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Scranton, Pennsylvania

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Scranton, Pennsylvania
Nickname: 
Electric City
Motto(s): 
Embracing Our People, Our Traditions and Our Future
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountyLackawanna
Incorporated (borough)February 14, 1856
Incorporated (city)April 23, 1866
Government
 • MayorChristopher A. Doherty (D)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total76,415
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Websitehttp://www.scrantonpa.gov

The City of Scranton is the county seat of Lackawanna CountyTemplate:GR in Northeastern Pennsylvania, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 76,415 (2003 estimate: 74,320). After Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Upper Darby, and Reading, Scranton is Pennsylvania's seventh most populous municipality.

Scranton is the geographic and cultural center of the Lackawanna River valley, a relatively dense area directly between the vastly rural Pocono Mountains to the east and Endless Mountains to the west. It is the largest city located in a contiguous quilt-work of former anthracite coal mining communities including the smaller cities of Wilkes-Barre, Pittston and Carbondale. Scranton was incorporated as a borough on February 14, 1856 and as a city on April 23, 1866.

History

Humble beginnings (1776-1865)

Present-day Scranton and the surrounding area had been inhabited by the native Lenape tribe, from whose language "Lackawanna" (or "le-can-hanna", meaning "stream that forks") is derived. Gradually, settlers from New England came to the area in the late 1700s, establishing mills and other small businesses, and their village became known as Slocum Hollow. Isaac Tripp, known as the first settler, built his home here in 1778 which still stands in the Providence section of the city as a testament to this era.

Scranton, Pennsylvania, as depicted on an 1890 panoramic map.

Industrial foundations established: iron, coal and railroads (1846-1899)

Though anthracite coal was being mined in Carbondale to the north and Wilkes-Barre to the south, the industry that precipitated the city's growth was iron and steel. Iron T-rails were first manufactured in America at the Montour Iron Works in Danville, PA, on October 8,1845. Prior, they were made in England and shipped overseas. In 1847, brothers Seldon T. and George W. Scranton, began producing iron T-rails for the Erie Railroad in New York state. Soon after, Scranton became a major producer of these rails. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W) was founded in 1851 by the Scrantons to transport iron and coal products from the Lackawanna valley. The Pennsylvania Coal Company built a gravity railroad here for this purpose as well. In 1856, the Borough of Scranton was officially incorporated and named after its industrious founders. The Delaware and Hudson (D&H) Canal Company, which had its own gravity railroad from Carbondale to Honesdale, built a steam railroad that entered Scranton in 1863.

Scranton was incorporated as a city of 35,000 in 1866 when the surrounding boroughs of Hyde Park (now the "West Side" section) and Providence (now the "North Scranton" section) were merged with Scranton. The nation's first successful, continuously-operating electrified streetcar (trolley) system was established in the city in 1886, giving it the nickname "The Electric City". In the late 1890s Scranton was home to a series of early International League baseball teams. 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 the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad (NYO&W). Underneath the city, a network of coal veins was mined by workers who were given jobs by the wealthy coal barons with low pay, long hours and unsafe working conditions. Children as young as 8 or 9 worked 14-hour days separating slate from coal in the breakers.

Growth and prosperity (1900-1945)

By the United States Census of 1900, the population of Scranton was about 102,026, making it the 38th largest city in the United States. The turn of the 20th century saw many beautiful homes of Victorian architecture built in the Hill and Green Ridge sections of the city. In 1901, the dwindling local iron ore supply took the Lackawanna Steel Company away to Lackawanna, New York, where iron ore from Minnesota was more readily available by ships on the Great Lakes. The city lost the industry on which it was founded.

Scranton then forged ahead as the center of Pennsylvania's anthracite coal industry. During the first half of the 20th century, it became home to many groups of newly arrived immigrants from Eastern Europe. This patchwork still survives and is represented by the Catholic and Orthodox churches that dot the neighborhoods of primarily the North, West, and South sectors of the city. In 1903, an electric interurban railroad known as the Laurel Line was started, and two years later connected to sister city Wilkes-Barre, 20 miles southwest. Working conditions for miners were improved by the efforts of labor leaders like John Mitchell, whose statue is found on the downtown Courthouse Square. By the mid-1930s, the city population had swelled to approximately 150,000 due to the extensive growth of the mining and silk textile industries. World War II created a great demand for energy, which was satisfied by expanded strip mining operations throughout the area.

The end of an era (1946-1984)

After World War II, it became clear that coal was losing favor to other energy sources such as oil and natural gas. In contrast to other cities in the United States that prospered in 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. In 1952, the Laurel Line ceased passenger service. The trolleys of the Scranton Transit Company that gave the city its nickname transferred all operations to buses as the 1954 holiday season approached. In 1955, some eastern and southern parts of the city were destroyed by the floods of Hurricane Diane, and 80 lives were lost in the area. The NYO&W Railroad, which depended heavily on its Scranton branch for freight traffic, was completely abandoned in 1957

The Knox Mine Disaster of January 1959 all but erased the mining industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The event terminated thousands of jobs as the waters of the Susquehanna River flooded the mines. The DL&W Railroad, nearly bankrupt by the drop in coal traffic and the effects of Hurricane Diane, merged with the Erie Railroad in 1960. Scranton had been the hub of its operations until the Erie Lackawanna merger, when it was no longer needed in this capacity; it was another severe blow to the labor market. 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 was then scarred by abandoned coal mining structures, strip mines and massive culm dumps, a few of which continue to burn, though federal and state intervention extinguished most. During the 1960s and 1970s, the silk and other textile industries also shrunk as jobs moved south or overseas. During the 1970s and 1980s, many of the downtown storefronts and theaters became vacant as suburban shopping malls became the dominant venues for shopping and entertainment.

