Forty Fort, PA Area Guide

Forty Fort takes its name from a remarkable origin: in 1770, forty settlers from Westmoreland County, Connecticut constructed a fortification along the Susquehanna River to defend a territory that both Connecticut and Pennsylvania claimed under competing colonial charters. That boundary dispute, known as the Pennamite-Yankee Wars, gave the borough a distinctive founding story rooted in early American conflict over land and sovereignty.

A historical plaque along the Luzerne County Levee Trail marks the site of the original fort and honors those who perished in the nearby 1778 Battle of Wyoming, a significant Revolutionary War engagement fought close to these grounds. Today, the converted early 20th-century factory at 900 Rutter adds a more recent chapter to the borough's built history, its colorful murals and repurposed interior offering a contrast to the colonial-era markers just down the trail.

Dining within Forty Fort proper is intentionally intimate, but what's here makes an impression. Suraci's Italian Cafe on Wyoming Avenue is a local staple serving casual Italian fare including hoagies, baked gnocchi, and a standout lasagna made with fried chicken cutlets. The 900 Rutter complex rounds out the borough's food scene with weekend brunch and weekday breakfast and lunch service inside a creatively restored factory space.

For a broader range of options, adjacent Kingston and nearby Wilkes-Barre expand the choices considerably, with Italian trattorias, American pub kitchens, and a variety of other cuisines all within a short drive along the Wyoming Valley corridor.

Most residents rely on personal vehicles to get around, with Interstate 81 providing the main north-south artery connecting the borough to Wilkes-Barre, Scranton roughly 20 miles north, and points beyond. Bridges across the Susquehanna River link Forty Fort to surrounding communities in the Wyoming Valley.

The Luzerne County Levee Trail gives pedestrians and cyclists a dedicated riverfront route for non-motorized travel. Notably, the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport sits within the borough's own boundaries, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is about 13 miles away, a roughly 22-minute drive for regional and national flights.

The Forty Fort Borough Sports Complex is the community's primary outdoor gathering point, hosting soccer leagues, softball games, and casual recreation on fields set beside the local airport, where small planes provide an unexpected backdrop. The Luzerne County Levee Trail runs parallel to the Susquehanna River, offering a dedicated path for walking and biking while connecting pedestrians to commemorative markers tied to the borough's colonial past.

Frances Slocum State Park lies about eight miles away, reachable in roughly 17 minutes, and provides a larger natural setting with hiking, fishing, and boating. The Lands at Hillside Farms, just under five miles from the borough, offers an agricultural and nature destination worth a short drive.

Housing costs in the Wilkes-Barre metro area, which serves as the regional benchmark for Forty Fort, run more than 40 percent below the national average, making the area one of the more affordable rental markets in the northeastern United States. Overall cost of living in the metro runs roughly 13 percent below the national average. Groceries and miscellaneous expenses also come in below average, while utilities, transportation, and healthcare run modestly above national norms.

Wyoming Avenue anchors the borough's commercial activity, with a stretch of small businesses and services that handle everyday needs. The standout retail destination within Forty Fort itself is 900 Rutter, a former factory building now home to clothing retailers, a yoga studio, a martial arts gym, and professional offices, all surrounded by large-scale murals that make the space as much an attraction as a shopping stop.

Kingston Village shopping center sits just over a mile away, and Midway Shopping Center is reachable in under five minutes by car, giving residents convenient access to a fuller range of retail options without leaving the immediate area.

Forty Fort pairs a genuinely distinctive Revolutionary War founding story with suburban comfort and easy interstate access. The Luzerne County Levee Trail, the 900 Rutter creative complex, and proximity to Wilkes-Barre's colleges and amenities give residents both history and day-to-day convenience.