Lackawanna Coal Mine is a museum and retired coal mine that is located in McDade Park in Scranton , Pennsylvania . It opened in 1903.
133-589: Scranton, Pennsylvania and Lackawanna County is part of the northern field of the Coal Region of Pennsylvania . In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many Europeans immigrated to the area to work in the mines. In 1903, the Continental Coal Company opened the Lackawanna Coal Mine. After operating for more than half a century, this mine was closed in 1966 and lay abandoned until 1978. That year,
266-645: A federal court building for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania . The city is conventionally divided into nine districts: North Scranton, Southside, Westside, Eastside/Hill Section, Central City, Minooka, West Mountain, East Mountain, and Green Ridge, though these areas do not have legal status. The city is the geographic and cultural center of the Lackawanna River valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as
399-400: A perennial flow. Nevertheless, it experiences low flow conditions during warm weather. The discharge of the river near Forest City was observed to range from 3904.83 to 69,568.83 gallons per minute , with an average of 35,584.83 gallons per minute. The river's discharge near Archbald ranged from 3976.60 to 323,158.40 gallons per minute, with an average of 97,130.90 gallons per minute. Below
532-454: A steam railroad that entered Scranton in 1863. During this short period of time, the city rapidly transformed from a small, agrarian-based village of people with New England roots to a multicultural, industrial-based city. From 1860 to 1900, the city's population increased more than tenfold. Most new immigrants, such as the Irish, Italians, and south Germans and Polish, were Catholic, a contrast to
665-578: A $ 300,000 state grant to build a 2,500-square-foot (230 m) museum building to house exhibits and artifacts. The addition is called the Shifting Shanty, a name used to describe the area where miners showered after a shift. Adjacent to the mine tour is the Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum with exhibits on Northeastern Pennsylvania 's mining and industrial history. The museum is run by Lackawanna County. The purpose of
798-517: A distance of 1.1 miles (1.8 km), 13 percent of the river is on public property and the remaining 87 percent is on private property, but is open to access. From Route 347 downstream to Green Ridge Street, only 1 percent of the river is on public property, but the remaining 99 percent is on private property that is open to the public. Water supply in the urban part of the Lackawanna Valley mainly comes from numerous reservoirs constructed between
931-472: A few miles before reaching the border between Duryea and Pittston . The river flows along this border for the remaining several tenths of a mile to its confluence with the Susquehanna River. The Lackawanna River joins the Susquehanna River 196.30 miles (315.91 km) upriver of its mouth. The Lackawanna River has 33 named direct tributaries and another 32 sub-tributaries and sub-sub-tributaries. Of
1064-468: A few miles in a deep valley, crossing Pennsylvania Route 171 and passing through Forest City . The river then enters Clinton Township, Wayne County . Here, it flows south for more than a mile before turning southeast for several tenths of a mile. It then turns south-southwest for a few miles, meandering into Vandling , in Lackawanna County. The river only flows through Vandling for a few tenths of
1197-424: A generally westerly direction for several miles. The river begins flowing along the border between Blakely and Olyphant . In this reach, it crosses Pennsylvania Route 247 and receives the tributaries Sterry Creek and Wildcat Creek from the left and right, respectively. Further downstream, the river crosses Pennsylvania Route 347 and receives the tributary Hull Creek from the right. It then begins flowing in
1330-664: A length of 70 miles (110 km) and a width of 5 miles (8.0 km). The crests of the anticlines on both sides have been eroded away. An escarpment known as Campbells Ledge is located near the river's mouth, where the Susquehanna Valley enters the 55-mile-long Lackawanna/Wyoming Valley. A short distance downstream of the Stillwater Dam, the Lackawanna River flows through the Lackawanna River Gap and passes by
1463-411: A mile and receives the tributary Fall Brook from the right before turning southwest for several miles. In this reach, the river passes through Carbondale Township and enters Mayfield . It eventually enters Jermyn , where it crosses Pennsylvania Route 107 and receives the tributary Rush Brook from the right. The river then turns south for a few miles, receiving the tributary Aylesworth Creek from
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#17328512145551596-410: A mile before entering Fell Township. The western side of its valley becomes steeper again and the river continues meandering south-southwest for a while before turning west for several tenths of a mile and into Simpson , where its valley broadens again. In Simpson, it turns southwest and crosses Pennsylvania Route 171 again before receiving the tributary Wilson Creek from the right . After receiving
1729-487: A mile, receiving the tributary Leggetts Creek from the right before turning southwest. After a few tenths of a mile, it abruptly turns north, and then west-southwest before turning south. After more than a mile, it crosses US Route 11 / Pennsylvania Route 307 and passes the Steamtown National Historic Site before turning south and receiving the tributary Roaring Brook from the left. After receiving
1862-513: A port on the lake, the company could receive iron ore shipped from the Mesabi Range in Minnesota , which was being newly mined. Scranton forged ahead as the capital of the anthracite coal industry. Attracting the thousands of workers needed to mine coal, the city developed new neighborhoods dominated by Italian and Eastern European immigrants, who brought their foods, cultures and religions. Many of
1995-540: A renewed interest in the city's buildings and history. Some historic properties have been renovated and marketed as tourist attractions. The Steamtown National Historic Site captures the area's once-prominent position in the railroad industry. The former DL&W train station was restored as the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel . The Electric City Trolley Museum was created next to the DL&;W yards that
2128-404: A southwesterly direction along the border between Olyphant and Dickson City , though it makes several sharp turns along the way. After some distance, it receives the tributary Eddy Creek from the left and begins flowing along the border between Dickson City and Throop . After a few miles, the river enters Scranton and crosses US Route 6/ Interstate 81 . It then turns south for several tenths of
2261-492: A straight line in Northeastern Pennsylvania's urban core act culturally and logistically as one continuous city, so while Scranton is a mid-sized city, the larger Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area contains half a million residents in roughly 300 square miles (780 km ). Scranton is the cultural and economic center of Northeastern Pennsylvania, a region of the state with over 1.3 million residents. Scranton hosts
