What does American Moscow look like

Says experienced traveler Alexander Belenky: "In the United States, it is quite normal to call cities by the names of existing ones. There are dozens of Londons, Paris and Berlin in the country: from where emigrants moved, such names were given. Moscow and St. Petersburg are also represented in several states, and I already published a report about little Moscow and Paris without the French in Tennessee a few years ago."

Moscow in Pennsylvania is also not a big settlement. So, a village by local standards. She also hid away from the big highways, the way here lies along narrow and winding roads through farms.

You can also come by train. Or you can't: I did not understand whether the trains stop at the historical platform today or not.

The station itself is closed, but if you take care in advance, you can take the key from a person or even ask for a tour.

The Moscow district was founded in 1908, before that people lived here by themselves, without a local center and administration. Well, that is, the village is a village.

Here you should not wait for architectural highlights or look for visual similarities with anything Russian. A typical "two-story" America, a typical shabby hinterland of Pennsylvania.

Muscovites don't even remember why their settlement was named that way. The website of the local administration says so: 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 have forgotten why Moscow. The name itself began to appear in the 1850s, then it became official. Previously, the place was called Drinkers Beech — Drinker oaks. And this toponym, unlike the Moscow one, is described in detail.

They say that a certain Quaker from Philadelphia named Henry Drinker settled here, who bought three square miles of land and began collecting nuts from local beech trees. I think he sawed the beeches themselves, too, and made furniture out of them, you can't get far on nuts alone. And in order to go far away, he cut a path through the forest. On the site of that path is now the Main street of Moscow, on the site of the former trees — houses.

Pennsylvania Moscow does not give 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. Even diner (diner — "diner") is not decent.

As everywhere else in the American province, the dominance of wires — at least hang yourself.

The population of Moscow is growing. If in 2000 there were 1,883 residents living here, then ten years later it became 2,026. It is not known how many today. According to the US Census Bureau, men and women live equally, 70% of residents are able-bodied, another 11.4% are retired, the rest are children. Not so bad, wouldn't you agree?

By racial composition, 99% are white. One percent are six African Americans, nine Asians and five Mestizos. This is also an official statistic. By the way, only 18 Muscovites were born outside the USA. But 72 people do not speak English at home! The average income per family is 60 thousand dollars a year.

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

But the post office was closed. Like most other establishments, including the fire station. Traditionally, volunteers work as firefighters in American villages, they do not need to sit at the base all the time. In case of an emergency, they will get from the house to the plot 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 who of the residents of this Moscow has ever been to Russia? Few, I think.

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.

It wasn't Tuesday then, but I decided to drive to the building located in the woods. Just in case, check. The box was closed.

While in greater Moscow, streets were being repaired with might and main and sidewalks were being landscaped with tiles, these guys in their village also did not waste time in vain. It's a joke, something broke out there, and they had to block the street.

So it's pretty nice here. The grass is trimmed, the weeds are weeded, there is asphalt everywhere where it is needed, where it is not needed, it is not there. I have said, I say and I will not get tired of repeating that landscaping does not always cost a lot of money. A gazebo was built from the budget of the town, weeds were weeded, flowers were planted. And at each site, everyone does the same thing, 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 wheelchair users.

Grandfathers fought.

There's a police station here, most likely one room. And there is only one car, even the one without a flashing light. No more need, if necessary, the guys from the district sheriff's office will come.

I looked inside. Five people were sitting in a small hall, 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 get to know Muscovites. It was late afternoon, and fatigue had accumulated over the long day.

Bulletin board. The caricaturally strict police remind you that you should always fasten your seat belt and you can't drink at the wheel. Apparently, Muscovites are violating, violating.

By the centenary of Moscow (2008), a new park with a basketball court and a large lawn was opened. Yes, not "Zaryadye", but they are rich in something.