107-574: McDade Park is a community park located in Scranton in Lackawanna County , in northeastern Pennsylvania . It is named after former U.S. Representative Joseph M. McDade . The park is located on 200 acres (0.81 km) of land, containing an outdoor pool, a fishing pond as well as a more isolated pond, basketball courts, hiking trails, tennis courts and two picnic pavilions. The park also contains an arboretum and numerous natural gardens. In addition,
214-465: A Home Rule Charter effective January 2, 2013. Under the home rule charter, the city is governed by a five-member city council composed of four elected city councilmembers and the elected mayor, who, in addition to being the presiding officer of the city council, holds additional executive authority as prescribed by the home rule charter. There is also an elected city controller and elected city tax collector/treasurer who hold specific duties as set forth in
321-454: 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
428-442: A blaze on the city's main street. A monument was built in the downtown and the nearby Water Street Bridge was renamed to commemorate their sacrifice during that tragic March day. For decades, the towering spires of the many Protestant and Catholic churches dominated the city's skyline. Most of the numerous Catholic churches were established to serve one of the many ethnic communities that made up Pittston. The Irish had St. John
535-642: A condo complex for Pittston City, located at Kennedy Boulevard between the Water Street Bridge and East Street. Riverfront Park is located to the west of the development. After a number of years, the condos were constructed and opened to the public. In December 2009, several buildings along William Street were demolished. These included St. John the Baptist Church and School , St. John the Baptist Catholic Information Library, St. John
642-459: 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 was the site of the Scranton general strike in 1877. The city
749-508: A female householder with no husband present, 6.8% had a Male householder with no wife present, and 43% were non-families. 36% of all households were made up of individuals, and 32% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.89. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.1% age 19 or under, 6.4% from 20 to 24, 26% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
856-453: A mine car 300 feet (91 m) underground into the shaft and then walk the tour, totaling about a quarter of a mile. The mine temperature is often significant different than the outside temperature (approximately 50 °F (10 °C), year round). Tour dates are seven days a week from April 1 to November 30, closing only for Thanksgiving Day and Easter Sunday. Admission is charged for the tour. The Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum
963-513: 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
1070-540: 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
1177-508: Is 6b. As of the 2010 census, there were 7,739 people, 3,493 households, and 1,992 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,600 people per square mile (1,800/km2). There were 3,907 housing units at an average density of 2,442.4 per square mile (943.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 95% White , 1.9% Black , 0.2% Native American , 0.5% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 0.7% from other races , and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.7% of
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#17330856586351284-536: 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 a federal court building for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania . The city
1391-550: Is also located in the park and tells the story of the people who came from Europe to work in the anthracite coal mines and the textile industry. Through exhibits and attractions the museum provides insight into the industrial history of the area. The museum is open year round Monday through Saturday 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Sundays 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M., with the exception of New Year's Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Columbus Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day,
1498-492: 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
1605-467: 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 the largest of the former anthracite coal mining communities in
1712-471: 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
1819-621: Is located in Pittston Township . The airport is served by eight international airlines. On several occasions, it has hosted Air Force One on regional presidential visits to the region. In the spring of 2002, the airport began offering an increased number of non-stop flights across the nation, which are provided by Allegiant , Delta , United , and American . Pittston is served by the Luzerne County Transportation Authority and COLTS, which provides bus services to
1926-589: Is part of the Wyoming Valley and located on the east side of the Susquehanna River and on the south side of the Lackawanna River . It is approximately midway between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km ), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km ) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km ), or 8.09%,