2394-770: A study of the river's greenway . The study was carried out by the Corps of Engineers, as well as the National Park Service , the Heritage Authority , and the Lackawanna River Corridor Association. The Lackawanna River Watershed 2000 program was funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with the aim of alleviating problems from combined sewer overflows, acid mine drainage, and abandoned mine land. As of
2527-620: Is a city in and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania , United States. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 U.S. census , Scranton is the most populous city in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Wyoming Valley metropolitan area, which has a population of 562,037 as of 2020. It is the sixth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. The contiguous network of five cities and more than 40 boroughs all built in
2660-492: Is at or below 0 °F (−18 °C). Precipitation is generally slightly greater during late spring and summer, while winter is generally the driest. On average, each month sees 10 to 13 days of precipitation, and the mean annual total is 38.72 inches (983 mm). Snowfall is variable, with some winters bringing light snow and others bringing numerous snowstorms. For the 1991–2020 period, snowfall has averaged 45.1 inches (115 cm) per year, with January accounting for most of
2793-407: Is between 1,560 and 1,580 feet (480 and 480 m) above sea level. The river is steep and sometimes narrow. Its average gradient between Forest City and Pittston is 19 feet per mile (3.6 m/km). For its first 13 miles (21 km), the river's average gradient is 45.4 feet per mile (8.60 m/km). For the next 15 miles (24 km), the average gradient is 20 feet per mile (3.8 m/km). For
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#17328512145552926-471: Is located 56 miles (90 km) north of Allentown , 104 miles (167 km) north-northwest of Philadelphia , and 99 miles (159 km) west-northwest of New York City . In 1778, during the colonial era , Isaac Tripp, the area's first known white settler, built his home here; it still stands in North Scranton, formerly a separate town known as Providence. More settlers from Connecticut Colony came to
3059-597: The Appalachian Mountains . However, the Lackawanna Valley is in the northernmost part of the ridge and valley physiographic province. The river also flows through a portion of the Coal Region . The Lackawanna Valley is part of the Lackawanna/Wyoming Syncline, which is a large syncline in the Allegheny Front and is the main geological feature of the watershed. The syncline is canoe -shaped, with
3192-620: The Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1199891. The river's name comes from a Delaware word meaning "stream that forks". It has also been known as Gachanai, Hazirok, L'chau-hanne, Lackawannok, Lechau-hanne, Lechau-hannek, and Lechauwah-hannek. Native Americans have inhabited the area in the vicinity of the Lackawanna River since at least 9000 BCE. An archaeological site at
3325-548: The Great Railroad Strike , attracted workers from the steel industry and mining as well, and developed as the Scranton General Strike . Four rioters were killed during unrest during the strike, after the mayor mustered a militia. With violence suppressed by militia and federal troops, workers finally returned to their jobs, not able to gain any economic relief. William Walker Scranton , from the prominent family,
3458-703: The Knights of Labor as mayor of Scranton. After that, he became national leader of the KoL, a predominately Catholic organization that had a peak membership of 700,000 circa 1880. While the Catholic Church had prohibited membership in secret organizations since the mid-18th century, by the late 1880s with the influence of Archbishop James Gibbons of Baltimore, Maryland , it supported the Knights of Labor as representing workingmen and union organizing. The landmark Coal strike of 1902
3591-1079: The Montage Mountain ski resort , the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins , AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins ; the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders , AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees , PNC Field , and the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain concert venue. On September 22, 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant , which produces 155mm artillery shells that Ukraine's military uses. Scranton's total area of 25.4 square miles (66 km ) includes 25.2 square miles (65 km ) of land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km ) of water, according to
3724-525: The New York, Ontario and Western Railway (NYO&W). As the vast rail network spread above ground, an even larger network of railways served the rapidly expanding system of coal veins underground. Miners, who in the early years were typically Welsh and Irish, were hired as cheaply as possible by the coal barons. The workers endured low pay, long hours and unsafe working conditions. Children as young as eight or nine worked 14-hour days separating slate from coal in
3857-699: The Pennsylvania Gas and Water Company in 1960 and remained under this name until 1996. Eventually the Pennsylvania Gas and Water Company lands were sold to the Pennsylvania American Water Company. The effect of coal mining on water quality in the Lackawanna River watershed was known as early as 1904. One early plan for recovering from the effects of coal mining in the watershed was the Scranton Plan of 1942. A large number of studies of
3990-511: The Scranton General Strike of 1877. This was in part due to the larger Great Railroad Strike , in which railroad workers began to organize and participate in walkouts after wage cuts in Martinsburg, West Virginia . The national economy had lagged since the Panic of 1873, and workers in many industries struggled with low wages and intermittent work. In Scranton, mineworkers followed the railroad men off
4123-746: The Stillwater Cliffs . Numerous other gaps, such as the Leggetts Creek Gap, Cobbs Gap, the Rushbrook Gap, and the Fall Brook Gap, occur on tributaries of the river. Downstream of Scranton, the river's channel becomes broader and the river becomes shallower. Assorted waste and debris is piled in many places in the Lackawanna River watershed. The waste can sometimes block waterways, causing localized flooding. During storms, minor tributaries also wash large quantities of urban debris and coal waste into
Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour - Misplaced Pages Continue
4256-475: The Susquehanna River at the northern boundary of Pittston about 8 miles (13 km) west-southwest of Scranton. As part of the Susquehanna River, it ultimately flows to Chesapeake Bay . By the mid-20th century, the river was severely polluted from mine drainages in its watershed. The decline of industry in the region, as well as federal, state, and private efforts, have improved the water quality. Still,
4389-791: The United Mine Workers . The sub-surface mining weakened whole neighborhoods, however, damaging homes, schools, and businesses when the land collapsed. In 1913 the state passed the Davis Act to establish the Bureau of Surface Support in Scranton. Because of the difficulty in dealing with the coal companies, citizens organized the Scranton Surface Protection Association, chartered by the Court of Common Pleas on November 24, 1913 "to protect
