Scranton, PA Local Community

Primary tabs

Members: 48
Known as the "Electric City," electric lights came to Scranton in 1880 and only 6 years later, electric streetcars started moving around the city streets. This had to be such a huge event for people back then. Can you imagine?

Recent Community Images

No images yet

Recent Community Posts

No posts yet

Local Business Reviews and Happenings

No businesses added yet.

A lot of the attractions here were constructed in homage and to celebrate the city's heritage. They focus on telling people the story about Scranton’s industrial past as coal and iron producers and a bit about the diversity in their ethnicity. You can check out the Scranton Iron Furnaces, the Steamtown National Historic Site, the Electric Trolley Museum, and the Lackawanna Coal Mine. All of these places will tell you different stories about the city.

Because Scranton had such a strong industrial base, it was also a strong point for labor. The 1877 Scranton general strike started as a local participation in the Great Railroad Strike, but was quickly joined by thousands of workers for other industries. Although most returned to work within a few days, many workers continued for almost 3 months. Some violence occurred during the time, resulting in 4 deaths and many injuries.

Fans of the U.S. version of “The Office” TV series know that Scranton is one of the main branches of the fictional Dunder Mifflin paper company. Most of the episodes took place in the city. The opening credits include a shot of the iconic Pennsylvania Paper & Supply Company tower, which has leveraged the exposure into increased sales. Trivia note: Scranton’s Mifflin Ave. terminates at the building.
 
Things to do in Scranton:

Who said museums can't be fun? You can visit the Houdini Museum to prove that they can be a lot of fun! This is one of Scranton's top attractions. Here you will get to check out a lot of memorabilia and vintage magic tools and artifacts related to the magic of Harry Houdini. You will also enjoy a very nice magic show and if you are lucky, you might even be part of one of the many magic tricks. 

If you want a more relaxed and nature-related plan, you can go for a walk at Nay Aug, that is Scranton's largest park. Aside from the natural beauty of this place you will find walking trails to stretch the legs and do a little bit of urban cardio, picnic areas to enjoy a delicious meal, rides for the kids, playground and two swimming pools for the hot summer days. Inside the park, you will also find the Everhart Museum. 

For a little bit of local history, you can go to the Scranton Cultural Center. This center was constructed inside a Masonic Temple and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Nowadays the place operates as a theater but holds a lot of history. A lot of Broadway's biggest plays were once performed here, the list includes Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, and Mama Mia.
 

Please join the Scranton community and help make it a thriving resource for local information! Visitors are welcome to post messages asking questions that local experts can help answer.