2033-607: 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 a straight line in Northeastern Pennsylvania's urban core act culturally and logistically as one continuous city, so while Scranton
2140-630: Is water. The city's three sections include the Oregon Section (located in southern Pittston), the Downtown (or City Center), and the Junction (or Upper Pittston). The Oregon Section is a neighborhood located on high ground overlooking the Susquehanna River (in the southern half of the city). The Downtown is located to the north (in the central part of Pittston). U.S. Route 11 passes through this part of
2247-562: The Battle of Wyoming . A company of militia, led by Captain Jeremiah Blanchard and Lieutenant Timothy Keyes, held and maintained a military fort in Pittston, which was surrendered on July 4, 1778, one day after the Battle of Wyoming , and was later partially burned. In 1780, Pittston Fort was reoccupied, restored and strengthened. From then on it was under patriot control until the signing of
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#17330856586352354-548: 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,
2461-703: The Greater Pittston area; many have been closed by the Diocese of Scranton due to lack of funding and low enrollment. U.S. Route 11 passes through Pittston City. Interstate 81 passes near Pittston, heading north to Binghamton and south to Harrisburg . Pittston is also located near the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike , Interstate 476 , providing a link to Allentown and Philadelphia . The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
2568-703: 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
2675-642: The Knox Mine disaster . It essentially killed the industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania . On January 22, 1959, the ice-laden Susquehanna River broke through the roof of the River Slope Mine of the Knox Coal Company in nearby Port Griffith (in Jenkins Township ). This allowed for billions of gallons of river water to flood the interconnected mines. It took three days to plug the hole in the riverbed, which
2782-1079: 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
2889-525: 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
2996-511: 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
3103-461: The Treaty of Paris in 1783, which largely brought the war to an end. A marker stands at the site where the fort once stood. In 1853, Pittston broke away from Pittston Township and officially became a borough . John Hosie served as the first burgess of the borough. It was later chartered as a city on December 10, 1894. Thomas J. Maloney served as the city's first mayor from 1894 to 1898. Throughout
3210-791: 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
3317-741: 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,
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3424-436: 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
3531-402: The urban renewal efforts of the 1960s. By the late 20th century, most of the city's factories were closed and shipped overseas . Stores throughout the downtown closed and boarded up over this period. Pittston, like most Rust Belt cities, also witnessed population loss and urban decay . On March 15, 1993, two Pittston firefighters, John Lombardo and Len Insalaco, were killed while fighting
3638-402: 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 the rail industry. Foreseeing the decline, city leaders formulated
3745-699: The 1960s and was demolished in 1964. Pittston also had a station on the historic Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad , commonly known as the Laurel Line . Besides mining anthracite coal , Pittston was home to many industries in the 19th and 20th centuries, including metals, plastics, paper products , apparel , electrical equipment and beverages . The Pittston Stove Company, established in 1864, manufactured coal and wood-burning stoves for heating and cooking. The Pittston Brewing Company, brewers of Glennon's Beer, maintained operations in Pittston from 1873 until 1948. Evan R. Jones Stoneware crafted pottery which bore
3852-476: The Baptist Elementary School closed in 2004, and Seton Catholic High School closed in 2007. St. Mary's Assumption School closed in 2011. In 2009, Mayor Joseph P. Keating resigned after losing his bid for re-nomination . The city council appointed the first female mayor in the city's history (Donna McFadden-Connors) to serve out the remainder of Keating's term. She was later succeeded in 2010 by
3959-590: The Baptist Rectory, the Msgr. Joseph A. Super Athletic Center, and Dave's Billiards. The only building remaining is part of the school where DeMuro's Pizzeria is now located. A memorial green place now sits where the rest of the school once stood. A monument was also built to commemorate both the school and the church, which served the Slovak community for over a century. In 2008, under the leadership of Mayor Joseph P. Keating,
4066-667: 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
4173-910: The Evangelist and St. Mary Help of Christians, the Slovaks had St. John the Baptist , the Lithuanians had St. Casimir 's, the Germans had St. Mary Assumption, and the Italians had St. Rocco's and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. There is also a Carpatho-Rusyn Byzantine Catholic Church, St. Michael's, on Main Street. From 2004 to the present, the Diocese of Scranton has closed many of the churches and private schools in and around Pittston due to declining population and enrollment. Saint John