4522-810: The United States Census Bureau . Scranton is drained by the Lackawanna River . Center City is about 750 feet (229 m) above sea level, although the hilly city's inhabited portions range about from 650 to 1,400 feet (200 to 430 m). The city is flanked by mountains to the east and west whose elevations range from 1,900 to 2,100 feet (580 to 640 m). Scranton has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ), with four distinct seasons. Summers have occasional heat waves bringing temperatures well above 90 °F (32 °C), while winters can have cold snaps bringing temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C). The monthly daily average temperature in January,
4655-568: The Wyoming Valley via Wallenpaupack Creek and the Moosic Mountains. This trail was later used by settlers from Connecticut , who turned it into a wagon trail the Connecticut Road. Parts of the trail still exist in the form of jeep trails . The first European settlers arrived in the vicinity of the Lackawanna River between the 1760s and the 1780s from Connecticut and Philadelphia . Land claim disputes led to several skirmishes between
4788-417: The anthracite mining industry in Pennsylvania including the file of the fire boss , air doors and their role in ventilation, door boys or nippers, second means of exit from the mine, and the company store . The temperatures within the mine are around a constant of 50–54 °F (10–12 °C). In 2018 and 2019, Lackawanna Coal Mine is featured in seasons 3 and 4 of the television adaptation of The Man in
4921-436: The breakers . Often, the workers were forced to use company-provided housing and purchase food and other goods from stores owned by the coal companies. With hundreds of thousands of immigrants arriving in the industrial cities, mine owners did not have to search for labor and workers struggled to keep their positions. Later miners came from Italy and eastern Europe, which people fled because of poverty and lack of jobs. Business
5054-615: The 1870s and the 1930s. These reservoirs are mainly owned by the Pennsylvania American Water Company , but smaller companies own reservoirs and wells in the watershed as well. One example is a small reservoir in Covington Township, Lackawanna County , which is operated by the Moscow Water Company. The rural parts of the watershed are mainly supplied by private wells . The Lackawanna River was entered into
5187-539: The 1880s and 1920s, immigrants from southern and eastern Europe arrived. The population has been in decline since at least World War II . The river passes through approximately 20 municipalities. From Gilmartin Street to Depot Street, a distance of 3.1 miles (5.0 km), the Lackawanna River is entirely on private property, but is open to access. From the Mellow Park Footbridge downstream to Pennsylvania Route 347,
5320-709: The Broadway Street Bridge, it ranged from 34,560 to 586,397 gallons per minute and averaged 222,732.46 gallons per minute. Near Coxton Road, the discharge averaged 266,478 gallons per minute. In 2002, the concentration of iron in the Lackawanna River near Forest City was less than 0.3 milligrams per liter. The manganese concentration ranged from less than 0.05 to 0.175 milligrams per liter, with an average of 0.1103 milligrams per liter. The concentration of aluminum ranged from less than 0.5 to 0.692 milligrams per liter, with an average of 0.6255 milligrams per liter. The pH ranged from 6.1 to 7.4 (with an average of 6.7),
5453-517: The D&;H Canal and on to the Hudson River . In the 1840s the D&H Company expanded their mining work further down the Lackawanna Valley, causing many towns in the area to enlarge. Coal mining was eventually done along the center of the Lackawanna Valley all the way from Pittston to Forest City. In 1838, the Scranton and Platt iron workers build an iron works near the confluence of Roaring Brook with
Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour - Misplaced Pages Continue
5586-607: The Erie Railroad in Great Bend, Pennsylvania . Thus they could transport manufactured rails from the Lackawanna Valley to New York and the Midwest. They also invested in coal mining operations in the city to fuel their steel operations, and to market it to businesses. In 1856, they expanded the railroad eastward as the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W), in order to tap into
5719-559: The High Castle , where is it is depicted as having an artificial portal to parallel worlds . In 2005, in season one of The Office , Michael Scott is seen attempting to organize a field trip for his office to the museum under the assumption that the elevator that takes visitors down into the mine is a ride analogous to a roller-coaster drop instead of the slow and prolonged descent into an industrial coal mining facility that it actually was. Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton
5852-596: The Hill and Green Ridge sections of the city. The industrial workers, who tended to be later immigrants from Ireland and southern and eastern Europe, were predominately Catholic. With a flood of immigrants in the market, they suffered poor working conditions and wages. In 1902, the dwindling local iron ore supply, labor issues, and an aging plant cost the city the industry on which it was founded. The Lackawanna Steel Company and many of its workers were moved to Lackawanna, New York , developed on Lake Erie just south of Buffalo . With
5985-791: The Lackawanna River 40.32 miles (64.89 km) upriver of its mouth. Leggetts Creek drains an area of 18.5 square miles (48 km ) and joins the river 14.36 miles (23.11 km) upriver of its mouth. The West Branch Lackawanna River drains an area of 16.8 square miles (44 km ) and joins the river 40.32 miles (64.89 km) upriver of its mouth. Other tributaries that drain an area of more than 10 square miles (26 km ) include Stafford Meadow Brook, Fall Brook, and Mill Creek. The Lackawanna River and its tributaries are in "good-to-excellent" condition in its upper reaches. The river deteriorates slightly as it approaches Scranton, but becomes considerably more degraded downriver of Scranton. A large number of mine seeps, outfalls, and boreholes occur within
6118-504: The Lackawanna River has an area of 348 square miles (900 km ). The mouth of the river is in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Pittston and the source is in the quadrangle of Forest City. It also passes through the quadrangles of Avoca, Scranton, Olyphant, Carbondale, and Waymart. The watershed occupies parts of Lackawanna County, Susquehanna County, Wayne County, and Luzerne County. Large parts of
6251-763: The Lackawanna River is the largest point source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. The upper reaches of the river are a popular destination for fly fishing of trout . It was designated as an American Heritage River in 1997. The Lackawanna River begins at the confluence of the East Branch Lackawanna River and the West Branch Lackawanna River in Stillwater Lake in Clifford Township, Susquehanna County . It flows south-southeast for
6384-474: The Lackawanna River near Archbald ranged from less than 0.3 to 0.794 milligrams per liter, with an average of 0.5 milligrams per liter. The amount of manganese ranged from less than 0.083 to 0.16 milligrams per liter, with an average of 0.12 milligrams per liter. The amount of aluminum ranged from 0.4 to 0.742 milligrams per liter, with an average of 0.57 milligrams per liter. The pH ranged between 6.5 and 7.2, with an average of 6.7. The concentration of acidity
6517-444: The Lackawanna River near Coxton Road ranged from less than 1.21 to 10.5 milligrams per liter, with an average of 3.98 milligrams per liter. The amount of manganese ranged from less than 0.199 to 1.35 milligrams per liter, with an average of 0.67 milligrams per liter. The aluminum concentration ranged from less than 0.5 to 0.664 milligrams per liter. The pH ranged between 6.5 and 6.7, with an average of 6.58. The acidity concentration
