The Wyoming Valley: Is It Pittston To Nanticoke OR Does "It" Include Moosic To Carbondale And Scranton? (Columbia: neighborhood, live in)

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

And I didn't grow up in this area. I have never heard of Scranton or the area immediately northeast, ever referred to as being part of the Wyoming Valley. I always thought the Wilkes-Barre, Pittson and Nanticoke areas as the the Wyoming Valley, hence the name of the mall.

I totally agree...wasn't the Valley named after the town of Wyoming and a massacre there????

[thecoalman]

If you look at Google maps and switch it to terrain view focus your attention on where the Susquehanna enters the Valley. Below that is a completely flat area that goes from Pittston to Nanticoke formed by the river over I'd imagine millions of years. Usually a Valley has a a waterway. One has to wonder if the Susquehanna didn't at one time enter the valley much further north.

Going towards Scranton there is only a narrow area through Duryea that could be considered even close to extending it but that goes into some quite hilly terrain in all directions that slowly slopes upwards.

From afar it would certainly look as if it's one area but technically I don't think it is and certainly if you asked a old timer anything above Pittston wouldn't be considered the Wyoming Valley.

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

If you look at Google maps and switch it to terrain view focus your attention on where the Susquehanna enters the Valley. Below that is a completely flat area that goes from Pittston to Nanticoke formed by the river over I'd imagine millions of years. Usually a Valley has a a waterway. One has to wonder if the Susquehanna didn't at one time enter the valley much further north.

Going towards Scranton there is only a narrow area through Duryea that could be considered even close to extending it but that goes into some quite hilly terrain in all directions that slowly slopes upwards.

From afar it would certainly look as if it's one area but technically I don't think it is and certainly if you asked a old timer anything above Pittston wouldn't be considered the Wyoming Valley.

I agree with both you and blip...it historically, has been as we described. Even though the areas are connected. There is some topographic change at Pittston...I forget the details...Cambell's Ledge...maybe it is the Susquehanna River's opening a much larger valley after joining the Lackawanna river....something along those lines...demarcating the Wyoming Valley from Greater Scranton???

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by blip

It's all one long valley to anyone who's ever looked out their window while driving down it. Two rivers, but still one valley.

Or, take the satellite image, one long valley again: Google Maps

We need some term to define this entire valley, so I'm sticking with wikipedia and calling the whole thing the Wyoming Valley!
Wyoming Valley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Are you basing your assertions on the Wikipedia article and your opinion from maps and satellite images? The rest of us are talking in a historical/regional sense. That would explain the dichtomy. But I think Wiki...is...IMHO...WRONG.

[olbluesguy]

The Wyoming Valley runs along the Susquehanna river Starting in The Exeter area [across the river from pittston], and runs down to the W.Nanticoke area where the mountains nearly reach the river.
Anything North of Pittston along the Lackawanna river should be called something else because it was carved out of a different river system and it would be the end of that valley.

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by olbluesguy

The Wyoming Valley runs along the Susquehanna river Starting in The Exeter area [across the river from pittston], and runs down to the W.Nanticoke area where the mountains nearly reach the river.
Anything North of Pittston along the Lackawanna river should be called something else because it was carved out of a different river system and it would be the end of that valley.

That makes sense to me; but I'd say West Pittston/Pittston is the northern edge.(I include Greater Pittston i.e. it's school district) Wish we could find a definitive source/reference...I'm not too computer savy, yet...lol.

[W-B My Kind of Town]

Originally Posted by PITTSTON2SARASOTA

I don't mean your young or anything......I mean people near my age will agree with me. I majored in Geography.....I know the valleys are really one big city...I am always thumping on about consolidation...I agree with your Valley theory; however it is NOT what has historically been taught. Also isn't the Wyoming Valley named for the town of Wyoming's massacre as Fort Pittston(battle) became Pittston??? Please don't think I am so closed minded; especially about age...that was not what I meant.

The wyoming massacre was named for the place in which it was fought at which in those days was the Wyoming Valley.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by PITTSTON2SARASOTA

That makes sense to me; but I'd say West Pittston/Pittston is the northern edge....

Exeter surrounds WP and has river front above it as well as below it.

[blip]

Originally Posted by olbluesguy

Anything North of Pittston along the Lackawanna river should be called something else because it was carved out of a different river system and it would be the end of that valley.

This whole valley was carved by glaciers, not by rivers. The Susquehanna just happens to drop into it for a run.

[blip]

Originally Posted by PITTSTON2SARASOTA

Are you basing your assertions on the Wikipedia article and your opinion from maps and satellite images? The rest of us are talking in a historical/regional sense. That would explain the dichtomy. But I think Wiki...is...IMHO...WRONG.

Maybe they are. Wikipedia may have planted the idea, but it's reinforced just by looking at the geography of the area. There clearly are these two long ridges that surround one long valley running all the way from C'dale to Nanticoke.

But yes, exactly, seems like there's a split between geology and colloquial/historical usage. Another old-time local told me last night that geologically, the WV is the whole thing, but locals would only ever refer to the Luzerne Cty portion as the WV. (Due to the mental Berlin Wall that has existed between the counties.)

I learned an alternate name for it, also from Wikipedia, Anthracite Valley, which the state DCNR also labels it.

Maybe I'll stick with that name for it, though Wyoming Valley has a nicer sound.