[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 43 (Monday, March 11, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOROUGH OF WHITE HAVEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 11, 2024

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the Borough of White 
Haven, Pennsylvania, in honor of its bicentennial celebration. The 
Borough of White Haven is situated on the eastern edge of Luzerne 
County and borders the beautiful Lehigh River at the entrance of the 
Pocono Mountains.
  White Haven was founded as a settlement in 1824, making it the oldest 
established community in this area of Luzerne County. Incorporated as a 
Borough in 1842, White Haven was named after Josiah White, an 
enterprising citizen and builder of the old-fashioned ``bear trap'' 
locks that made the Lehigh River navigable.
  The early settlers could not have predicted the immense importance of 
White Haven in Pennsylvania's--and the nation's--economic growth and 
industrialization efforts. By the 1840s, anthracite coal mining was 
booming in the nearby Wyoming Valley and White Haven would become a 
central trade hub. A railroad was built from the Wyoming Valley to 
White Haven, where the canal system allowed the coal to be carried to 
market on barges. The Borough also boasted Pennsylvania's busiest 
lumber depots at the time, producing 20 million feet of lumber annually 
at its peak.
  Today, White Haven is a quaint town featuring a main street with 
shops and restaurants and lovely tree-lined streets. It also serves as 
a recreational hub with the Lehigh Gorge State Park on its border and 
the Delaware and Lehigh Anthracite Trail in its downtown. With its 
picturesque views, charming architecture, and friendly residents, it is 
easy to see why so many choose to call White Haven home.
  White Haven played a critical role in Pennsylvania's history and the 
industrialization of our nation. Over the past two centuries, the 
Borough has demonstrated a commitment to persistence and progress, a 
trend which will no doubt continue and contribute to the prosperity of 
this treasured community for centuries to come.

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