Plymouth, Pennsylvania sits on the west side of Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley, wedged between the Susquehanna River and the Shawnee Mountain range.
Below the hills, the flat lands are formed in the shape of a frying pan, the pan being the Shawnee flats, once the center of the town's agricultural activities, and the handle being a spit of narrow land extending east from the flats, where the center of town is located.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Plymouth's primary industry was agriculture, and many of its residents were the descendants of the Connecticut Yankees who first settled the town.
Its early architecture resembled that of a small New England village.
However, vast anthracite coal beds lay below the surface at various depths, and by the 1850s, coal mining was the town's primary occupation, attracting a more diverse population.
After the arrival of the railroad in 1857, the town's architecture became more typical of a growing industrial center.
2007 Photo 1873: On Beers Map as "Wadhams Homestead" 1915: "although it has been changed in appearance and altered to suit the requirements of tenants, [it] is apparently in as good condition as ever.
Photo About 1875 Demolished c. 1955 1873: Both upper & lower floors assigned for School use 1884: Plymouth Borough gave the Old Academy to the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Co., in trade for the land at Shawnee Avenue on which the First High School (Central School) was built in 1884.
Photo 2009 1888: alterations to entrance portico 1905: rededicated with new facade and added steeple Photo 1920 1870: Converted to a planing mill and lumber yard 1873: On Beers Map as "Harvey Bros. & Kern" 1912: On Sanborn Map as "West Lumber & Mfgr" 1925: On Sanborn Map as "Plymouth Lumber Co" (First Building)
1910 Postcard Dedicated June 13, 1868 Architect of Sunday School Annex (Built 1896): Harry Livingston French.
[14] (First Church Building) The Congregation relocated to Shawnee Avenue after 1875 fire
1884 Aerial Map 1920 Photo Sold by School Board 1978.
1884 Aerial Map (aka Gaylord Ave Presbyterian Church)
1884 Aerial Map (St. Vincent's Cemetery) (Coal Creek No.
Beckwith illustrates the church nearing completion during labor strife of 1877 when troops were stationed in Plymouth.
Photo about 1900 The sprinter Ben Johnson lived in this house from 1929–1933 when it was owned by Shonk's daughter Clara McAlarney.
Builder: J. Nelson, Scranton, PA.[48] Murals: Ferdinand Baraldi, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Lithograph c. 1898 Postcard c. 1910 East of Downing Street East Wing added 1897 Basement level remains in use (First Fire House)
1897 Portrait Downing and Academy Streets (First Church Building) (Gaylord Avenue)
[62] (PA National Guard) (During Spanish–American War) Builder: Charles C.
1904 Photo (First Church Building) Dedicated September 27, 1896.
[90] Architect: Harry A. Weise Brick bell tower added in 1984 Builder: Charles C.
[95] 13 Room Addition built 1937, Ralph M. Herr, Architect.
[96] 1) a 1-1/2 mile open channel leading from Pikes Creek Reservoir runs along the west side of Harveys Creek to 2) a 26" diameter pipeline, running down the hill to Harveys Creek and up the hill on the east side, feeding 3) a 2,700 foot-long reinforced concrete aqueduct on the hillside above Harveys Creek, terminating at 4) a short connecting pipeline, running into 5) a 3,400 foot-long, 9' x 7' tunnel, running beneath Shawnee Mountain, emptying into 6) a small collecting reservoir (known as the Jersey Reservoir), drained by 7) a 48" diameter pipeline, 1,300 feet-long, connecting to the distribution point at Coal Creek.
[97] Builder: Frank Melvin Capacity: 50 million gallons per day (Second Church Building)
[108] (aka Ward P. Davenport High School) Builder: Herman Mailander Contractor: M.L.