Jessup is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,718 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Jessup is located at (41.471131, -75.562171).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.4 kmē), of which, 6.7 square miles (17.3 kmē) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 kmē) of it (0.59%) is water.

History

Settled in 1849, the town of Jessup was named after Judge William Jessup. It was presented to the Luzerne County Court for incorporation as the Borough of Winton in December 1876. Two years later, Lackawanna County was incorporated. The early 1890s were very significant for the little town, as numerous new mining operations were opened. Shortly after these were opened, immigrants from Europe were lured to the area by the work available in the booming anthracite coal fields.

It was mostly Italian immigrants that came to Jessup in search of jobs in the coal mines, among others. They arrived via Ellis Island, New York in the late 1800s. The Italians who settled in Jessup, and the immediate surrounding communities, came mostly from small towns in the Region of Umbria, Province of Perugia. Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino, Scheggia, and Sassoferrato, for example, sent many hard working individuals to the Lackawanna Valley for economic opportunity. It was from Gubbio, Italy that the immigrants brought the annual festival known as Saint Ubaldo Day. This festival is still held to this day in only Jessup and Gubbio.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,718 people, 1,976 households, and 1,314 families residing in the borough. The population density was 704.9 people per square mile (272.3/kmē). There were 2,073 housing units at an average density of 309.7/sq mi (119.6/kmē). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.71% White, 0.28% African American, 0.28% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population.

There were 1,976 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.4% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $32,201, and the median income for a family was $43,013. Males had a median income of $36,339 versus $25,267 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,189. About 8.0% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

• Borough of Jessup
• The official site of Saint Ubaldo Day

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