6650-474: The Lackawanna River ranges from 14 to 34 milligrams per liter. The lowest concentration occurs in the reach from the Mellow Park Foot Bridge to Pennsylvania Route 347 and the highest concentration occurs in the reach from Pennsylvania Route 347 to Green Ridge Street. The elevation near the mouth of the Lackawanna River is 522 feet (159 m) above sea level . The elevation of the river's source
6783-721: The Lackawanna River watershed contain sandstone and shale, with rich coal deposits. For instance, the Llewellyn Formation contains anthracite in the watershed, along with sandstone and shale. Under this rock formation lie the Pottsville Formation, the Pocono Formation, the Mauch Chunk Formation , and the Catskill Formation . The first of these is made of coal, shale, sandstone, and conglomerate , while
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#17328512145556916-493: The Lackawanna River watershed, including its upper reaches in the Moosic Mountains, West Mountain, and the North Pocono Plateau, are largely forested . However, large areas of urban and suburban development occur in the river's valley from Pittston to Carbondale, with some urban sprawl reaching as far as halfway from the river to the ridge tops. Abandoned mining land lies between many of the developed areas in this part of
7049-625: The Lackawanna River watershed, the boundary between the Llewellyn Formation and the Pocono and Pottsville Formations occurs at around 1,500 feet (460 m) above sea level on both sides of the valley. Numerous waterfalls occur on tributaries at this boundary; well-known once include the Nay Aug Falls, the Fall Brook Falls, Blakely Falls, and Panthers Bluff. The main rock formations in
7182-429: The Lackawanna River's water quality and habitat quality have been carried out. The Lackawanna River Corridor Association was founded in 1987 for the restoration and stewardship of the river. They created the Lackawanna River Citizens Master Plan between 1988 and 1990 and have also carried out stream walks and stream surveys on the river and its tributaries. In 1992 and 1993, the United States Army Corps of Engineers funded
7315-429: The Lackawanna River. The iron works eventually grew and became the city of Scranton. The iron and steel industry in Scranton ended in 1902. Additionally, virtually all of the old-growth forest in the watershed was cut down in the 1800s. In 1852, the Scranton Brothers and other people developed the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad , providing another route to the Lackawanna River watershed and contributing to
7448-403: The Lackawanna Valley , one of the destroyed graves may have belonged to Capouse , a Lenape chieftain who was visited by Count Zinzandorf, a Moravian missionary, near the river in about 1750. A number of Native American trails historically existed in the vicinity of the Lackawanna River. One of these was the Minisink Trail, which went from the upper Delaware River to the Lackawanna Valley and
7581-470: The Laurel Line ceased passenger service. The Scranton Transit Company, whose trolleys had given the city its nickname, transferred all operations to buses as the 1954 holiday season approached; by the end of 1971, it ceased all operations. The city was left without any public transportation system for almost a year until the Lackawanna County government formed COLTS , which began operations in late 1972 with 1950s-era GM busses from New Jersey. Scranton had been
7714-540: The New York City metropolitan market. This railroad, with its hub in Scranton, was Scranton's largest employer for almost one hundred years. The Pennsylvania Coal Company built a gravity railroad in the 1850s through the city for the purpose of transporting coal. The gravity railroad was replaced by a steam railroad built in 1886 by the Erie and Wyoming Valley Railroad (later absorbed by the Erie Railroad). The Delaware and Hudson (D&H) Canal Company, which had its own gravity railroad from Carbondale to Honesdale , built
7847-423: The Steamtown NHS occupies. Since the mid-1980s the Scranton Cultural Center has operated the architecturally significant Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral, designed by Raymond Hood , as the region's performing arts center. The Houdini Museum was opened in Scranton in 1990 by nationally known magician Dorothy Dietrich . According to The Guardian , the city was close to bankruptcy in July 2012, with
7980-403: The Stillwater Dam and the Aylesworth Dam were built in the watershed in 1960 and 1970, respectively. A number of levees and floodwalls were also erected in response to the floods. A number of investor-owned water companies were developed in the Lackawanna River watershed in the 1880s. These merged into the Spring Brook Water Company at Scranton in 1928. The Spring Brook Water Company became
8113-476: The West and East branches, along the boundary between Susquehanna and Wayne counties. The branches, each about 12 miles (19 km) long, flow south, closely parallel to each other, and join at the Stillwater Lake reservoir in Union Dale . The combined river flows southwest past Forest City , Carbondale , Mayfield , Jermyn , Archbald , Jessup , Blakely , Olyphant , Dickson City , Throop , Scranton , Taylor , Moosic , Old Forge , and Duryea . It joins
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#17328512145558246-434: The Winson area (in Archbald and Jessup), near Cliff Street (in Scranton), and at the Moosic anticline (in Old Forge). The channel of the Lackawanna River is sinuous and flows through narrow, alluvial floodplains at the base of steep hills. There is a dam on the Lackawanna River at Forest City, and another one at Mayfield. A broken dam is located on the river below Jermyn. The average annual rate of precipitation in
8379-401: The acidity concentration ranged from 0 to 10.4 milligrams per liter (with an average of 1.73 milligrams per liter), and the alkalinity concentration ranged from 16.4 to 32 milligrams per liter (with an average of 22.3 milligrams per liter). The sulfate concentration ranged from less than 20 to 30.7 milligrams per liter, with an average of 28.4 milligrams per liter. The iron concentration in
8512-502: The area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries following the end of the American Revolutionary War , since their state claimed the area as part of their colonial charter. They gradually established mills and other small businesses in a village that became known as Slocum Hollow. People in the village during this time carried the traits and accent of their New England settlers, which were somewhat different from most of Pennsylvania. Some area settlers from Connecticut participated in what
8645-436: The authorizing process. Scranton was designated by the state legislature as the county seat of the newly formed county, which was also established as a separate judicial district, with state judges moving over from Luzerne County after courts were organized in October 1878. This was the last county in the state to be organized. Creation of the new county, which enabled both more local control and political patronage, helped begin
8778-419: The city population had swelled beyond 140,000 due to growth in the mining and silk textile industries. World War II created a great demand for energy, which led to the highest production from mining in the area since World War I. After World War II , coal lost favor to oil and natural gas as a heating fuel, largely because the latter types were more convenient to use. While some U.S. cities prospered in