Stabilization and restoration (1985-Present)

There has been an emphasis on revitalization since the mid-1980s. Local government and much of the community at large have adopted a renewed interest in the city's buildings and history. Aged and empty properties are being redesigned 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 is restored as the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel. The Electric City Trolley Museum was created next to the DL&W yards that "Steamtown" occupies. The two-story Mall at Steamtown was built in 1993 and has advanced the downtown business district's return as a regional shopping destination. The Houdini Museum, founded by magician Dorothy Dietrich, is a showcase of the legendary artist's exploits in the city. Developers and brokers are beginning to descend on dilapidated buildings and vacant lots to further sculpt a new downtown to be characterized by modern and attractive office, residential, and retail space. The Hill section's Nay Aug Park has been a particular target for progressive Mayor Chris Doherty, having seen numerous renovations after many years of disrepair.

In spite of this progress, a 2001 Washington Post Magazine column described Wilkes-Barre as "awful" and Scranton as "awfuler," and named it a contender for the "armpit of America". It has since been a catalyst for renewed pride among Scrantonians, accelerating a renewal that was already beginning.[citation needed] Other attractions responsible for recent popularity and favorable attention to Scranton include the Snö Mountain ski resort, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (formerly the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons), AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees, and their PNC Field, and the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain concert venue. In recent years, Scranton (like Wilkes-Barre) has been inundated by illegal immigrants.

Geography

Scranton is located at 41°24'38" North, 75°40'3" West (41.410629, -75.667411)Template:GR. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 65.9 km² (25.4 mi²). The city has 65.3 km² (25.2 mi²) of land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of water. The total area is 0.83% water.

The elevation of "Center City" is approximately 750' (229m) above sea level. Generally, the city is hilly, with its inhabited portions ranging approximately from 650' (220m) to 1400' (425m). The city is flanked by mountains to the east and west whose elevations range from 1900' (580m) to 2100' (640m).

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 76,415 people, 31,303 households, and 18,124 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,169.4/km² (3,029.2/mi²). There were 35,336 housing units at an average density of 540.8/km² (1,400.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.54% White, 3.02% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.16% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race make up 2.62% of the population.

There were 31,303 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.8% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. The city had 36.7% of its households with single occupancy and 18.1% whose individual was aged at least 65. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.01.

The population's age is distributed with 20.8% under 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% at least 65. The median age was 39. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females aged at least 18, there were 83.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,805, and the median income for a family was $41,642. Males had a median income of $30,829 versus $21,858 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,174. Found below the poverty line are 15.0% of the population, 10.7% of families, 18.9% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those at least age 65.

Ancestries: Irish (30.3%), Italian (19.4%), German (15.7%), Polish (14.8%), Welsh (6.9%), English (5.8%) (City-Data.com).

Scranton has a notably large Irish American population. According to the census of 2000, over 30% of the total population reported Irish ancestry, which is the highest percentage of Irish ancestry for a city of this size. This causes Lackawanna County to be one of only two (with Delaware) counties in Pennsylvania where Irish is the most common ancestry.

The local dialect of American English is "Northeast Pennsylvania English", at least for the older generations of Scranton residents.

Media

Television

Print

  • The Antenna, monthly (arts and culture)
  • The Times-Tribune, daily
  • The Times Leader, daily, primarily Wilkes-Barre
  • La Voz Latina, monthly
  • Melanian News, bi-monthly
  • Electic City, weekly (entertainment)
  • Weekender, weekly (entertainment)

Radio

  • Scranton's radio market is ranked #69 by Arbitron's ranking system. The following box contains the list of all radio stations receivable in the area.

