There’s farmland and a power plant in Derry Township
Derry Township blends two of Montour County's biggest industries: agriculture and power. Acres of rolling farmland surround the Montour Steam Electric Station, which has supplied power to central Pennsylvania since 1972. “There was a time when every new person who moved here worked at the plant,” says Greg Molter, the township’s board chairman, who has lived here since the 1980s. Over the next few decades, the station became more automated and needed fewer employees, but many stayed in Derry and transitioned to farming. “Houses here already have a lot of acreage, and everybody just kept buying more land to add to what they already owned,” Molter says. Aside from an industrial and rural setting, Derry offers a location less than 10 miles north of Danville, where there’s shopping, dining and highly-rated public schools.
Houses here cost less than in Danville
Ranch-style homes, Colonial Revivals and farmhouses are all common. Expansive corn, soybean and hay crops often separate houses here. The median single-family home price is around $206,000, which is lower than Danville’s median of around $260,000. Fixer-uppers can cost between $100,000 and $230,000, while homes on large lots sometimes reach around $700,000. Several Susquehanna River creeks flow through the community, and properties closest to these waterways may be at risk of flooding.
The Montour Steam Electric Plant operates with natural gas
Smoke billows from the Montour Steam Electric Station’s 540-foot-tall smokestacks in the northern part of town. The plant was originally built to burn coal, but in 2023, it started running on natural gas. “Now, we don’t deal with weird smells or ash falling from the sky,” Molter says. The change was also made to protect Montour Preserve, a 640-acre green space about 5 miles north. “It’s the best park in the county,” Molter says. “Some people in Derry go there daily.” Hiking trails and picnic pavilions surround the preserve’s lake, which was once a cooling source for the plant. Today, locals can kayak across the calm water and fish for largemouth bass, bluegill and black crappie. There’s a rock shale for fossil hunting and plenty of maple trees for collecting sap. The visitors center has local wildlife displays and summer camps about nature. A 27-acre solar power plant, called Montour Solar One, is being built adjacent to the steam station. Construction hasn’t started yet, but the project will create around 150 jobs and generate approximately 100 megawatts of energy per year.
Public schools in Danville get B grades or higher
The Danville Area School District serves Derry. Kids can attend Danville Primary, which Niche grades a B, and Liberty Valley Intermediate, which earns a B-plus. They may continue to A-minus-rated Danville Middle and B-plus-graded Danville Area High, where career and technical pathways include agricultural mechanizations and agriculture and related sciences.
Derry has a farm market, and more stores are in Danville
Auto repair shops, landscape supply warehouses and farmstands dot Derry’s winding roads. Burkholder’s Farm Market has a deli and a bakery. The ranch-style storefront also sells produce and seasonal items, like mums and pumpkins in the fall. While there aren’t many commercial options in the township, that’s how locals like it. “None of us mind driving for groceries and restaurants,” Molter says. “We like how quiet it is here.” Danville has grocery stores, like Giant, and a downtown district with pizzerias, coffee shops and bars. More restaurants and retailers are in Bloomsburg, less than 16 miles southeast.
Hunting land and fairgrounds are nearby
Derry is near other recreation spaces, including State Game Lands Number 226, about 9 miles northeast. The 4,335-acre hunting ground is home to black bears, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys. Trails for hiking, snowmobiling and horseback riding also stretch across the hilly terrain. The Montour-Delong Community Fair is celebrated every September near Derry’s southwestern edge. Locals can ride the Ferris wheel, devour funnel cakes and participate in agriculture competitions during this week-long event. Danville has several parks with playgrounds, boat launches and fishing spots on the Susquehanna River. Local houses of worship include the Derry Mennonite Church and the Washingtonville Lutheran Church.
Cars and horse and buggies travel on Derry’s roads
Derry is a car-dependent community with asphalt and unpaved roads. Drivers often share these streets with Amish people traveling by horse-and-buggy. “They move pretty slowly,” Molter says. “I’m always scared I might’ve clipped one of their wheels or a horse hoof when I pass them.” State Route 54 leads directly to Danville, home to the nearest hospital, the Geisinger Medical Center. Interstate 80 connects with Interstate 81 to reach Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, 60 miles northeast. A freight railroad runs through town, and traffic at intersecting roads may stop as trains pass through.