8911-432: The city was 83.1% White , 5.9% African American , 0.1% Native American , 4.7% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race make up 14.8% of the population. Lackawanna River The Lackawanna River is a 42-mile-long (68 km) tributary of the Susquehanna River in Northeastern Pennsylvania . It flows through a region of the northern Pocono Mountains that
9044-422: The city. Rev. David Spencer, a local Baptist minister, later proclaimed Scranton as the "Electric City". The city's industrial production and population peaked during the 1930s and 1940s, caused by demand for coal and textiles, especially during World War II . But while the national economy boomed after the war, demand for the region's coal declined as other forms of energy became more popular, which also harmed
9177-421: The coal companies to continue their operations. "The case of Penman v. Jones came out differently. The Lackawanna Iron & Coal Co. had leased coal lands to the Lackawanna Iron & Steel Co., an allied interest, which passed the leases on to the Scranton Coal Co. Areas of central Scranton, the Hill Section, South Side, Pine Brook, Green Ridge and Hyde Park were affected by their mining activities. Mr. Penman
9310-403: The coldest month, is 28.0 °F (−2.2 °C), while the same figure in July, the warmest month, is 73.7 °F (23.2 °C). Extremes in temperatures have ranged from 101 °F (38 °C) down to −21 °F (−29 °C) on January 21, 1994; there is an average of 15 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, 39 days where the high fails to rise above freezing, and 3 days where the minimum
9443-412: The company merged with Regal, Cameo, Banner, and the U.S. branch of Pathé (makers of Pathé and Perfect ) to become the American Record Corporation . By 1938, the Scranton company was also pressing records for Brunswick , Melotone , and Vocalion . In 1946, the company was acquired by Capitol Records , which continued to produce phonograph records through the end of the vinyl era. By the mid-1930s,
9576-718: The confluence of the East Branch Lackawanna River and the West Branch Lackawanna River to the Pennsylvania Route 347 bridge at Dickson City. From this point downriver to its mouth, the river is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. Wild trout naturally reproduce in the river from its headwaters downstream to the Lackawanna County/Luzerne County line , a distance of 35.60 miles (57.29 km). Five sections of
9709-438: The construction of loft-style apartments in older, architecturally significant buildings have attracted young professionals and artists. Many are individuals who grew up in Scranton, moved to big cities after high school and college, and decided to return to the area. Many buildings around the city that were once empty are currently being restored. Some of the newly renovated buildings are already being used. Attractions include
9842-416: The early 2000s, there are still 12 active mining operations in the Lackawanna River watershed. Only one has an NPDES permit. The upper reaches of the Lackawanna River watershed are a habitat of national significance. Several important natural areas occur in the watershed's upper reaches. The main stem of the Lackawanna River is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery from
9975-541: The early 20th century. However, the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a decline in mining activity. Mine pumping in the watershed ceased by 1961 and underground mining in the watershed ended on November 1, 1966, with the closing of the Continental Mine. Nevertheless, a small amount of strip mining and re-mining of previously mined sites has been done since the 1960s. By this point, the valley's railroad system
10108-440: The eight tributaries that drain an area of more than 10 square miles (26 km ), Spring Brook and Roaring Brook are the largest, with watersheds than drain 57.2 square miles (148 km ) and 56.3 square miles (146 km ), respectively. They join the Lackawanna River 3.62 miles (5.83 km) and 9.52 miles (15.32 km), respectively. The East Branch Lackawanna River drains an area of 19.0 square miles (49 km ) and joins
10241-507: The final 12 miles (19 km), the gradient of the river averages 13.2 feet per mile (2.50 m/km). In general, the topography of the Lackawanna River watershed consists of long, steep-sided ridges with valleys in between. The headwaters of the river are in a group of glacial ponds and bogs in Susquehanna County and Wayne County, about 12 miles (19 km) north of Forest City. The river itself begins at Stillwater Lake, which
10374-571: The former grounds of the Lackawanna Steel Company, and operations started in 1903. Beginning in 1907, Scrantonians could also ride trolley cars to the northern suburbs of Clarks Summit and Dalton . They could travel to Lake Winola and Montrose using the Northern Electric Railroad. After the 1920s, no new trolley lines were built, but bus operations were started and expanded to meet service needs. In 1934, Scranton Railways
10507-506: The hub of its operations until the Erie Lackawanna merger, after which it no longer served in this capacity. This was another severe blow to the local labor market. The NYO&W Railroad, which depended heavily on its Scranton branch for freight traffic, was abandoned in 1957. Mine subsidence was a spreading problem in the city as pillar supports in abandoned mines began to fail; cave-ins sometimes consumed entire blocks of homes. The area
10640-556: The immigrants joined the Democratic Party. Their national churches and neighborhoods were part of the history of the city. Several Catholic and Orthodox churches were founded and built during this period. A substantial Jewish community was also established, with most members coming from the Russian Empire and eastern Europe. Working conditions for miners were improved by the efforts of labor leaders such as John Mitchell , who led
10773-538: The job, as did others. A protest of 5,000 strikers ended in violence, with a total of four men killed, and 20 to 50 injured, including the mayor. He had established a militia, but called for help from the governor and state militia. Governor John Hartranft eventually brought in federal troops to quell the strike. The workers gained nothing in wages, but began to organize more purposefully into labor unions that could wield more power. The nation's first successful, continuously operating electrified streetcar (trolley) system
10906-461: The largest of the former anthracite coal mining communities in a contiguous quilt-work that also includes Wilkes-Barre , Nanticoke , Pittston , and Carbondale . Scranton was incorporated on February 14, 1856, as a borough in Luzerne County and as a city on April 23, 1866. It became a major industrial city and a center of mining and railroads; it attracted thousands of new immigrants. It
11039-579: The last mine operations in Lackawanna County (which were in what is now McDade Park , and another on the Scranton/ Dickson City line) were closed. During the 1960s and 1970s, the silk and other textile industries shrank as jobs were moved to the South or overseas. In 1962, businessman Alex Grass opened his first "Thrif D Discount Center" drugstore on Lackawanna Avenue in downtown Scranton. The 17-by-75-foot (5 by 23 m) store, an immediate success,