Transportation

Highways

Public Transportation

Railroads

Professional sports

Colleges and universities

Notable natives and residents

Landmarks and attractions

The Steamtown National Historic Site showcases steam era railroading that gives visitors tours through Scranton and portions of the Pocono Mountains.
  • Scranton has been hosting a Saint Patrick's Day Parade since 1862. It is organized by the St. Patrick's Day Parade Association of Lackawanna County and is now the nation's fourth largest. Over 8,000 people participate on the Saturday before March 17, including floats, bagpipe players, high school bands, minstrels, and Irish groups. In 2007, an estimated 115,000 to 120,000 people congregated downtown for the event.[citation needed]
  • The current NBC sitcom The Office (an Americanized version of a BBC series) is set at a fictional paper company in Scranton. Video of the city filmed by cast member John Krasinski's friends is featured in the opening theme. The program makes frequent references to actual attributes of Scranton and the surrounding area, including the Mall at Steamtown, Farley's Pub, Poor Richard's Pub, Montage Mountain, The Scranton Anthracite Museum, and Lake Wallenpaupack. In a February 2006 episode, Steve Carell's character Michael Scott describes New York City as "Scranton on speed, acid, and steroids." In a November 2006 episode called "The Merger", Scott creates an orientation video titled "Lazy Scranton" (a parody of "Lazy Sunday") in which he highlights many popular Scranton attractions. Also many local items are placed around the office like a quilt with the University of Scranton's Logo on it, a Froggy 101 sticker (local radio), and bobble head dolls from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons.
  • A cartoon in a May 2005 issue of The New Yorker depicts the city in the form of an amusement park ride with the sign advertising the ride reading: "experience the sights, sounds, and smells of Scranton and warning: may cause nausea."
  • In April of 2005 “Scranton” was the answer to the 23 Across clue of the New York Times Sunday Crossword puzzle, titled, “Home of the Houdini Museum.“
  • In the television series Lizzie McGuire, Lizzie (Hilary Duff) gets writer's block and the animated Lizzie says, "Scranton, that's a city in Pennsylvania! What good will that do?"
  • In the 2004 Coen Brothers film The Ladykillers, the character of Garth Pancake (played by J.K. Simmons) proudly states that he is from "Scranton, Pennsylvania."
  • David Buznik, played by Adam Sandler in the 2003 film Anger Management says he attended Scranton Community College.
  • In 2002, the Travel Channel's Magic Road Trip program featured the city's Houdini Museum as one of the world's top magic attractions.
  • In a 2000 episode of HBO's The Sopranos, Gigi describes Boston as "Scranton with clams."
  • The main character, Josie (portrayed by Drew Barrymore), of the 1999 film Never Been Kissed pretends to be from Scranton for an undercover assignment.
  • The 1998 film Dead End, in which a police detective played by Eric Roberts investigates the "alleged" suicide of his ex-wife, is set in Scranton.
  • In the 1996 film Kingpin, Woody Harrelson's lead character lives for a period of time in Scranton.
  • A pair of married tourists from Scranton are minor characters in the 1994 comedy My Father the Hero.
  • In a 1994 episode of the FOX's The Simpsons, Kent Brockman reports that David Crosby's liver was found in Scranton above a drugstore.
  • In a 1995 episode of NBC's Friends, Ross mentions the Scranton zoo as his "last hope" in finding a home for his pet monkey, Marcel. Upon failing, he bellows, "We didn't get into...Scranton?!?!? That was like our safety zoo. They take, like dogs and cows!" (At the time of shooting, Scranton no longer had an operating zoo.)
  • In the 1992 film School Ties, Brendan Fraser's lead character David Green lives in Scranton at the beginning of the film.
  • In the 1990 film Home Alone, Kevin's (Macaulay Culkin) mother Kate (Catherine O'Hara) is stranded in the Scranton Airport (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport) in a snowstorm, trying desperately to get home.
  • In the 1979 film The In-Laws, Vince (Peter Falk) dupes Sheldon (Alan Arkin) into accompanying him on an airplane by telling him they're going to Scranton, Pennsylvania when in fact it is headed for Honduras. "The Ocean? It's over the ocean to Scranton, Pennsylvania?"
  • Scranton was referenced twice in the sitcom All in the Family. In the memorable second-season episode "Edith's Problem", Edith states that she'd rather go to Scranton to visit her cousin than go on a planned trip to Disney World, to which Archie replies, "the only way I'm going to Scranton is if some screwball hijacks the airplane!" In a 1975 episode, Edith attends a friend's wedding in Scranton despite husband Archie's complaints about the city.
  • The 1973 Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play That Championship Season by Jason Miller was based on the fictional lives of Scranton's 1957 state basketball champions. Miller wrote and directed the 1982 screenplay in which all exterior scenes were filmed in Scranton at his insistence.
  • A 1965 episode of Green Acres is entitled "What Happened in Scranton?"
  • On March 26, 1965, a truck carrying bananas crashed at the bottom of Moosic Street's two mile hill just outside downtown Scranton. The incident prompted the 1974 Harry Chapin song "30,000 Pounds of Bananas".
  • In a 1959 episode of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone entitled "What You Need," a street peddler named Pedott who can give people "what you need, just what you need," gives a young former pitcher named "Lefty" (Read Morgan) a bus ticket to Scranton, Pennsylvania, which turns out to be just what he needed to turn his life around for the better.
  • In James Blish's 1957 novel They Shall Have Stars, the protagonist is captured by a press gang and forced to board the spindizzy city of Scranton as it departs to wander in space, mining minerals and renting out its services.
  • In 1855, George Inness painted the "Lackawanna Valley", an early portrait of Scranton at a major DL&W junction; this painting now hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
  • The 1993 video game Sam & Max Hit the Road features a character called "Trixie, the giraffe-necked girl from Scranton", as well as a reference to "Scrantonese" being an actual language.

Sister cities

Scranton has two official sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Electric City Trolley Museum Association". Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  2. ^ "Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel". Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  3. ^ "Tripp House". Retrieved 2007-04-14.

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