What does American Moscow look like?

Now I want to show you another Moscow, a village in America.

In the US, calling cities by the names of existing ones is quite normal. There are dozens of London, Paris and Berlin in the country: where emigrants came from, such names were given. Moscow and Petersburg are also represented in several states.

Moscow in Pennsylvania cannot be called a large settlement. So, the village is by local standards. She hid away from large roads, the path here lies along narrow and winding roads through farms.

Moscow District was founded in 1908, before that people lived here on their own, without a local center and administration. Well, that is, village-village.

You should not wait for architectural highlights or look for a visual resemblance to at least something Russian. A typical "two-story" America, a typical shabby outback of the state of Pennsylvania.

Muscovites do not even remember why their settlement was called that. On the site of the local administration it is written - "the origin of the name is not completely clear." Maybe, of course, Russophobes live here, shy of their own roots?
In fact, they really could forget why Moscow was. The name itself began to appear in the 1850s, then it became official. This place used to be called Drinkers Beech, Drinker Oaks. And this toponym, in contrast to Moscow, is described in detail.

Like, a certain Quaker from Philadelphia named Henry Alkash settled here, who bought three square miles of land and began to collect nuts from local beech trees. I think he sawed the beeches themselves and made furniture out of them, you cannot go far on nuts alone. And to go far, he cut a path in the middle of the forest. On the site of that path is now the main street of Moscow, on the site of former trees - at home.

Pennsylvania in Moscow does not make the impression of a prosperous town, but at the same time it does not look like a ghetto. But there are few businesses here, just a couple of cafes and a gas station. Not even a decent diner.

As elsewhere in the American province, the dominance of wires - even hang yourself!

The population of Moscow is growing. If in 2000 there were 1883 inhabitants, then ten years later it became 2026. How many today is unknown. If you believe the US Census Bureau, men and women live equally, 70% of the inhabitants are able-bodied, another 11.4% are pensioners, the rest are children. Not so bad, agree?

According to racial composition - 99% are white. One percent is six African Americans, nine Asians, and five Métis. This is also official statistics. Outside the USA, by the way, only 18 Muscovites were born. But at home 72 people do not speak English! The average household income is 60 thousand dollars a year.

There is one post office. I wanted to send a postcard from Moscow to Moscow.

But the mail was closed. Like most other establishments, including a fire station. By tradition, volunteers work as firefighters in American villages; they don’t need to sit at the base all the time. In the event of an emergency, they will get from the house to the site in two minutes, a couple of minutes later a big red car will rush to the call, cutting the rural silence with a loud siren.

I wonder which of the inhabitants of this Moscow at least once been to Russia? I think not many.

Although the roads here are quite typical for the Russian province. But without pits.

There is a Masonic lodge in Moscow. They work openly and do not hide from anyone, come on Tuesday evening.

Then it was not Tuesday, but I decided to get to the building located in the forest. Just in case, check. The box was closed.
While in big Moscow they were repairing the streets and improving the sidewalks with tiles, these guys in their village also did not lose time in vain. It’s a joke, something broke through there, and they had to block the street.

So it's pretty nice here. Grass is trimmed, weeds are weeded, wherever it is needed, asphalt lies where it is not needed, it is not. I said, I say, and I will not tire of repeating that improvement is not always worth a lot of money. A gazebo was built from the town’s budget, weeds were weeded, flowers were planted. And in each section, everyone does the same, but on their own.

And this is one of the biggest differences between America and Russia. In relation to such "little things."

Municipal building, local administration. No fences, come in. There is a ramp for wheelchairs.

Grandfathers were at war.

Here the police station is most likely one room. And one car, even one without a flasher. No longer needed, if necessary, the guys from the district office of the sheriff will come.

I looked inside. Five people were sitting in a small room, talking about something. Probably, a meeting of local activists, or maybe the city council itself, is taking place. I decided not to disturb them, although I really wanted to meet Muscovites. Time went in the evening, fatigue accumulated over a long day.

Bulletin board. Strictly caricatured cops remind you to always fasten your seat belt and don't drive while driving. Apparently, Muscovites violate, violate ...