Welcome to the Borough of Moscow
The Borough of Moscow is proud to be able to provide to you this site as a resource of our community information and as a community guide. It is our intention that this will assist in answering questions you may have concerning the Borough Council and the role of the different Borough Departments.
Regardless of whether you are a permanent resident of Moscow, or are simply visiting, we hope you will take the time to appreciate the Borough and the people in it and by all means, feel free to contact the Borough office or stop by if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Mayor and Council - Borough of Moscow |
History of Moscow
The first settler to the site of what is known today as Moscow, was the Reverend Peter Rupert, a Lutheran minister. Rupert purchased lands from Henry Drinker, who owned almost 25,000 acres of land at the early part of the nineteenth century.
Rupert built the first log cabin along the Drinker Turnpike (Route 435) and by 1830 erected the first inn, known as "Pioneer House", for travelers on the turnpike. It has been said that the name Moscow was proposed in honor of the city Moscow, Russia.
By 1850, Rupert sold much of his land holdings to the Scranton and Plant Iron Co., of Scranton, PA, for the purpose of building the D.L. & W. Railroad which would pass through Moscow. This was accomplished by 1856.
Following the Reverend Rupert and the building of the railroad, settlers located to Moscow with lumbering and farming as their chief occupations. In 1838, the first school house, which served also for church purposes, was built on Mill Street, and a post office was later established in 1852 with Leander Griffin in charge.
Some other early names representing settlers to the area who established businesses were Vaughn, Swartz, La Touche, Wilbur, Nobel, Reap, Simpson, and Loveland, to name but a few. While Peter Rupert sold his land holdings, his name had been perpetuated by Rupert Hill, where St. Catherine's Catholic Cemetery is today.
Moscow received a borough charter early in 1908, and elected W.B. Miller the first burgess. Prior to becoming a borough, Moscow was originally part of Madison Township. |
