Middle Smithfield Township near East Stroudsburg in Monroe County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Marshalls Creek Explosion

Photographed by Laura Klotz, June 26, 2023

1. Marshalls Creek Explosion Marker

Inscription. On June 26, 1964, a burning tractor trailer exploded here, killing six people, including three Marshalls Creek firefighters, and injuring thirteen others. It was later determined that the trailer contained explosives but had no identifying placards. The incident helped lead to the creation of the 1974 U.S. Transportation Safety Act, setting stricter federal regulations on the transport of hazardous materials.

Erected 2023 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Disasters • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical date for this entry is June 26, 1964.

Location. 41° 3.555′ N, 75° 4.971′ W. Marker is near East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, in Monroe County. It is in Middle Smithfield Township. It is on Milford Road (Route 209). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5175 Milford Road, East Stroudsburg PA 18302, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Pocono Mountains

and in Greater Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Trepp Lodge (approx. 1.4 miles away); Marshalls Creek Mastodon (approx. 1.6 miles away); Shawnee Mountain (approx. 1.8 miles away); Smithfield Church (approx. 2½ miles away); Delaware Water Gap

Paid Advertisement

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(approx. 2.6 miles away); This National Park Is Our Home (approx. 2.6 miles away); Wild & Scenic River (approx. 2.6 miles away); Old Mine Road (approx. 3.2 miles away in New Jersey). Touch for a list and map of all markers in East Stroudsburg.

Also see . . . MarkerQuest - Marshalls Creek Explosion. Includes a link to a page about the six victims of the disaster and a call for help in finding their surviving family and friends. (Submitted on July 5, 2023, by Laura Klotz of Northampton, Pennsylvania.)

Marker as seen from the street when traveling south image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Laura Klotz, June 26, 2023

2. Marker as seen from the street when traveling south

In the background is the billboard advertising the dedication of the marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 26, 2023, by Laura Klotz of Northampton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,459 times since then and 101 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 26, 2023, by Laura Klotz of Northampton, Pennsylvania. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.