4280-596: 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
4387-568: The Hine photographs led to the enactment of child labor laws across the country. Coal mining remained the prominent industry in Pittston for many decades, but disasters did strike on more than one occasion. The first major tragedy, the Twin Shaft disaster , occurred at the Newton Coal Company near the city's railroad junction. In the early morning hours of June 28, 1896, 90 miners were at work in
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4494-584: 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
4601-594: The May 2017 Democratic primary. On Tuesday, November 7, 2017, he defeated his only opponent in the general election ( Independent Charles Bufalino). The next mayoral election is scheduled for 2021. Pittston is located within the Pittston Area School District , which covers Pittston Township , Dupont , Duryea , Hughestown , Yatesville , Avoca , and Jenkins Township . The Pittston Area School District has four schools: There were several Catholic schools in
4708-699: 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
4815-552: The Pittston name in the 1870s and 1880s. From the 1930s to the 1980s, Pittston City emerged as a national center for clothing manufacturing . Thousands of workers, mainly women, labored in many factories throughout the Greater Pittston area. Most were members of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU). They fought for higher wages, workplace health & safety improvements, and employee rights. The ILGWU
4922-540: The Red Ash Vein of the Newton Coal Company's Twin Shaft Mine in Pittston when, at 3:00 am, the roof quickly collapsed. The concussion from the explosion was so great that it was heard for miles around. The foundation of nearly every building in Pittston was shaken. The cave-in killed 58 miners, including the city's then-acting mayor. Anthracite coal mining remained a major industry in the Greater Pittston region until
5029-512: 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
5136-592: 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
5243-632: The Susquehanna and Lackawanna Rivers. The Lackawanna River makes up Pittston's northern border. The area in and around Pittston is referred to as Greater Pittston and includes Avoca , Dupont , Duryea , Exeter , Exeter Township , Hughestown , Jenkins Township , Laflin , Pittston, Pittston Township , West Pittston , West Wyoming , Wyoming , and Yatesville . Pittston has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ) and average monthly temperatures range from 26.9 °F (−2.8 °C) in January to 72.4 °F (22.4 °C) in July. PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University The hardiness zone
5350-420: The U.S. Department of the Interior/Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), have investigated 149 mine-related subsidence events in the city." Pittston became an active railroad center in response to its mining and industrial activity. Lehigh Valley Railroad maintained a station in downtown Pittston, near the foot of the Water Street Bridge. The station did not survive the urban renewal of
5457-502: 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
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#17330856586355564-436: 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
5671-511: The city and Pittston Township . A proposed nearby commuter train from Scranton to New York City has received some preliminary government funding. On May 27, 2023, the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern opened the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Regional Rail station, which offers passenger service to Jim Thorpe on weekends. The Pittston City Fire Department provides fire protection for the Greater Pittston region. The department operates from its headquarters at 20–22 Kennedy Street in Pittston. The bureau
5778-455: The city and other communities within Luzerne County and Lackawanna County . Martz Trailways also provides commuter, tour, and trip service from Pittston, and nearby locations in downtown Scranton and Wilkes-Barre to points east and south, including Philadelphia , New York City , and Atlantic City . Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad , Norfolk Southern Railway , and Luzerne & Susquehanna Railroad provide freight service in
5885-716: The city invested in renovating the downtown area sidewalks with a brick theme. Colorful brick pavers line the sidewalks along the curbside and at street crossings. Black street lights and sign posts were also placed to enhance the appearance of the downtown. Trees were also planted throughout the central business district. Since 2008, more downtown restoration has occurred. Older buildings are being demolished and newer structures (i.e., condominiums , restaurants, bars, and stores) are being built. Pittston Parks and Recreation Committee proposed an idea in 2015 to paint many of Pittston's fire hydrants ; it began in 2016. They were painted by various artistically inclined locals. Pittston
5992-419: 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
6099-406: 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. Pittston, Pennsylvania Pittston is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania , United States. The city lies in the Wyoming Valley on the east side of the Susquehanna River and on
