Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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This article is about the city in Pennsylvania. For the 2010 film, see Lebanon, PA (film). For other uses of "Lebanon", see Lebanon (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a township in Allegheny County across the state.

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Lebanon
Template:Native name
City
View down Cumberland Street
View down Cumberland Street
Template:Infobox settlement/columns
Location of Lebanon in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania (left) and of Lebanon County in Pennsylvania (right)
Location of Lebanon in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania (left) and of Lebanon County in Pennsylvania (right)
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Coordinates: 40°20′28″N 76°25′22″W / 40.34111°N 76.42278°W / 40.34111; -76.42278Coordinates: 40°20′28″N 76°25′22″W / 40.34111°N 76.42278°W / 40.34111; -76.42278
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyLebanon
Settled1720
Incorporated1821
Charter1885
Government
 • MayorSherry Capello (R)
Area
[1]
 • CityTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • LandTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • WaterTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • Urban
Template:Infobox settlement/areadisp
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • City26,814
 • DensityTemplate:Infobox settlement/densdisp
 • Urban
78,147
 • Urban densityTemplate:Infobox settlement/densdisp
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
17042, 17046
Area codes717 and 223
FIPS code42-42168
GNIS feature ID1215365[3]
Websitehttps://www.lebanonpa.org/

Lebanon (/ˈlɛbənən/ LEB-ən-ən; Template:Langx pdc) is a city[4] in and the county seat of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States.[5] The population was 26,814 at the 2020 census.

Lebanon was founded by George Steitz in 1740 and was originally named Steitztown.[6]

Lebanon is located 61 miles (98 km) southwest of Allentown, 26 miles (42 km) east of Harrisburg, and 88 miles (142 km) northwest of Philadelphia.

History

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File:Central Square in Lebanon, Pennsylvania (1895).jpg
Central Square in Lebanon, 1895

Lebanon was settled by European colonists in 1720, many with the family names of "Steitz" and "Light", along a creek that was then named "Steitz Creek". The Light patriarchs built a fort to protect against Indians and named it "Light's Fort". The town was laid out in 1753, incorporated as a borough on February 20, 1821, and became a city on November 25, 1885. It adopted the commission form of government, consisting of four councilmen and a mayor.

Lebanon bologna was first made here, since before the 1780s.[7] The Union Canal, which operated from 1828 to 1885, flowed through the city's north side. San Giorgio pasta has been manufactured in Lebanon since 1914,[8] and was acquired by nearby Hershey Foods Corporation in 1966.[9] Lebanon was formerly home to a major steel mill operated by Bethlehem Steel.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (11 km2), all land.

Lebanon is bordered to its north and east by North Lebanon Township (4.5 mi), to its south and east by South Lebanon Township (3.22 mi), to its west by West Lebanon Township (1.07 mi), and to its south and west by North Cornwall Township (4.38 mi). The Quittapahilla Creek drains the city westward into the Susquehanna River via the Swatara Creek.

Climate

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Average monthly temperatures in center city Lebanon range from 29.4 °F in January to 74.3 °F in July.[10] The city and vicinity have a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and the local hardiness zone is 6b.

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, Lebanon had a population of 26,814 and a median age of 35.7 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older.[11]

For every 100 females there were 96.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.3 males age 18 and over.[11]

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.[12]

There were 10,566 households in Lebanon, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 31.3% were married-couple households, 23.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 33.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]

There were 11,426 housing units, of which 7.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.0%.[11]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[13]
Race Number Percent
White 14,794 55.2%
Black or African American 1,434 5.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 135 0.5%
Asian 242 0.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 31 0.1%
Some other race 6,150 22.9%
Two or more races 4,028 15.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 12,380 46.2%

2000 census

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As of the census of 2000,[14] there were 24,461 people, 10,266 households, and 6,056 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,844.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,256.7/km2). There were 11,220 housing units at an average density of 2,681.0 per square mile (1,035.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 85.50% White, 3.23% African American, 0.28% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 8.11% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.43% of the population.