11172-575: The latter border, the river crosses Interstate 476 and turns south, now flowing along the border between Old Forge and Moosic. After more than a mile, it begins meandering west, receiving Spring Brook and Mill Creek . Several tenths of a mile further downstream, it receives the tributary Saint Johns Creek from the right and turns west-southwest. After several tenths of a mile, the river exits Lackawanna County and enters Duryea , in Luzerne County. It continues flowing west-southwest through Duryea for
11305-410: The left and entering Archbald . In Archbald, it continues flowing south, receiving the tributaries White Oak Run and Laurel Run from the left. Several tenths of a mile downstream of the latter tributary, it enters Jessup and turns abruptly west. After flowing west for several tenths of a mile, the Lackawanna River receives the tributary Grassy Island Creek from the left and continues flowing in
11438-558: The lives and property of the citizens of the City of Scranton and the streets of said city from injury, loss and damage caused by mining and mine caves." In 1915 and 1917, the city and Commonwealth sought injunctions to prevent coal companies from undermining city streets but lost their cases. North Main Avenue and Boulevard Avenue, "both entitled to surface support, caved in as a result" of court decisions that went against civil authorities and allowed
11571-533: The majority-Protestant early settlers of colonial descent. National, ethnic, religious and class differences were wrapped into political affiliations, with many new immigrants joining the Democratic Party , and, for a time in the late 1870s, the Greenbacker-Labor Party . In 1856, the borough of Scranton was officially incorporated. It was incorporated as a city of 35,000 in 1866 in Luzerne County, when
11704-478: The mine is to give visitors a feeling for what it was like to work in an underground mine. The tours are led by former miners, or children of miners. Visitors board a mine car and descend the #190 slope, about 250 ft (76 m) below ground, into the Clark Vein of coal. The tour proceeds, on foot, through several twisting veins of the abandoned mine. During the tour, the tour guides describe various aspects of
11837-421: The mine was converted to a museum, supported by $ 2.5 million in U.S. federal government funding. Restoration included the removal of debris, the laying of track to enable a mine car to carry visitors into the mine, the installation of electricity for lights, and the reinforcement of the mine's shafts with steel buttresses to improve safety prior to the museum's opening in 1985. In 1987, Lackawanna County received
11970-546: The mouth of the river contains artifacts from 9000 BCE (the Archaic period ) to as late as 1400 (the Woodland period ). Various rock shelters have been discovered on the ridgelines of the Lackawanna River valley; they were used by migrating hunter-gatherers in prehistory. A number of Lenape gravesites historically existed on the river near present-day Scranton , but were eventually destroyed. According to Horace Hollister's History of
12103-565: The otherwise smooth reach between Interstate 81 and Moosic, though there are many ledges at the latter location. In Scranton, the river flows between stone and concrete retaining walls, as well as high banks of slag . In general, riffles and pools on the river form a "watery stairway". The pools can be as short as a few hundred feet or as long as several thousand feet, with larger ones mainly correlating to broad floodplains . Rapids mainly occur in reaches such as Panther Bluff (in Fell Township),
12236-561: The post-war boom, the fortunes and population of Scranton (and the rest of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties) began to diminish. Coal production and rail traffic declined rapidly throughout the 1950s, causing a loss of jobs. In 1954, Worthington Scranton and his wife, Marion Margery Scranton , contributed one million dollars to establish the Scranton Foundation (now the Scranton Area Community Foundation ), which
12369-523: The rail industry. Foreseeing the decline, city leaders formulated the Scranton Plan in 1945 to diversify the local economy beyond coal, but the city's economy continued to decline. The Knox Mine disaster of 1959 essentially ended coal mining in the region. Scranton's population dropped by over 67,000, from its peak of 143,433 in the 1930 census , to 76,089 in the 2010 census , but had rebounded slightly by 2020. The city now has large health care, academic, tourism, railroad, and manufacturing sectors. Scranton
12502-549: The river are designated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as Class A Wild Trout Waters for brown trout . The sections are adjacent to each other and run from the upper Carbondale city line downstream to Green Ridge Street, a distance of 17.4 miles (28.0 km). Both brook trout and brown trout inhabit the river, but only the former are native. In addition to trout, smallmouth bass , sunfish , carp , suckers, crappies , darters , and dace have been observed in
12635-414: The river at this point ranged from 6.7 to 7.3 (with an average of 6.95) and the acidity concentration was 0 milligrams per liter. The alkalinity concentration ranged from 19 to 36 milligrams per liter (with an average of 28.17 milligrams per liter). The concentration of sulfate ranged from less than 30.5 to 66.8 milligrams per liter, with an average of 46.25 milligrams per liter. The iron concentration in
12768-660: The river reaches the Mid Valley region, and their frequency rapidly increases in the Down Valley region. The lower 3 miles (4.8 km) have a yellow-orange color due to iron oxide contamination. There are a total of 158 combined sewer overflows on the river. Several reaches of the Lackawanna River have been designated as impaired between 1996 and 2004. The causes of impairment include pH , metals, siltation , and flow alteration. The source of impairment include abandoned mine drainage and resource extraction. The Lackawanna River has
12901-448: The river's mouth. Forested land is the most common land use in the Lackawanna River watershed, making up 58 percent of its land area. Agricultural land occupies 20 percent of the watershed and developed land occupies 16 percent of it. As of the early 2000s, approximately 240,000 people inhabit the Lackawanna River watershed. The population peaked in the 1920s. The early settlers were of English, Irish, Welsh, and German descent, but in
13034-476: The river, degrading it further. In its upper reaches, the Lackawanna River is highly rocky and flows over cobbles. It has virtually continuous whitewater . There are also a few strainers within this reach of the river, due to its small size. Ledges become more common downstream of Forest City and there is one "distinctly high and nasty" ledge near Simpson. Downstream of Carbondale, the river becomes quieter, though there are still some ledges. A few riffles disrupt
13167-403: The river. The fishery was nearly destroyed by 150 years of anthracite mining, but has recovered since the 1970s. The Lackawanna River was historically a "vibrant" brook trout fishery. Shad may have also occurred in the river until the 1820s, when dam construction on the Susquehanna River closed off access by anadromous fish . There is anecdotal evidence that the river was able to function as
13300-478: The seasonal total; on average, the first and last dates of measurable (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) snowfall are November 14 and March 31, respectively, with snow in October and April a rare occurrence. The hardiness zone is mostly 6b with 7a from downtown downriver and 6a up on Montage Mountain . [1] As of the 2020 census , there were 76,328 people and 31,039 households residing in the city. The racial makeup of
