psychologist/Professor/Author
- [Jay McCarroll](/source/Jay_McCarroll), the winning designer of Season 1 of *[Project Runway](/source/Project_Runway)*; he grew up in Lehman and attended Lake Lehman High School
- [Connor McGovern (American football, born 1997)](/source/Connor_McGovern_(American_football,_born_1997)), NFL Offensive Lineman
- [Dan Meuser](/source/Dan_Meuser), U.S. Representative
- [Paige Selenski](/source/Paige_Selenski), field hockey player for the [US Olympic Team](/source/United_States_at_the_Summer_Olympics)
- [Greg Skrepenak](/source/Greg_Skrepenak), former NFL player, Luzerne County Commissioner, and convicted felon
- [Randy Stair](/source/Randy_Stair), Eaton Township Weis Market Shooter
- [Stacey Williams](/source/Stacey_Williams), Fashion Model
- [T. Newell Wood](/source/T._Newell_Wood), Pennsylvania State Senator

## Gallery

## References

1. [Bradsby, Henry C.](/source/Henry_C._Bradsby), [History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, 1893](https://books.google.com/books?id=4BkVAAAAYAAJ)

1. Harrison Wick (2009), [*Pennsylvania's Back Mountain*](https://books.google.com/books?id=lQy3U1_PissC&pg=PA118), Arcadia Publishing, pp. 116–119, ISBN 9780738562780

1. ["US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990"](https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html). [United States Census Bureau](/source/United_States_Census_Bureau). 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.

1. ["U.S. Census website"](https://www.census.gov). [United States Census Bureau](/source/United_States_Census_Bureau). Retrieved 2008-01-31.

1. ["Obituary, Fletcher C. Booker Jr."](https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/jupiter-fl/fletcher-booker-5267141). *Dignity Memorial*. Houston, Texas: SCI Shared Resources, LLC. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Back Mountain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_Mountain) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_Mountain?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.