County of Pike History

The County of Pike was separated from Wayne County on March 26, 1814. Wayne had been separated from Northhampton on March 21, 1798, and Northhampton had been formed from part of Bucks County on March 11, 1752. Bucks was one of the original counties created by William Penn in 1682. When formed in 1814, Pike County included the Townships of Middle Smithfield, Delaware, Upper Smithfield, Lackawaxen and Palmyra. By the Act of April 1, 1836 , a portion of Pike County was cut off to form part of Monroe County; otherwise, it's boundaries remain as they were established by the Act of 1814. It was named for Zebulon Montgomery Pike, discoverer of Pike's Peak and a General killed in the war of 1812. The County Seat is Milford. The original Courthouse was constructed in 1815. The present Courthouse was completed in 1874. The Administration Building was completed in 1985. The latest County facility is the Pike County Jail which was completed in 1995.
Township and Borough Information
Blooming Grove Township
Created December 17, 1850, from parts of Lackawaxen and Palmyra Townships. A visitor passing through about the time of the American Revolution discovered there an abandoned farm with a grove of large apple trees in bloom. They had obviously been planted many years before.

Ms. Joanna Donahue, Secretary/Treasurer

Address:
488 Route 739
Blooming Grove, PA 18428-9039
Phone: (570) 775-6461
Fax: (570) 775-9322
Contact Email:joanna.donahue@bloominggrovetownship.com
Web Site: www.bloominggrovetownship.com

Hours of Operation:
Office Hours: Daily 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Supervisors Meetings: 1st & 3rd Mondays of the month at 6:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of the month at 6:00 pm
Delaware Township
The oldest of Pike's Townships, was in existence before 1766 as part of Northhampton County. It was named because it bordered the Delaware River and originally extended west to Luzerne County line.

Rick Koehler Township Administrator/Assistant Treasurer/Right-To-Know Officer

Address:
116 Wilson Hill Road
Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328

Phone: (570) 828-2347
Fax: (570) 828-8705
Contact Email: dtbos@ptd.net
Web Site: www.delawaretownshippa.gov

Hours of Operation:
Office Hours: Daily 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Supervisors Meetings: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm
Dingman Township
Created April 17, 1832, from Upper Smithfield Township. Named for Daniel Westbrook Dingman, a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature and a County Judge for 26 years. His grandfather, Andrew Dingman first came to the area about 1735 and started Dingman Ferry.

Mrs. Karen Kleist, Secretary

Address:
118 Fisher Lane
Milford, PA 18337

Phone: (570) 296-8455
Fax: (570) 296-2150
Contact Email:dingman@ptd.net
Web Site: www.dingmantownship.org

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Daily 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Supervisors Meetings: 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Greene Township
Created April 24, 1839, from Palmyra Township. Named for the popular Revolutionary War General Nathanel Greene, who fought at Boston, Long Island, Trenton and Brandywine.

Amanda Seagraves, Secretary

Address:
198 Brinkhill Road
Greentown, PA 18426

Phone: (570) 676-9325
Fax: (570) 676-9867

Contact Email: secretary@greenetownship.org
Website: greenetownship.org

Hours of Operation:
Office Hours: Daily 8:00 am - 2:30 pm
Supervisors Meetings: 1st Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Lackawaxen Township
Was named for the river which bore the Indian name meaning swift waters. It was one of the original townships of Wayne County in 1798.

Denise Steuhl, Secretary

Address:

169 Urban Road
Hawley, PA 18428

Phone: (570) 685-7288
Fax: (570) 685-2550
Contact Email: denise@lackawaxentownshippa.gov
Website: lackawaxentownshippa.gov

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7:00 am - 3:00 pm; Tuesday and Thursday by Appointment
Supervisors Meetings: 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 1st Wednesday of the month at 6:00 pm
Lehman Township

Created August 19, 1829, from Delaware Township. Listed on Tax rolls for Upper Smithfield Township in 1815 was Joseph Leighman, paying 55 cents on 442 acres. In 1824 his name was spelled Leaman and by 1832 was Lehman.

