Was formed in 1881, of territory taken from Wilkes-Barre township, and is a station on the mountain side of the Central railroad of New Jersey. The postoffice name is Oliver's Mills, and except several mountain residences of citizens of Wilkes- Barre, the powder mills of Gen. Oliver constitute pretty much all there is of the place. The first borough officers were elected in February, 1882, as follows: Burgess, Henry Race; council, H. C. Burrows, Emanuel Marshall, Patrick Walsh, Alexander Young, Thomas Hughes and James Spearing; first clerk was O. H. Hartland. Present borough officers: Burgess, James Moyle; council, George Rother, president, Fredrick Gregory, Edward Lanning, Evans I. Harris, John Sheean, William Flaherty and S. L. Williams, secretary.
The Oliver Powder Mills company, organized and chiefly owned by Gen. Paul A. Oliver, purchased 600 acres of land, where is now Laurel Run, and their powder works, and built the plant in 1872, and commenced active operations in 1873. About 100 hands are in the employment, with a capacity of 1,000 kegs a day. The county has two other powder mills in it: The Dupont's at Wapwallopen, and the Laflin & Rand at Laflin.