Law And Government

Raphael J. Musto, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 14th Senatorial District
James J. Rhoades, Republican, Pennsylvania's 29th Senatorial District Pennsylvania State Senate

Keith R. McCall, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 122nd Representative District Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Paul E. Kanjorski, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district United States House of Representatives

Arlen Specter, Republican
Bob Casey, Democrat United States Senate
Carbon County was created on March 13, 1843 from parts of Northampton and Monroe Counties and was named for the extensive deposits of coal in the region.
Carbon County is the location of the trials and executions of the controversial Molly Maguires, an Irish secret society that had been accused of terrorizing the region.

History
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,003 km² (387 mi²). 987 km² (381 mi²) of it is land and 16 km² (6 mi²) of it (1.60%) is water.

Geography

Luzerne County (north)
Monroe County (east)
Northampton County (southeast)
Lehigh County (south)
Schuylkill County (southwest) Adjacent counties
As of the census² of 2000, there were 58,802 people, 23,701 households, and 16,424 families residing in the county. The population density was 60/km² (154/mi²). There were 30,492 housing units at an average density of 31/km² (80/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.82% White, 0.60% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.4% were of German, 10.1% Irish, 9.2% Italian, 7.9% American, 6.6% Slovak, 6.0% Polish and 5.8% Pennsylvania German ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 23,701 households out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.20% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

Demographics
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Carbon County:

Municipalities

Beaver Meadows
Bowmanstown
East Side
Jim Thorpe
Lansford
Lehighton
Nesquehoning
Palmerton
Parryville
Summit Hill
Weatherly
Weissport Boroughs

Banks Township
East Penn Township
Franklin Township
Kidder Township
Lausanne Township
Lehigh Township
Lower Towamensing Township
Mahoning Township
Packer Township
Penn Forest Township
Towamensing Township Townships
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

Tresckow
Weissport East Census-designated places

Education

Lehigh Carbon Community College - Carbon Campus, Nesquehoning Public School Districts
There are three Pennsylvania state parks in Carbon County.

Beltzville State Park
Lehigh Gorge State Park stretches along the Lehigh River in Luzerne County and into Carbon County.
Hickory Run State Park