13433-652: The second contains red sandstones and shales. The Pocono Formation contains dense sandstones and conglomerates and occurs in outcrops on the Moosic and West Mountains. The Catskill Formation mainly occurs on the fringes of the watershed. A total of 67 percent of the rock in the watershed is interbedded sedimentary rock , while the remaining 33 percent is sandstone. The uplands of the Lackawanna River watershed contain poorly drained, rocky soils . The rocky floor contains mostly developed, impervious surfaces, but some abandoned mine lands have rapid permeability. The watershed of
13566-589: The settlers and Pennsylvania settlers; these disputes were known as the Yankee-Pennamite Wars . For a time after the American Revolutionary War , the main industry in the Lackawanna River watershed was agriculture , though economic development was difficult to the mountainous terrain between the river and the coast. After the War of 1812 , entrepreneurs began to take an interest in the coal reserves in
13699-656: The significance of these negotiations, the statue and the Courthouse were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. John Mitchell is buried in Cathedral Cemetery in Scranton." At the 1900 United States census , the population of Scranton was about 102,026, making it the third-largest city in Pennsylvania and 38th-largest U.S. city at the time. At the turn of the 20th century, wealthy businessmen and industrialists built impressive Victorian mansions in
13832-632: The south, the industries that precipitated the city's early rapid growth were iron and steel . In the 1840s, brothers Selden T. and George W. Scranton , who had worked at Oxford Furnace in Oxford, New Jersey, founded what became Lackawanna Iron & Coal, later developing as the Lackawanna Steel Company . It initially started producing iron nails, but that venture failed due to low-quality iron. The Erie Railroad 's construction in New York State
13965-411: The surrounding boroughs of Hyde Park (now part of the city's West Side) and Providence (now part of North Scranton) were merged with Scranton. Twelve years later in 1878, the state passed a law enabling creation of new counties where a county's population surpassed 150,000, as did Luzerne's. The law appeared to enable the creation of Lackawanna County , and there was considerable political agitation around
14098-456: The tributary Roaring Brook, the Lackawanna River flows in a southwesterly direction for several miles, alternating between flowing south and flowing west. In this reach, it receives the tributary Stafford Meadow Brook from the left and eventually begins flowing along the border between Scranton and Taylor before receiving Keyser Creek from the right and beginning to flow alongside the border between Taylor and Moosic . After some distance along
14231-424: The tributary Wilson Creek, the Lackawanna River continues flowing southwest alongside Pennsylvania Route 171 and soon enters Carbondale . After flowing for several tenths of a mile through Carbondale, the river turns south for a few tenths of a mile, receiving the tributary Racket Brook from the left and crossing Pennsylvania Route 106 and a spur of US Route 6 . It then turns west-southwest for several tenths of
14364-579: The valley's development. The Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad also went into the watershed, and the Erie Railroad had a number of routes into it. These included the Erie and Wyoming Valley Railroad , which followed Roaring Brook, and the Jefferson Branch, which entered the river's watershed at Ararat Summit. The New York, Ontario and Western Railway , which was developed in 1890, was the last railroad to enter
14497-403: The wages of all municipal officials, including the mayor and fire chief, being cut to $ 7.25/hour. Financial consultant Gary Lewis, who lived in Scranton, was quoted as estimating that "on 5 July the city had just $ 5,000 cash in hand." Since the revitalization began, many coffee shops, restaurants, and bars have opened in the downtown. The low cost of living , pedestrian-friendly downtown, and
14630-461: The watershed of the Lackawanna River ranges from 35 to 45 inches (89 to 114 cm). Deposits of glacial till containing boulders , cobbles , sand , and gravel occur in the Lackawanna River watershed. Some of the river's flow comes from recharge from this till, via ponds and wetlands. Some flow also comes from cracks in sandstone and shale strata. Groundwater flow along the river has been impacted by manmade events in some reaches. In
14763-563: The watershed. The aquatic habitat in the last 3 miles (4.8 km) is nonexistent due to acid mine drainage from the Old Forge Borehole , which discharges 100 million gallons of acid mine drainage into the river every day. Another 40 million gallons of acid mine drainage per day come from the Duryea Outfall. Other impacts include combined sewer overflows and urban stormwater . The stormwater discharges begin to become more common as
14896-546: The watershed. Additionally, there are more than 20,000 acres (8,100 ha) of wetlands in the watershed and another 10,000 to 15,000 acres (4,000 to 6,100 ha) historically existed. All of the minor tributaries of the river begin in wetlands in the West Mountains or the Moosic Mountains. Riparian wetlands occur along the lower reaches of the river and a feature known as the Duryea Swamp is located in former mining pits at
15029-467: The watershed. Coal was being mined near the tributary Racket Brook as early as 1820. By the 1820s, the Wurts Brothers had formed the Delaware and Hudson Coal Company to mine coal in the upper Lackawanna Valley and ship it to ports in New York . Due to the difficulties associated with building a canal over the Moosic Mountains, the company instead constructed a gravity railroad to transport the coal to
15162-400: The watershed. It followed the river from Scranton to Union Dale before leaving the river's drainage basin via the East Branch Lackawanna River watershed. In the 20th century, the anthracite industry remained the largest industry in the Lackawanna River region, though there was also a silk and textile industry. Additionally, agriculture remained a significant industry in the watershed into
15295-650: The watershed. Such land contains at least 25,000 to 30,000 acres (10,000 to 12,000 ha) of culm banks, overburden piles, silt basins, non-vegetated soil, and degraded waterways. One of the main owners of forested land in the watershed is the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry , which owns the Lackawanna State Forest that straddles the border between the Lackawanna River and Lehigh River watersheds. The Pennsylvania Game Commission also owns more than several thousand acres of Pennsylvania State Game Lands in
15428-742: Was 0 milligrams per liter and the alkalinity concentration ranged from 17 to 38 milligrams per liter (with an average of 27.57 milligrams per liter). The sulfate concentration ranged from less than 20 to 136 milligrams per liter, with an average of 59.55 milligrams per liter. The amount of iron in the Lackawanna River below the Broadway Street Bridge was typically less than 0.3 milligrams per liter, but once reached 0.348 milligrams per liter. The manganese concentration ranged from less than 0.067 to 0.139 milligrams per liter, with an average of 0.09 milligrams per liter. The aluminum concentration ranged from less than 0.5 to 0.753 milligrams per liter, with an average concentration of 0.63 milligrams per liter. The pH of