There were 10,266 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.7% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,259, and the median income for a family was $34,045. Males had a median income of $26,957 versus $20,162 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,584. About 12.8% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.7% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

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Public education in the city of Lebanon and West Lebanon Township is provided by the Lebanon School District. There are five elementary schools in the district along with Lebanon Middle School and Lebanon High School. Beginning with the 2024-25 school year the middle school will be replaced by an intermediate school (5th & 6th grades) and a junior high school (7th & 8th Grades). Nearby private institutions include Blue Mountain Christian School, New Covenant Christian School and Lebanon Christian Academy. All three private institutions have a varsity sports department and an elementary, junior high, and senior high. Students in Lebanon School District also may attend the Lebanon County Career and Technology Center. The city is home to Harrisburg Area Community College's Lebanon Campus.

Culture

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File:LebanonBolognaDrop2008.jpg
Lebanon's 12 ft, 150 pound New Year's Eve bologna

Lebanon, Pennsylvania is thought to be named after the West Asian nation of Lebanon, however, locals consistently pronounce the Pennsylvania city's name /ˈlɛbənən/ ("Leb-a-nin") and many shorten it to two syllables—"Leb-nin" or even "Lep-nin." The latter is particularly identified with Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.[15]

An infamous 1878 murder near Fort Indiantown Gap resulted in a trial of six defendants who all had blue eyes. They were given the moniker the Blue-eyed Six by a newspaper reporter who attended the trial, held in the Lebanon county courthouse. Five of the six defendants were hanged at the county jail. The trial received worldwide publicity and provided inspiration to Arthur Conan Doyle in writing the Sherlock Holmes short story "The Red-Headed League" (1891).[16]

At one point in history the Lebanon County courthouse and jail became the home of the popular Lebanon Farmers Market. After a time as a textile manufacturer, the market returned to the original 30,000 square foot Market House on South 8th street in 2003.[citation needed]

Lebanon is one of several Pennsylvania towns to drop or raise a unique item at midnight on New Year's Eve. Godshall's Quality Meats, owners of Weaver's Famous Lebanon Bologna, donates a 150-pound (68 kg) Lebanon bologna for the annual festivity. It is encased in a metal frame and suspended from a fire department ladder truck, and donated to a local rescue mission after the celebration.[citation needed]

In December 2008, the TV show Dirty Jobs, hosted by Mike Rowe, visited the Seltzer's Smokehouse Meats to film production of Lebanon bologna.[17] In 2008 the show featured the Wertz Candy Shop.[18]

In 2010, an independent film drama Lebanon, PA was made.[19] The film was set in Lebanon and some scenes were filmed in the city and surrounding county.

Points of interest

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File:Salem Evang LebCo PA.jpg
Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church
File:Lebanon Reading RR Station.jpg
The Former Reading Railroad station on Eighth Street

Local points of interest listed on the National Register of Historic Places[20] include:

Notable people

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References

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  1. ↑ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly
  3. ↑ "City of Lebanon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Home page". LebanonPA.org. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ↑ "About Lebanon". www.lebanonpa.org.
  7. ↑ "A slice of history". Baltimore Sun. November 9, 2005.
  8. ↑ "San Giorgio® - Our Story". www.sangiorgio.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  9. ↑ Seiber, Valerie (January 15, 2016). "Hershey and Pasta: An Interesting Relationship". Visit The Hershey Story Museum. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  10. ↑ "PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University". prism.oregonstate.edu.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  12. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  13. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GR2
  15. ↑ Lady, The Apple (August 19, 2007). "The Daily Apple: Apple #261: Wilkes-Barre, PA".
  16. ↑ Ludwig, Gary (1979). The Blue Eyed Six, A Historical Narrative. Lebanon, PA: Hodge Podge USA.
  17. ↑ "Discovery Channel hit to give bologna its 10 minutes of fame". Archived from the original on August 24, 2008.
  18. ↑ "TV.com episode recap". Archived from the original on September 13, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Home Decor Inspirations". lebanonpamovie.com.
  20. ↑ Template:NRISref
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Major General J. D. Patch To Visit Lebanon". Lebanon Daily News. Lebanon, PA. August 24, 1948. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ Tannenwald, Jonathan (February 4, 2025). "Neil Pierre, perhaps the best centerback prospect in Union history, signs a first-team deal". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Whitecaps FC add Nelson Pierre to MLS first team roster". Vancouver Whitecaps. June 28, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
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