Dennison Township’s rural charm and sparse population
Dennison Township in Luzerne County is a sparsely populated area south of Mountain Top in northwestern Pennsylvania. This rural community is home to just over 1,000 residents. Most of the township is comprised of forest, with some farms and most homes clustered near the neighboring borough of White Haven. Though homes rarely hit the market, Dennison’s appeal lies in its remoteness and access to outdoor recreation – especially the D&L Trail and Nescopeck State Park. The overall CAP Index Crime Score is 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Natural scenery at Nescopeck State Park and on the D&L Trail
Dennison is home to the 3,500-acre Nescopeck State Park, which includes Lake Frances and 19 miles of trails that wind through the woods and past the meandering Nescopeck Creek. Anglers can fish for trout, bass and panfish at Lake Frances, and seasonal hunting for deer, turkey and other game is permitted in the park. In the winter, locals can go ice fishing at Lake Frances and rent snowshoes from the state park’s environmental education center. Dennison is also home to a portion of the 165-mile D&L Trail, which extends past creeks, train tracks and the Lehigh River. Hikers, joggers and cyclists share the recreational path. Cyclists can rent bikes from Trail Town Bikes in White Haven.
Four-season outdoor fun at Montage Mountain
There’s something to do in northeast Pennsylvania in every season, from admiring the fall foliage to hitting the ski slopes. “Winters are on the colder side,” says Jenine Finarelli, a real estate agent at Century 21 Signature Properties who lives and works in Luzerne County. “In the wintertime, there’s skiing at Montage Mountain; they also do outdoor summer concerts and there’s a water park there.” About 30 miles north of Dennison, Montage Mountain is a family-friendly recreation destination with more than 25 ski slopes, a tubing hill and a water park open in the summer.
Limited housing supply in Dennison
Telephone wires hang above Dennison’s hilly residential streets. Stairs lead up from the street to homes with front porches. As many of the homes here were built before the proliferation of the personal vehicle, garages aren’t a typical feature. The residential landscape includes Cape Cod and colonial-style homes. There are no recent home sales in Dennison, but the current estimated values range from about $130,000 to $280,000. The median single-family home price is about $160,000.
The Crestwood School District serves the area
Students are zoned for the Crestwood School District, rated B-minus on Niche. Fairview Elementary School, rated B, serves kindergarten through sixth grade. B-minus-rated Crestwood Secondary Campus serves grades seven through twelve; students can try out for the school’s 10 junior varsity sports and 12 varsity sports. Alternatively, MMI Preparatory School, rated A, is a private option for middle and high schoolers with a student-teacher ratio of 8-to-1. MMI, which stands for Mining and Mechanical Institute, was founded in 1879 to teach technical skills to miners; today, the school tailors its academics for college-bound students.
Dining in Dennison and nearby shopping options
Dennison Township has two restaurants and no stores. Charlie Weaver’s Restaurant serves prime rib and seafood in a homey, cozy environment. Annie’s Farmhouse Bar & Grill, a larger establishment, hosts events like baby showers and birthdays in its refurbished wooden farmhouse, in addition to regularly serving burgers, subs and wings. Groceries are available at White Haven Market down the road in White Haven. Shoppers can drive up to Wilkes-Barre Commons for big box stores like Target, Marshalls and Best Buy.
Access to Interstates 80 and 476
Dennison is a car-dependent community. Interstate 80 stretches east-west across the township and state, intersecting with Interstate 476, which leads south to Philadelphia. Dennison is about 6 miles from Wilkes-Barre General Hospital’s Mountain Top campus and 20 miles from Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport.