6206-428: The city's center, the Oregon Section in the city's southern end, and the Junction in the city's northern end. Pittston City is at the heart of the Greater Pittston region , a 65.35 square mile region in Luzerne County. Greater Pittston has a total population of 48,020 as of 2010. Named after the British statesman William Pitt the Elder , the city was settled around 1770 by the Susquehanna Company of Connecticut . It
6313-436: The city, tomato fights, and a parade . In May 2011, Parade Magazine cited the Pittston Tomato Festival in one of its articles. Pittston was incorporated as a city in December 1894. As defined by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pittston operated as a Third Class City as defined by the state's Third Class City Code. In 2013, however, the electorate authorized Pittston's city government to commence operating under
6420-528: The city. Two bridges cross over the Susquehanna and connect the Downtown with the Borough of West Pittston (on the opposite bank). The Downtown is where most of the city's businesses and high-rises exist . The elevation climbs as you move inland (eastward) away from the Susquehanna. The northernmost section of the city is known as the Junction. It is named after the railroad junction (or the Duryea Yard ) which runs through its borders. It consists mostly of suburbs built upon several steep hills which overlook both
6527-421: 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
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#17330856586356634-403: 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
6741-412: 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,
6848-438: 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
6955-406: The day following Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Admission is charged for the museum. 41°25′00″N 75°42′45″W / 41.41677°N 75.71238°W / 41.41677; -75.71238 Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton 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
7062-436: 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
7169-406: The four-day event every year. Food (from food vendors throughout the Greater Pittston region), a variety of live entertainment, games, rides, arts and crafts, bingo, and home-grown Pittston tomatoes keep bringing an enthusiastic crowd to the festival year after year. The event also consists of a beauty pageant, a tomato tasting contest, a best looking and ugliest tomato contest, a 5 km run through
7276-433: The home rule charter. A professional city administrator appointed by the city council oversees the day-to-day operations of the city government. Pittston's City Hall, constructed in 1939, is located at 35 Broad Street near the city's downtown. The building houses the city's three branches of government ( legislative , executive, and judicial ). The city is headed by an elected mayor. Former Mayor Mike Lombardo easily won
7383-449: 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
7490-465: The image of the tomato. The tomato is also painted on many structures and roadways throughout the city. A statue of a large tomato can be seen on the corner of William and Main in downtown. Since 1983, The Pittston Tomato Festival has been held annually on South Main Street in Downtown Pittston to celebrate the city's tradition and heritage in cultivating the tomato. Beginning during the first term of Mayor Thomas Walsh, nearly fifty thousand people attend
7597-440: 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
7704-538: 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
7811-579: 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,
7918-494: The late 1890s, Pittston's borders extended from Scranton to Wilkes-Barre , but due to financial and civil differences, the community was later divided into several townships and boroughs throughout the Greater Pittston . Pittston is located within Pennsylvania's Coal Region . The first discovery of the anthracite coal (in the Wyoming Valley) occurred around 1770. The first mine was established in 1775 near Pittston. With
8025-506: The late 19th century. The boom continued well into the 20th century. The anthracite coal mining industry, and its extensive use of child labor in the early part of the 20th century, was one of the industries targeted by the National Child Labor Committee and its hired photographer, Lewis Hine . Many of Hine's subjects were photographed in the mines and coal fields in and around Pittston between 1908 and 1912. The impact of
8132-558: 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
8239-590: 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
8346-437: The opening of a canal in the 1830s, Pittston became an important link in the coal industry . Money made through the mining and transportation of coal led some of the leading merchants to petition its separation from Pittston Township . The anthracite and railroad industry attracted thousands of immigrants, making Pittston a true melting pot with once-distinct ethnic and class neighborhoods. The population of Pittston boomed in
8453-513: The park has a children's playground area, a creek, two baseball fields and numerous hills which are ideal for sledding during northeastern Pennsylvania 's winter season. The park has free admission for all activities. The Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour is located in the heart of the park. The hour-long tour takes you to a mine that was originally part of the Continental Coal Mine which was once an active anthracite coal mine . Visitors take
