Pennsylvania’s peaceful hills are home to generational residents
Country roads ramble through farmland and over hilltops in Dorrance, a township 15 miles from Wilkes-Barre in northeastern Pennsylvania. The township’s swaths of forests and farms create a secluded atmosphere, but the families who have lived here for generations know each other well. “People are born here, have big families, and they tend to stay here,” says Kelly Haffner, Secretary of Dorrance Township. “You’ll go down the street and usually see someone you know. It’s very country, very rural, and that’s why people seem to like it here the most.”
A variety of single-family homes that rarely come up for sale
Traditional, ranch-style homes and farmhouses dot the landscape. Most properties are at least an acre, with many stretching across several. Home sizes vary greatly, from modestly sized cottages and mobile homes to private custom homes with over 5,000 square feet of living space. The real estate market here moves slowly, with properties rarely coming up for sale. Home values range from $150,000 to about $900,000, and the median sale price is around $345,000. Dorrance’s CAP Index Crime Score is a 1, far below the national average of 4.
Public golfing and nearby Nescopeck State Park
Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club is a public course with 27 holes in Dorrance. The fairways follow the region’s hills, and densely wooded natural areas outline the course. For athletics, there are soccer fields and tennis courts behind the Dorrance Township Municipal Building. Nearby, Nescopeck State Park spans over 3,500 acres of this mountainous region. The park has 19 miles of trails through wooded areas and fields and along Nescopeck Creek.
Local fire departments put on community events
Dorrance Township Volunteer Fire Department puts on fundraising events in the community, like pancake breakfasts and hoagie sales. Down the road, the Hobbie Volunteer Fire and Ambulance hosts a weekend-long carnival each year to raise funds. Locals try their luck with basket raffles and enjoy some friendly competition during the cornhole tournament and tractor pull. Haffner also says that kids’ baseball and softball games are a popular way for families to get together. Mountain Top Area Little League organizes teams and tournaments nearby.
Down-home dining and more in neighboring communities
Dorrance Inn, a small-town bar in a rustic farmhouse with a wraparound porch, serves beers with burgers and wings. Hilltop Farm Market is one of several local farms selling produce and meats. Locals often travel to Mountain Top and other neighboring towns like Hazleton for shopping, dining and work. The Mountain Top community has Weis Markets, chains like Taco Bell and other local watering holes like the Mountaintop Pub & Eatery. “Mountain Top industrial park has PepsiCo. There are a lot of jobs up there,” Haffner says. Pennsy Supply Inc. also has a quarry in Dorrance producing sand, asphalt and concrete.
Advanced courses for high-performing students in Crestwood schools
Students typically attend Rice Elementary School, which earns a B rating from Niche, for kindergarten through sixth grade. They continue to the B-minus-rated Crestwood Secondary Campus for seventh through 12th grades. In addition to offering 11 Advanced Placement courses to high schoolers, Crestwood Secondary Campus offers its Early College program to students performing in the top 10% of their class. Students in this program can take classes at local colleges.
Driving around the region on Interstate 81
Interstate 81 goes through the township and takes drivers to Wilkes-Barre, 15 miles northeast, and Scranton, 30 miles northeast. Dorrance residents can get medical care at Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and fly out of Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
