Vandling Borough Hall is located at 634 Main Street, Forest City PA 18421.
Phone: 570‑785‑5070.
Neighborhoods
Beginnings [1]
Organization of Vandling Borough in 1899 grew out of dissatisfaction and lack of representation in the affairs of Fell Township. The village of Vandling at that time had about 145 families, all dependent on employment in the D.&H. and Hillside Coal&Iron Company Mines located in and around the place. Simpson and the lower end of the township with its greater population dominated the government of the township. Citizens contended that while one-sixth of the revenue of the township came from Vandling, no attention was paid to the school, highways and other needs of the village. The petition asking for the creation of the borough was presented to court May 27, 1899, and a hearing held before President Judge H. M. Edwards Aug. 14. Hon. H. A. Knapp appeared for the petitioners. It was represented that out of 73 freeholders, 67 signed the borough petition and 50 other taxpayers out of 60 or so. The village was represented as having 145 families; 110 houses, school, post office, four mercantile establishments and three hotels. Advocates of the borough who testified in court were: Ben Milton, James P. Madden, Daniel Reagan, George Young. Fred Crippen and Harry Yewens, civil engineers, made the survey for the borough. The petition was approved by court Nov. 14, 1899.
Vandling borders on Wayne and Susquehanna counties. Its area is about 800 acres. It is tapped by the Susquehanna division of the Erie Railroad and the New York, Ontario & Western Railroad. A street car line connected the village with Carbondale and Forest City until 1926. Joseph Brennan, Esq., of Carbondale, was principal in the borough schools for a number of years before taking up the practice of law. The borough was named after A. H. Vandling, for many years land agent for the D.&H. Railroad Company, whose mining interests were large in the borough.
Vandling is about five miles north of Carbondale and two miles from Forest City. A post office was established in 1889 with H. D. Mitchell as postmaster. James P. Madden, one of the active spirits in the borough movement, was the first burgess. Dr. G. T. McGuire was the first physician in the town. A Congregational church built in the early days of the borough reverted to the contractor who sold it to the Methodist society. This society was chartered March 13, 1900, having been formed in November, 1899. The first pastor was Rev. R. P. Christopher, 1889-1899. A Workmen's Sick and Death Benefit Society was maintained for many years.