The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF AVOCA BOROUGH ON ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL
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HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Avoca Borough, Pennsylvania as its residents celebrate its 150th anniversary of incorporation.
On May 24, 1871, Avoca Borough, then known as Pleasant Valley, was officially incorporated after splitting from the nearby Pittston Township. Governed by three councilmen, Pleasant Valley was a booming community with four railroads, four churches, a board of trade, a school, and a fire company.
In 1889, residents wanted to move the Marr Post Office to a more central location in the community. With another borough in the Commonwealth already claiming the name Pleasant Valley, the United States Postal Service rejected their request, but the citizens were undeterred. They requested a name change to Avoca through the Luzerne County Court after the Avoca Hose Company. The court granted their request, and the name was officially changed.
The twentieth century saw growth and prosperity for Avoca, and as the population grew, so did the needs of the community. In 1905, a group of Avoca's most enterprising citizens met to discuss the need for a town bank, and on April 1, 1907, the First National Bank of Avoca opened on Main Street. In the early 1920s, schools were struggling to accommodate the number of students due to a steadily increasing population. In 1925, the Avoca School Board finalized plans for a four-year high school building, which was completed in time for the 1926 school year.
Avoca has always been home to patriotic Americans who valiantly served their country and sought to give back to their community. In 1931, a group of ex-service members organized the American Legion McPhillips-WiddaI Post, and in 1946, Avoca veterans formed the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8335. Both organizations supported civic and athletic programs in Avoca.
Like many communities in the area, coal mining was the primary driver of the local economy. Many residents supported their families with careers in the mines, but the industry proved to be unsustainable. As the coal mining industry began to decline in the 1940s, the Wilkes-
Barre-Scranton Airport was constructed, which would become a flourishing regional hub for travel throughout the Northeast. Through the 1950s, the anthracite coal mining industry continued its decline, forcing Avoca residents to relocate for more viable employment.
Today, Avoca remains a tight-knit community with thriving local businesses and a true small-town atmosphere. I am honored to join with Mayor Bob Mullen, Parade Grand Marshals Chris Van Luvender and Bob Matthews, Anniversary Committee President Kelly O'Brien, and all the residents of Avoca in celebrating the Borough's 150th anniversary. May the Borough continue to see growth and prosperity over the next 150 years.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 163
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