The Electric City Sign

The Electric City Sign lights up Scranton’s skyline at night. While taking photos of it, I happened to notice the Love statue for the first time.

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Spruce Street

These are photos from Spruce Street in downtown Scranton, the heart of city. You’ll see the Lackawanna from the corner of Spruce and Jefferson. Walking down Spruce we see Rocky’s, JB Jewelers, Northern Lights Coffee shop, The Manhattan Project and other businesses.

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Federal Courthouse

The Federal Courthouse in Scranton, both old and new sections, have some great architectural features.

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Cedar Avenue

These are photos from Cedar Avenue in Scranton’s South Side, an area of town that has changed quite a bit in the past few years. The area is home to a growing and thriving Latino community.

Two of South Side’s and Scranton’s landmark shops are long closed, sadly enough. They were Gutheinz butcher shop and the old Kaltenbach’s Bakery. I remember my mom taking me to those places in the 1970s. Invariably, I would see classmates in line with their moms. Kaltenbach’s offered all kinds of great breads, pies, and pastries you probably can’t find anymore. It was a small place and the lines extended out the door. The building, with its cool art deco facade, was torn down in the spring of 2011. Fortunately, I took photos of it before then. Vac-Way, probably the most recognizable place on Cedar Avenue is the place to take your appliances in for repair. Smith’s Restaurant reopened in the spring of 2011. They have great lunches.

There is a Latino bakery open up the street from where it once stood. Along Cedar Avenue you’ll find a Latino store and taquerillas where you can enjoy an authentic burrito.

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The Lackawanna Train Station Hotel

The Lackawanna Train Station Hotel is one of the most impressive buildings in Scranton. Built in 1908, it was a transportation hub for decades, providing train service to New York City. It was shuttered for decades and then rehabilitated in the 1980s. It no longer provides train service, but an effort continues to bring back trains to New York.

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Wyoming Avenue

Wyoming Avenue is a main thoroughfare from the Green Ridge section of town into Downtown Scranton. It bustled with activity with large businesses, such as the Globe Store, Oppenheimers, and others. The art deco Ritz Theater was also located on Wyoming Avenue.

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Franklin Avenue

Below are photos from Franklin Avenue, including Whistles, where an early scene in Welcome to Scranton takes place. Whistles was a favorite hangout for Hank, Ed, Jake, and Mike. Sadly, I discovered Whistle’s closed in 2010 before the publication of Welcome to Scranton. I was planning on sending them a copy of the novella. One claim to fame it had was when then presidential candidate Obama stopped in at Whistles in 2008 and shot some pool.

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Adams Avenue

These are photos from Adams Avenue in Scranton where Home Film Festival and Prufrock’s Cafe and Bookstore existed during the time the story is set.

Adams Avenue now has many thriving businesses. If you are in town, I highly recommend you stop in The Bog, which offers live music and a wide variety of draft beers. Across the street his a good vegan restaurant called Eden.

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Scranton Public Library and Lackawanna College

The Albright Memorial Library’s Châteauesque design was influenced by a French monastery. Lackawanna College, formerly Scranton Central High School, shares some architectural features.

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