8560-412: The population. According to the 2015 census, the top ten ancestries in the city are: Italian (26.6%), Irish (18.9%), Polish (13.6%), German (13.2%), English (10.9%), Slovak (7.2%), Russian (5.3%), Lithuanian (3.4%), Greek (2.3%), and Arab (1.0%). There were 3,493 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.3% were married couples living together, 16.9% had
8667-561: 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
8774-478: 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
8881-656: 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
8988-450: The south side of the Lackawanna River . It is approximately midway between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton . Pittston is 68.7 miles (110.6 km) north of Allentown and 129.2 miles (207.9 km) northwest of New York City . The population was 7,591 as of the 2020 census , making it Luzerne County's fourth-largest city. At its peak in 1920 , the population of Pittston was 18,497. The city consists of three sections: Downtown Pittston in
9095-632: 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
9202-411: 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
9309-403: 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
9416-476: The youngest mayor in the city's history (Jason C. Klush). Pittston is currently undergoing an economic revitalization since the start of its industrial decline decades ago. The downtown area was renovated with new sidewalks, trees, and street lights. Older buildings are being demolished and newer structures, including condominiums , restaurants, bars, and stores are being built. In October 2005, Daniel Siniawa and Associates of Dickson City, Pennsylvania , designed
9523-511: Was "...five feet wide, 150 feet long and so deep the bottom was not visible. Two hundred homes were twisted, cracked or sprung from their foundations. Sidewalks were torn up and gas and water mains snapped in several places. Water cascaded through the streets and flooded cellars." "Since 1942 the Pennsylvania DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] and its predecessor, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PADER), as well as
9630-492: Was 41 years. The median income for a household in the city was $ 35,918 and the median income for a family was $ 54,000. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,304. About 17.8% of individuals are below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over. Pittston promotes itself as "The Quality Tomato Capital of the World." Images of tomatoes can be seen throughout Pittston. Street signs bear
9737-559: Was active in civic and political life throughout Pennsylvania. Main Street was the site of an active downtown into the 1970s, featuring clothing stores, shoe stores, jewelers, JC Penneys , Kresge's , Woolworth's , drug stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and banks. It was home to at least two theaters, the Roman at 27 South Main and the American at 48 North Main, both of which have been razed . Many historic commercial structures were demolished in
9844-527: 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
9951-538: 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
10058-504: 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
10165-523: 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 the city. Rev. David Spencer, a local Baptist minister, later proclaimed Scranton as
10272-408: Was done by dumping large railroad cars, smaller mine cars, culm , and other debris into the whirlpool formed by the water draining into the mine. Sixty-nine miners escaped; twelve miners died and their bodies were never recovered. The heroic efforts of one miner, Myron Thomas of Taylor , led 26 miners to safety. Another group of six men was led by Pacifico "Joe" Stella of Pittston. Amedeo Pancotti
10379-523: 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
10486-628: 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
10593-568: 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
10700-542: 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,
10807-473: 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,
10914-705: Was originally called "Pittstown." The city gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an active anthracite coal mining city, drawing a large portion of its labor force from European immigrants . During the Revolutionary War , the Wyoming Valley became a battleground between the British and the Americans. On July 3, 1778, a force of British provincial soldiers, with the assistance of about 500 Iroquois , attacked and killed about 300 Patriot soldiers at
11021-590: Was part of the second group, and for his remarkable climb out of the Eagle Air Shaft to the surface; he was later awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission . At 5:15 pm on November 27, 1942, the cave-in of an anthracite mine, that had not been operated since 1868, caused the earth of a half square mile of Pittston to crack and subside. The largest crack
11128-552: 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,
11235-531: 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
11342-456: 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
11449-474: 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
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