15561-460: Was booming at the end of the 19th century. The tonnage of coal mined increased virtually every year, as did the steel manufactured by the Lackawanna Steel Company. At one point the company had the largest steel plant in the United States, and it was still the second largest producer at the turn of the 20th century. By 1900, the city had a population of more than 100,000. In the late 1890s, Scranton
15694-584: Was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1960. For much of its length, the river flows through the Lackawanna Valley, which runs in a northeast-to-southwest direction. Many tributaries flow into the Lackawanna River from West Mountain, the Moosic Mountains , or the Pocono Mountains . The headwaters of the Lackawanna River are in the glaciated plateau physiographic province of
15827-538: Was called by anthracite miners across the region and led by the United Mine Workers under John Mitchell . The strike was settled by a compromise brokered by President Theodore Roosevelt . A statue of John Mitchell was installed in his honor on the grounds of the Lackawanna County Courthouse in Scranton, "the site of the Coal Strike of 1902 negotiations in which President Roosevelt participated. Because of
15960-551: Was delayed by its having to acquire iron rails as imports from England. The Scrantons' firm decided to switch its focus to producing T-rails for the Erie; the company soon became a major producer of rails for the rapidly expanding railroads. In 1851, the Scrantons built the Lackawanna and Western Railroad (L&W) northward, with recent Irish immigrants supplying most of the labor, to meet
16093-523: Was established in the city in 1886, inspiring the nickname "The Electric City". In 1896, the city's various streetcar companies were consolidated into the Scranton Railway Company , which ran trolleys until 1954. By 1890, three other railroads had built lines to tap into the rich supply of coal in and around the city, including the Erie Railroad, the Central Railroad of New Jersey and finally
16226-628: Was home to a series of early International League baseball teams. Scranton has had a notable labor history; various coal worker unions struggled throughout the coal-mining era to improve working conditions, raise wages, and guarantee fair treatment for workers. The Panic of 1873 and other economic difficulties caused a national recession and loss of business. As the economy contracted, the railroad companies reduced wages of workers in most classes (while sometimes reserving raises for their top management). A major strike of railroad workers in August 1877, part of
16359-568: Was known as the Pennamite Wars , where settlers competed for control of the territory which had been included in royal colonial land grants to both states. The claim between Connecticut and Pennsylvania was settled by negotiation with the federal government 's involvement after the Revolutionary War. Though anthracite coal was being mined in Carbondale to the north and Wilkes-Barre to
16492-542: Was launched to support charitable and educational organizations in the city of Scranton. The Knox Mine Disaster of January 1959 virtually ended the mining industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The waters of the Susquehanna River flooded the mines. The DL&W Railroad, nearly bankrupted by the drop in coal traffic and the effects of Hurricane Diane , merged in 1960 with the Erie Railroad. Demand for public transportation also declined as new highways were built by federal subsidies and people purchased automobiles. In 1952,
16625-473: Was left scarred by abandoned coal mining structures, strip mines, and massive culm dumps , some of which caught fire and burned for many years until they were extinguished through government efforts. In 1970, the Secretary of Mines for Pennsylvania suggested that so many underground voids had been left by mining underneath Scranton that it would be "more economical" to abandon the city than make them safe. In 1973,
16758-489: Was once a center of anthracite coal mining in the United States. It starts in north Wayne County, Pennsylvania and ends in east Luzerne County , Pennsylvania in Duryea, Pennsylvania . The lower reaches of the river flow through the urban areas of Scranton , which grew around its banks in the 19th century as an industrial center. Its name comes from a Lenape word meaning "stream that forks". The river rises in two branches,
16891-552: Was re-incorporated as the Scranton Transit Company, reflecting that shift in transportation modes. Starting in the early 1920s, the Scranton Button Company (founded in 1885 and a major maker of shellac buttons) became one of the primary makers of phonograph records. They pressed records for Emerson (whom they bought in 1924), as well as Regal , Cameo , Romeo , Banner , Domino , Conqueror . In July 1929,
17024-468: Was shrinking due to decreased coal shipments. A gauging station was established on the Lackawanna River at Scranton in July 1908, but was discontinued in July 1913. Another gauging station was set up at Moosic in August 1913. Flooding events occurred on the Lackawanna River in 1902, 1922, 1936, 1942, 1954, 1955, 1972, 1985, and 1996, causing millions of dollars in property damage. Flood control dams such as
17157-585: Was the private property owner in the case. The coal operators were defeated in this case." The public transportation system began to expand beyond the trolley lines pioneered by predecessors of the Scranton Railways system. The Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad , commonly referred to as the Laurel Line, was built as an interurban passenger and freight carrier to Wilkes-Barre . Its Scranton station, offices, powerhouse and maintenance facility were built on
17290-456: Was the progenitor of the Rite Aid national drugstore chain. During the 1970s and 1980s, many downtown storefronts and theaters became vacant. Suburban development followed the highways and suburban shopping malls became the dominant venues for shopping and entertainment. Since the mid-1980s, the city has emphasized revitalization. Local government and much of the community at large have adopted
17423-550: Was the site of the Scranton general strike in 1877. The city was designated as the county seat when Lackawanna County was established in 1878, and a judicial district was authorized in July 1879. The city's nickname "Electric City" began when electric lights were introduced in 1880 at the Dickson Manufacturing Company . Six years later, the United States' first streetcars powered only by electricity began operating in
17556-474: Was then general manager of Lackawanna Iron and Coal. He later founded Scranton Steel Company. The labor issues and growth of industry in Scranton contributed to Lackawanna County being established by the state legislature in 1878, with territory taken from Luzerne County. Scranton was designated as the county seat. This strengthened its local government. The unions failed to gain higher wages that year, but in 1878 they elected labor leader Terence V. Powderly of
17689-426: Was typically 0, but once reached 15.4 milligrams per liter. The alkalinity concentration ranged from 24 to 68 milligrams per liter (with an average of 44.37 milligrams per liter). The sulfate concentration ranged from 30.2 to 221 milligrams per liter, with an average of 104.78 milligrams per liter. Between the upper Carbondale city line and Green Ridge Street, the concentration of alkalinity in various reaches of
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