[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 26, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THROOP'S INCORPORATION AS A 
                                BOROUGH

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                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 26, 2019

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Borough of 
Throop, Pennsylvania for its quasquicentennial year. Throop celebrated 
125 years of being incorporated on April 16, 2019.
  The borough was named after one of its most influential residents, 
Dr. Benjamin H. Throop, who settled in the county in the fall of 1840. 
He became an active figure in the community, buying real estate and 
advocating for the separation of Throop and Dickson City Borough. Dr. 
Throop also served in the military during the Civil War, and at the 
time he was one of the wealthiest figures in the area.
  Throop originally applied to become independent of Dickson City 
Borough in 1888, but the subdivision failed. Refusing to back down, the 
community banded together to continue to circulate petitions. Among the 
many reasons driving the residents' motivation to become their own, 
independent borough was a dispute over schools and the desire to have 
their own schooling system. In 1893, the petition was granted, and the 
borough was officially incorporated on April 16, 1894.
  The Throop family continued to be a driving force behind the 
borough's success. The Throop Hose Company 1 was organized in 1894 and 
named after Dr. Throop's son, Dr. George S. Throop. The borough 
building was completed in 1895 on land donated by Dr. Throop, Dr. 
Pancoast, and Eli K. Price. Once incorporated, Throop had a population 
of 1,639 with 266 dwellings, 9 hotels, a small number of businesses, 
two churches, a colliery, and a school.
  Like many communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Throop's coal 
mining industry was the principal industry in the region for decades. 
Throop has the distinction of being the site of the first anthracite 
coal mined in Lackawanna County, which was taken from the Anderson farm 
by Willian Wurts in 1814.
  Throughout its notable 125-year history, Throop has established an 
impressive public school system and has continued to celebrate its 
religious heritage. The borough has also shown its incredible 
resilience in the face of devastating floods from Hurricanes Diane, 
Agnes, and Gloria.
  Today, Throop is a vibrant community with around 3,900 residents and 
many industries and businesses that have taken the place of coal 
mining. Annual traditions and celebrations for children like the Santa 
Parade and Tree Lighting make Throop an inviting and welcoming place to 
live and visit. Throop's rich history and a tight knit community make 
it the flourishing borough it is today.

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