Geography, Topography, and History
The Borough of Towanda is located centrally within the County. It is almost entirely surrounded by the Township of Towanda with the exceptions of its eastern border, which meets Wysox Township, and its northern border, which is surrounded by North Towanda Township. The Susquehanna River serves as the eastern land division between Wysox Township and the Borough. The major roads that travel through the Borough include US Route 220, US Route 6, York Avenue, and Main Street. The Borough is situated on a hill, and at its lowest point of altitude it reaches 741 feet above sea level along Main Street, and it reaches 1,400 feet above sea level in the eastern end.
Towanda Borough was officially established in 1828, however additions have been made since. The Towanda Village was laid out in 1812. The location of Towanda is near a Native American burial ground, where the name is derived from a Native American word that translates to mean, “where we bury the dead”. At one point the Borough held the largest population of any municipality within the County. In 1890, the recorded census data stated a population of 4,280. There was a great fire in 1847, said to be the worst the County had ever seen, burning several buildings along Main Street.
Local Government and Current Data
The Borough of Towanda has a governing board that consists of an elected mayor and nine elected councilmen. There is a Borough secretary. The Borough has a planning commission that consists of nine members. Recently, the Borough approved a joint comprehensive plan that also includes Towanda Township and North Towanda Township. The zoning regulations adopted in 1971 are still enforced today by a zoning hearing board that consists of three members. The County handles each subdivision and land development that occurs within the Borough.
At one point Towanda held the largest population in Bradford County and its central location made it appropriate for the County seat. For this reason, there are many County jobs and services located in the Borough. The Bradford County Courthouse is situated off shore from the Susquehanna River in downtown Towanda. Both the Court Street and the Fourth Street Annex are county owned properties as well. The Bradford County Historical Society and Museum is found in the Borough at the old County Jail on Pine Street.
The array of historical architectural styles found in many of the buildings and homes reveal the importance of the Borough within the County. One example includes the Gothic Revival style in the Towanda Public Library downtown. Many examples of historic architectural styles are visible in the older churches as well, they include: the Assembly of God Church, Independent Baptist Church, St. Peter & Paul Rectory, Christ Episcopal Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Trinity Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church and Parsonage, Presbyterian Church, and the Towanda Universalist Unitarian Church.
The Borough has several parks for recreational activities or events, they include the Towanda Memorial Park, Third Ward Playground, and the Towanda Area School District Playgrounds, which are available to the public outside of school hours. A few organizations located in the Borough are the ELKS club American Legion, VFW and the YMCA.