Mr. Robert Rohner, Secretary

Address:
193 Municipal Drive
Bushkill, PA 18324

Phone: (570) 588-9365
Fax: (570) 588-1864

Contact Email: lehmanpk@ptd.net

Website: www.lehmantownship.com

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Daily 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Supervisors Meetings: 4th Thursday of the month at 3:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm

Matamoras Borough
Incorporated as a borough on January 18, 1905, was originally part of Westfall Township. Named during the Mexican War after the American Army captured the Mexican town of Matamoras. That town had originally been named for Rev. Mariano Matamoras, a hero of the Mexican Revolution.

Marianne Brown, Secretary

Address:
10 Avenue I
Matamoras, PA 18336

Phone: (570) 491-2771
Fax: (570) 491-2090
Contact Email: secretary@matamorasborough.com
Website: www.matamorasborough.com

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Council Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Milford Borough
Incorporated as a borough on December 25, 1874, and was originally part of Milford Township. Milford's history dates back to 1733 when Tom Quick was the first settler. There are numerous historic buildings throughout the village, noteworthy among them are Forest Hall, Hotel Fauchere, the Court House, Grey Towers, The Columns, the Upper Mill and the Community House, the Callahan House, the Dimmick Inn and the Tom Quick Inn.

Laurie DiGeso, Secretary

Address:
500 Broad Street
Milford, PA 18337
Phone: (570) 296-7140
Fax: (570) 296-6877
Contact Email: secretary@milfordboro.org
Website:www.milfordboro.org

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Monday-Friday - Hours as posted
Supervisors Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm at 109 West Catharine Street
Planning Commission Meetings: 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 pm at 109 West Catharine Street
Milford Township
Created April 17, 1832, from Upper Smithfield Township. John Biddis laid out the village in 1796. Some say it was named for Milford Haven in Wales where William Biddis (father of John) was born. Other say the Wells' Mill and the spot where Delaware was forded resulted in the name Mill-Ford.

Shahana Shamin, Secretary

Address:
P.O. Box 366
Milford, PA 18337

Phone: (570) 296-5540
Fax: (570) 409-8348

Contact Email: milfrdtp@ptd.net
Web Site: www.milfordtownshippike.com

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Supervisors Meetings: 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 4th Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Palmyra Township
Originally much larger, was formed in 1798 as a part of Wayne County. Like Bethany, Caanan, Promise Land, and Lebanon, it was named because of its Biblical connection. The ancient town of Palmyra (or Tadmor) today is in Syria.

Mrs. Joanne Rose, Secretary

Address:
115 Buehler Lane
Paupack, PA 18451
Phone: (570) 226-2230
Fax: (570) 226-4033
Contact Email:
palpikea@ptd.net

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Supervisors Meetings: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm
Porter Township
Created December 16, 1851, from parts of Delaware and Lehman Townships. Named in honor of Hon. James Madison Porter who built the first house there at Portersville by Porter Lake in 1849.

Ms. Theresa Koch, Secretary

Address:
2186 Route 402
Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328

Phone: (570) 223-0447
Fax: (570) 775-7734
Contact Email: info@portertownship.net
Web Site: www.portertownship.net

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Office not Staffed, please use contact information provided above
Supervisors Meetings: 1st Monday of the month at 4:00 pm
Planning Commission Meetings: 1st Monday of the month at 3:00 pm
Shohola Township
Created September 25, 1852, from parts of Lackawaxen, Westfall, and Milford Townships, bears the name which Indians used to describe the Creek. In comparison to the nearby Lackawaxen "swift waters," the Shohola was more quiet, tranquil, or peaceful. Those who ask for a one-word translation of "Shohola" might well select "peaceful".

Diana Blume, Secretary

Address:
159 Twin Lakes Road
Shohola, PA 18458
Phone: (570) 559-7394
Fax: (570) 559-7523
Contact Email:shohtwp@ptd.net
Web Site:www.shoholatwp.org

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Supervisor Meetings: 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:30 pm
Planning Commission Meeting: 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:30 pm
Westfall Township
Created January 31, 1839, from Milford Township. Simon Westfall (or Westfall) first settled there before 1743. His son Simon built the stone house in Matamoras. Two descendants, Cornelius and Jacob served as Justices of the Peace.

Jodi Manheim, Secretary

Address:
P.O. Box 247
Matamoras, PA 18336
Phone: (570) 491-4065
Fax: (570) 491-6353
Contact Email: westfallsec@optonline.net

Hours of Operation:

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm and the office is closed on Friday
Supervisor Meetings: 1st Monday of the month at 7:00 pm
Planning Commission Meeting: 4th Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm