Editing Scranton, Pennsylvania

{{Short description|City in Pennsylvania, United States}}
{{redirect|Scranton}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Scranton
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Pennsylvania|City]]
| nicknames           = The Electric City, The All America City, Steamtown, The Anthracite Capital of the World
| motto              = Embracing Our People, Our Traditions and Our Future
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  | alt1          = Scranton skyline
  | caption1      = Downtown Scranton
  | image2        = Scranton Iron Furnaces in Scranton, PA.jpg
  | alt2          = Scranton Iron Furnaces
  | caption2      = [[Scranton Iron Furnaces]]
  | image3        = Lackawanna Coal Mine.jpg
  | alt3          = Lackawanna Coal Mine
  | caption3      = [[Lackawanna Coal Mine]]
  | image4        = Everhart Museum.jpg
  | alt4          = Everhart Museum
  | caption4      = [[Everhart Museum]]
  | image5        = Scranton - Lackawanna County Children's Library (48472739976).jpg
  | alt5          = Lackawanna County Children's Library 
  | caption5      = [[Lackawanna County Children's Library]]
  | image6        = Scranton - Downtown (48472890492).jpg
  | alt6          = Courthouse Square
  | caption6      = Courthouse Square
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| subdivision_name   = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Pennsylvania]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Lackawanna]]
| subdivision_type3  = Region
| subdivision_name3  = Greater Scranton
| government_type    = [[Mayor-Council]]
| governing_body     = Scranton City Council
| leader_title       = [[Mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Paige Cognetti]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
| established_title  = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]] (borough)
| established_title1 = Incorporated (city)
| established_date   = February 14, 1856
| established_date1  = April 23, 1866
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| named_for          = [[George W. Scranton]]
| area_total_sq_mi   = 25.54
| area_total_km2     = 66.14
| area_land_sq_mi    = 25.31
| area_land_km2      = 65.55
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.23
| area_water_km2     = 0.60
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 
| area_code          = [[Area code 570 and 272|570 and 272]]
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 1,777
| area_metro_km2     = 4,602
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes =<ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total   = 76328
| population_metro   = 567,559 (US: [[Metropolitan statistical area|100th]])
| population_urban   = 366,713 (US: [[List of United States urban areas|113th]])
| population_density_urban_km2 = 873.1
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 2,261.4
| population_density_sq_mi = 3015.96
| population_density_km2 = 1164.49
| population_demonym = Scrantonian/Scrantonite
| timezone           = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = – 05:00
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = – 04:00
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|24|38|N|75|40|03|W|region:US-PA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m        = 227
| elevation_ft       = 745
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 18447, 18501–18505, 18507–18510, 18512, 18514–18515, 18517–18519, 18522, 18540, 18577
| website            = {{URL|www.scrantonpa.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 42-69000
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 634293<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|634293}}</ref>
| area_footnotes     =<ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
| anthem             = "[[Hail, Pennsylvania!]]" [[File:God Save the Tsar (instrumental).ogg|God Save the Tsar! and Hail, Pennsylvania!]]
| image_flag         =
}}

'''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 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="QF2020"/> 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 [[List of municipalities in Pennsylvania|sixth-most populous city]] in Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usa.com/scranton-wilkes-barre-pa-area.htm |title=Scranton, Wilkes, Barre Metro Area |publisher=Usa.com |access-date=October 26, 2015 |archive-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102222510/http://www.usa.com/scranton-wilkes-barre-pa-area.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> 

The contiguous network of five [[City|cities]] and more than 40 [[borough]]s all built in 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<sup>2</sup>). Scranton is the cultural and economic center of Northeastern Pennsylvania, a region of the state with over 1.3 million residents. 

Scranton hosts a [[United States federal courts|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 the largest of the former [[anthracite|anthracite coal]] mining communities in a contiguous quilt-work that also includes [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]], [[Nanticoke, Pennsylvania|Nanticoke]], [[Pittston, Pennsylvania|Pittston]], and [[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]]. 

Scranton was incorporated on February 14, 1856, as a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]] and as a [[Local government in Pennsylvania|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 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 [[streetcar]]s powered only by electricity began operating in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-39E |title=First Electric Cars Historical Marker |website=explorepahistory.com |access-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-date=November 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127234418/http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-39E |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/apps/historical-markers.html|title=Pennsylvania Historical Marker Search|website=www.phmc.state.pa.us|access-date=November 27, 2018|archive-date=March 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329102807/http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/apps/historical-markers.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Rev. David Spencer, a local Baptist minister, later proclaimed Scranton as the "Electric City".<ref name="electriccity">{{cite web | url=http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-gained-fame-as-the-electric-city-thanks-to-the-region-s-innovative-spirit-1.965641 | title=Scranton gained fame as the Electric City, thanks to the region's innovative spirit | publisher=Scranton Times-Tribune | date=August 22, 2010 | access-date=April 14, 2015 | author=Kashuba, Cheryl A | archive-date=April 14, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414093835/http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-gained-fame-as-the-electric-city-thanks-to-the-region-s-innovative-spirit-1.965641 | url-status=live }}</ref>

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 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 United States Census|1930 census]], to 76,089 in the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], but had rebounded slightly by 2020. The city now has large health care, academic, tourism, railroad, and manufacturing sectors.

Scranton is located {{convert|56|mi|km}} north of [[Allentown, Pennsylvania|Allentown]], {{convert|104|mi|km}} north-northwest of [[Philadelphia]], and {{convert|99|mi|km}} west-northwest of [[New York City]].

==History==
===18th century===
{{See also|Pennsylvania in the American Revolution}}
In 1778, during the [[Colonial history of the United States|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 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 was known as the [[Pennamite Wars]], where settlers competed for control of the territory which had been included in royal colonial [[land grant]]s to both states. The claim between Connecticut and Pennsylvania was settled by negotiation with the [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]]'s involvement after the Revolutionary War.

===19th century===
{{See also|Pennsylvania in the American Civil War}}
[[File:George Inness - The Lackawanna Valley - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|''The Lackawanna Valley'', an 1855 portrait by [[George Inness]] depicting 19th century Scranton and the [[Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad]]'s [[Railway roundhouse|roundhouse]]]]
[[File:Scranton-1.jpg|thumb|upright=1|An 1890 panoramic map of Scranton]]
[[File:D.L. & W. R.R. yards, Scranton, Pa. between 1890 and 1901.jpg|thumb|[[Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad]] yards in Scranton, {{Circa|1895}}]]
Though [[anthracite|anthracite coal]] was being mined in [[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]] to the north and [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]] to 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 was delayed by its having to acquire iron rails as imports from England. The Scrantons' firm decided to switch its focus to producing [[Rail profile|T-rails]] for the Erie; the company soon became a major producer of rails for the rapidly expanding railroads.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scranton, PA : Pennsylvania Postal History Society |url=https://paphs.org/scranton-pa/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1851, the Scrantons built the [[Lackawanna and Western Railroad]] (L&W) northward, with recent Irish immigrants supplying most of the labor, to meet 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), to tap into the New York City metropolitan market. This railroad, with its hub in Scranton, was Scranton's largest employer for almost one hundred years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Collection: Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company records {{!}} Hagley Museum and Library Archives |url=https://findingaids.hagley.org/repositories/3/resources/891 |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=findingaids.hagley.org}}</ref>

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 a [[steam railroad]] that entered Scranton in 1863.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-1BD |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=explorepahistory.com}}</ref>

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 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 (United States)|Democratic Party]], and, for a time in the late 1870s, the [[Greenback Party|Greenbacker-Labor Party]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-07 |title=American Sign Language (ASL) & CART Services In Scranton - Home Page |url=https://www.alsglobal.net/pages/services-offered/american-sign-language-asl-cart-services-in-scranton/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=www.alsglobal.net |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1856, the borough of Scranton was officially incorporated. It was incorporated as a city of 35,000 in 1866 in Luzerne County, when 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, Pennsylvania|Lackawanna County]], and there was considerable political agitation around 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Scranton – City of Scranton |url=https://scrantonpa.gov/our-community/work-from-here/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Creation of the new county, which enabled both more local control and political patronage, helped begin the [[Scranton General Strike]] of 1877. This was in part due to the larger [[Great Railroad Strike of 1877|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 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Little |first=Becky |date=2022-09-19 |title=The 1877 Strike That Brought US Railroads to a Standstill |url=https://www.history.com/articles/1877-railroad-strike-trains |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=HISTORY |language=en}}</ref>

The nation's first successful, continuously operating electrified [[streetcar]] (trolley) system 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|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 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 the [[coal breaker|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.<ref>{{Cite news |title=سكرانتون، پنسلڤانيا - المعرفة |url=https://www.marefa.org/%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86%D8%8C_%D9%BE%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%84%DA%A4%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7 |access-date=2025-04-14 |work=المعرفة |language=ar}}</ref>

Business 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.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Salay |first=David L. |date=1988 |title=Review of Rusted Dreams: Hard Times in a Steel Community; From Fire to Rust: Business, Technology and Work at the Lackawanna Steel Plant, 1889-1983; Crisis in Bethlehem: Big Steel's Battle to Survive |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40968156 |journal=IA. The Journal of the Society for Industrial Archeology |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=69–72 |jstor=40968156 |issn=0160-1040}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Azzarelli, Margo L.|author2=Marnie Azzarelli|title=Labor Unrest in Scranton|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sy4LDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|year=2016|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=9781625856814|access-date=November 3, 2016|archive-date=March 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326233408/https://books.google.com/books?id=sy4LDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|url-status=live}}</ref>  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 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, was then general manager of Lackawanna Iron and Coal. He later founded Scranton Steel Company.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scranton's Story, Our Nation's Story |url=https://www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory/themes/industrial-revolution/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=www.scranton.edu |language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to Lackawanna County, PA |url=https://www.lackawannacounty.org/about/about_lackawanna_county/history_of_lackawanna_county.php |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=www.lackawannacounty.org |language=en}}</ref>

The unions failed to gain higher wages that year, but in 1878 they elected labor leader [[Terence V. Powderly]] of the [[Knights of Labor]] as mayor of Scranton. After that, he became national leader of the KoL, a predominately{{dubious|Perhaps a bare majority, although the situation may have been different in Scranton.|date=May 2016}} Catholic organization that had a peak membership of 700,000 circa 1880.<ref>Vincent J. Falzone, "Terence V. Powderly: Politician and Progressive Mayor of Scranton, 1878–1884," ''Pennsylvania History'' 41.3 (1974): 289–309.</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terence Powderly and the Knights ofLabor {{!}} Social History Portal |url=https://socialhistoryportal.org/news/articles/109338 |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=socialhistoryportal.org}}</ref>

===20th century===
[[File:Washington Avenue, Scranton, PA.jpg|thumb|A 1907 illustration of Washington Avenue]]
[[File:Burning Culm Dump, Scranton, PA.jpg|thumb|Burning [[Spoil tip|culm]] dump, {{Circa|1908}}]]
[[File:Old Post Office, Scranton, PA.jpg|thumb|right|Scranton's old post office in 1911]]
[[File:The National geographic magazine (Page 377) BHL40563374 (cropped).jpg|thumb|City Hall and Soldiers Monument, {{Circa|1919}}]]
[[File:WyomingAveGlobeStore.jpg|thumb|The Globe Store near Wyoming and Lackawanna Avenues in 1978]]
[[File:Scranton, Pennsylvania, restored historic Electric City sign by Carol Highsmith (LOC highsm.04369).jpg|thumb|The Historic Electric City sign, restored in 2008]]
The landmark [[Coal strike of 1902]] was called by anthracite miners across the region and led by the [[United Mine Workers]] under [[John Mitchell (United Mine Workers)|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 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."<ref>{{cite news|author=Sarah Scinto|title=Labor leader's grave restored|url=http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/labor-leader-s-grave-restored-1.1577236|publisher=Scranton Times-Tribune|date=October 30, 2013|access-date=December 16, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220143732/http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/labor-leader-s-grave-restored-1.1577236|url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/4269000.html|title=Scranton(city) QuickFacts|access-date=July 24, 2007|archive-date=July 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729083731/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/4269000.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
At the turn of the 20th century, wealthy businessmen and industrialists built impressive [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] mansions in 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, New York|Buffalo]]. With 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 the immigrants joined the Democratic Party. Their national churches and neighborhoods were part of the history of the city. Several [[Roman Catholicism|Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|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 (United Mine Workers)|John Mitchell]], who led 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 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."<ref name="kashuba"/>

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 the coal companies to continue their operations.<ref name="kashuba"/>

"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 was the private property owner in the case. The coal operators were defeated in this case."<ref name="kashuba">[http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-takes-on-mining-cave-ins-1.1046286 Cheryl A. Kashuba, "Scranton takes on mining, cave-ins"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617182350/http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-takes-on-mining-cave-ins-1.1046286 |date=June 17, 2016 }}, ''The Times-Tribune,'' October 10, 2010, accessed May 23, 2016</ref>

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, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]]. Its Scranton station, offices, powerhouse and maintenance facility were built on 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, Pennsylvania|Clarks Summit]] and [[Dalton, Pennsylvania|Dalton]]. They could travel to [[Lake Winola]] and [[Montrose, Pennsylvania|Montrose]] using the [[Scranton, Montrose and Binghamton Railroad|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 was re-incorporated as the Scranton Transit Company, reflecting that shift in transportation modes.<ref>''The Scranton Republican,'' July 5, 1934, "Railway Firm's New Financial Setup Revealed", p. 1</ref>

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 Records|Emerson]] (whom they bought in 1924), as well as [[Regal Records (1921)|Regal]], [[Cameo Records|Cameo]], [[Romeo Records|Romeo]], [[Banner Records|Banner]], [[Domino Records (1924)|Domino]], [[Conqueror Records|Conqueror]]. In July 1929, the company merged with Regal, Cameo, Banner, and the U.S. branch of [[Pathé Records|Pathé]] (makers of Pathé and [[Perfect Records|Perfect]]) to become the [[American Record Corporation]]. By 1938, the Scranton company was also pressing records for [[Brunswick Records|Brunswick]], [[Melotone Records (US)|Melotone]], and [[Vocalion Records|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, the city population had swelled beyond 140,000<ref name="autogenerated2"/> 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 the post-war boom, the fortunes and population of Scranton (and the rest of Lackawanna and [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|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 was launched to support charitable and educational organizations in the city of Scranton.<ref>"[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38103510/scranton-j-worthington-death/ W. Scranton Dies in Florida] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713225107/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38103510/scranton-j-worthington-death/ |date=2021-07-13 }}." Hazleton, Pennsylvania: ''The Plain Speaker'', February 14, 1955, p. 20.</ref>

The [[Knox Mine Disaster]] of January 1959 virtually ended the mining industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The waters of the [[Susquehanna River]] flooded the mines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10845647&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=460522&rfi=8 |title=The Citizens Voice – Knox mine disaster remains in our memory because it is a story of right and wrong |publisher=Zwire.com |access-date=August 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107061533/http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10845647&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=460522&rfi=8 |archive-date=January 7, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.msha.gov/District/Dist_01/Reports/Knox/cover.htm |title=cover |publisher=Msha.gov |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=August 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807031901/http://www.msha.gov/District/Dist_01/Reports/Knox/cover.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> 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, 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 [[County of Lackawanna Transit System|COLTS]], which began operations in late 1972 with 1950s-era GM busses from New Jersey.

Scranton had been 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 was left scarred by abandoned coal mining structures, strip mines, and massive [[culm dump]]s, 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.<ref>{{cite book |title=Facts & Trivia |last=Asimov |first=Isaac |author-link=Isaac Asimov |year=1998 |publisher=Siena |location=Bristol |isbn=0-75252-822-X |page=74}}</ref> In 1973, 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.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

In 1962, businessman [[Alex Grass]] opened his first "Thrif D Discount Center" drugstore on Lackawanna Avenue in downtown Scranton.<ref name=hpn2>{{cite news|first=Mary|last=Klaus|title=Beacon of generosity|url=http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/125143171523020.xml&coll=1|work=[[Harrisburg Patriot-News]]|date=August 28, 2009|access-date=August 31, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=st>{{cite news |first=David|last=Falchek|title=Scranton native and Rite Aid founder Alex Grass dies after 10-year battle with lung cancer |url=http://www.scrantontimes.com/scranton_native_and_rite_aid_founder_alex_grass_dies_after_10-year_battle_with_lung_cancer |work=[[Scranton Times]]|date=August 29, 2009 |access-date=August 31, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The {{convert|17|by|75|ft|m|0|adj=on}} store, an immediate success, was the progenitor of the [[Rite Aid]] national drugstore chain.<ref name=hpn2/>

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.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

{{external media | width = 210px | headerimage = | float = right | audio1 = [https://grapplepodcast.atavist.com/scranton Scranton, A City That's Seen Many Come and Go], 24:01, Grapple, Keystone Crossroads<ref name="grapple">{{cite web | title =Scranton, A City That's Seen Many Come and Go | work =Grapple | publisher =Keystone Crossroads | date =October 4, 2016 | url =https://grapplepodcast.atavist.com/scranton | access-date =November 17, 2016 | archive-date =November 18, 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20161118163232/https://grapplepodcast.atavist.com/scranton | url-status =live }}</ref> }}
Since the mid-1980s, the city has emphasized revitalization. Local government and much of the community at large have adopted 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 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]].

===21st century===
According to ''[[The Guardian]]'', the city was close to bankruptcy in July 2012, with the wages of all municipal officials, including the mayor and fire chief, being cut to $7.25/hour.<ref name="guard">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/14/scranton-pennsylvania-bankrupt-minimum-wage |title=Scranton, Pennsylvania: Where even the mayor is on minimum wage |last=Harris |first=Paul |date=July 14, 2012 |work=The Guardian |access-date=July 14, 2012 |archive-date=August 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808063943/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/14/scranton-pennsylvania-bankrupt-minimum-wage |url-status=live }}</ref> 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."<ref name="guard" />

Since the revitalization began, many coffee shops, restaurants, and bars have opened in the downtown. The low [[cost of living]], [[Walkability|pedestrian-friendly]] downtown, and the construction of [[Loft apartment|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.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Rich|first1=Megan|title="From Coal To Cool": The Creative Class, Social Capital, And The Revitalization Of Scranton|journal=Journal of Urban Affairs|date=September 27, 2012|volume=35|issue=3|pages=365–384|doi=10.1111/j.1467-9906.2012.00639.x|s2cid=143899777}}</ref>

Attractions include the [[Montage Mountain Ski Resort]], the [[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins]], [[American Hockey League|AHL]] affiliate of the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]]; the [[Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders]], [[Triple-A baseball|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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2024 |title=President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Scranton Army Ammunition Plant |url=https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/president-volodymyr-zelenskyy-visits-scranton-army-ammunition-plant-lackawanna-county-ukraine/523-e7c0d27b-ce09-40b2-b853-abd97358e404 |access-date=September 23, 2024 |website=wnep.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Geography==
Scranton's total area of {{convert|25.4|sqmi|km2}} includes {{convert|25.2|sqmi|km2}} of land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}} of water, according to the [[United States Census Bureau]]. Scranton is drained by the [[Lackawanna River]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

Center City is about 750 feet (229 m) above sea level, although the hilly city's inhabited portions range about from {{convert|650|to|1400|ft|m}}. The city is flanked by mountains to the east and west whose elevations range from {{convert|1900|to|2100|ft|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Mountain in Lackawanna County PA (Scranton Area) |url=https://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/pennsylvania/lackawanna-pa/summits/west-mountain-32/ |website=Mountain Zone.com |access-date=January 17, 2020 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308123927/https://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/pennsylvania/lackawanna-pa/summits/west-mountain-32/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Moosic Mountains High Point |url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=7253 |website=Peak Bagger |access-date=January 17, 2020 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308225353/https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=7253 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Climate===
Scranton has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfa''),<ref>{{Cite journal
  |last1=Kottek
  |first1=Marcus
  |last2=Greiser
  |first2=Jürgen
  |last3=Beck
  |first3=Christoph
  |last4=Rudolf
  |first4=Bruno
  |last5=Rubel
  |first5=Franz
  |display-authors=2
  |title=World Map of Köppen–Geiger Climate Classification
  |date=February 25, 2011
|journal=Meteorologische Zeitschrift
  |volume=15
  |issue=3
  |page=261
  |doi=10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130
  |bibcode=2006MetZe..15..259K
  |url=https://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/files/40083/metz_Vol_15_No_3_p259-263_World_Map_of_the_Koppen_Geiger_climate_classification_updated_55034.pdf
  |access-date=February 17, 2022
|archive-date=February 24, 2021
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224195637/https://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/40083/file/metz_Vol_15_No_3_p259-263_World_Map_of_the_Koppen_Geiger_climate_classification_updated_55034.pdf
  |url-status=live
  }}</ref> with four distinct seasons. Summers have occasional [[heat wave]]s bringing temperatures well above {{convert|90|F|C}}, while winters can have [[Cold wave|cold snaps]] bringing temperatures below {{convert|0|F|C}}. The monthly daily average temperature in January, the coldest month, is {{convert|28.0|°F|1}}, while the same figure in July, the warmest month, is {{convert|73.7|°F|1}}. Extremes in temperatures have ranged from {{convert|101|°F|0}} down to {{convert|−21|°F|0}} on January 21, 1994;<ref name = "NWS Binghamton, NY (BGM)"/> there is an average of 15 days of {{convert|90|°F|0}}+ highs, 39 days where the high fails to rise above freezing, and 3 days where the minimum is at or below {{convert|0|°F|0}}. 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 {{convert|38.72|in|0}}. Snowfall is variable, with some winters bringing light snow and others bringing numerous snowstorms. For the 1991–2020 period, snowfall has averaged {{convert|45.1|in|cm|0}} per year, with January accounting for most of the seasonal total; on average, the first and last dates of measurable (≥{{convert|0.1|in|cm|sigfig=2|abbr=on|disp=or}}) 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 Ski Resort|Montage Mountain]]. [https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/]

{{Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania weatherbox}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 2730
|1860= 9223
|1870= 35092
|1880= 45850
|1890= 75215
|1900= 102026
|1910= 129867
|1920= 137783
|1930= 143433
|1940= 140404
|1950= 125536
|1960= 111443
|1970= 103564
|1980= 88117
|1990= 81805
|2000= 76415
|2010= 76089
|2020= 76328
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 11, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507121432/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|archive-date=May 7, 2015|author-link=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />2018 Estimate<ref name="2018 Pop Estimate">{{cite web|title=Population Estimates|url=https://census.gov/data/tables/2018/demo/popest/total-cities-and-towns.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 8, 2018}}{{dead link|date=June 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> 2020<ref name="QF2020">{{cite web|title=Census 2020|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/scrantoncitypennsylvania/PST045219}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}

As of the 2020 [[census]], there were 76,328 people and 31,039 households residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 83.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.9% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 4.7% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 4.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race make up 14.8% of the population.

As of the 2010 census, there were 76,089 people, 30,069 households, and 18,124 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,006/mi<sup>2</sup> (1,161/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 33,853 housing units at an average density of 1,342/mi<sup>2</sup> (518/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 84.11% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.45% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.23% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 2.98% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 4.69% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.49% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race make up 9.90% of the population. The largest ancestry in the city is [[Irish people|Irish]], making up 26.5% of the population.

There were 30,069 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 individuals was aged at least 65. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.01.

The age distribution of the population included 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.

As of the 2006 [[American Community Survey]], the average family size is 2.95. Of the population that's 25 years old and over, 83.3% of them have graduated from high school. 18.7% of them have a [[Bachelor's degree]] or higher. In labor force (population 16 years and over), 57.6% of them work. The [[per capita income]] (in 2006 inflation-adjusted dollars) is $17,187.
===Dialect===
The local [[Accent (dialect)|accent]] of [[American English]] in Scranton is [[Northeast Pennsylvania English]].

==Arts and culture==
===Landmarks and attractions===
[[File:Steamtown National Historic Site.jpg|thumb|[[Steamtown National Historic Site]] showcases steam-era railroading, and excursion trains give visitors tours through Scranton and portions of the [[Pocono Mountains]].]]
Many of Scranton's attractions celebrate its heritage as an industrial center in iron and coal production and its ethnic diversity. The [[Scranton Iron Furnaces]] are remnants of the city's founding industry and of the Scranton family's Lackawanna Steel Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anthracitemuseum.org/iron%20furnaces.htm |title=Iron Furnaces |publisher=Anthracitemuseum.org |access-date=August 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902060546/http://www.anthracitemuseum.org/iron%20furnaces.htm |archive-date=September 2, 2011 }}</ref> The [[Steamtown National Historic Site]] seeks to preserve the history of railroads in the Northeast.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/stea/ |title=Steamtown National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) |publisher=Nps.gov |date=February 21, 2006 |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=October 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013133238/http://www.nps.gov/stea/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Electric City Trolley Museum]] preserves and operates pieces of Pennsylvania streetcar history. Tourists may go for trolley rides from Downtown Scranton to PNC Field on Montage Mountain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ectma.org/|title=The Electric City Trolley Museum Association|access-date=April 14, 2007|archive-date=August 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810034845/http://www.ectma.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Lackawanna Coal Mine]] tour at [[McDade Park]], conducted inside a former mine, describes the history of mining and railroads in the Scranton area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitnepa.org/members/lackawanna-coal-mine-tour/|title=Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour|website=www.visitnepa.org|access-date=April 14, 2014|archive-date=April 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415095225/http://www.visitnepa.org/members/lackawanna-coal-mine-tour/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theminegame.com/ |title=Lackawanna County Coal Mine Tour |publisher=Theminegame.com |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=October 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002091536/http://www.theminegame.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The former DL&W Passenger Station is now the [[Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radisson.com/scrantonpa|title=Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel|access-date=April 14, 2007|archive-date=April 24, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070424121838/http://www.radisson.com/scrantonpa|url-status=live}}</ref>

Museums in Scranton include the [[Everhart Museum]] in Nay Aug Park, which houses a collection of natural history, science and art exhibits; and the [[Houdini Museum]], which features films, exhibits, and a stage show in a unique, century-old building. [[Terence Powderly]]'s [[Terence V. Powderly House|house]], still a private dwelling, is one of the city's many historic buildings and, with Steamtown, the city's other [[National Historic Landmark]]. In addition, The Lackawanna Historical Society, founded in 1886 and located at the George H. Catlin House in Scranton's Hill Section,  focuses on the history of Lackawanna County. Tripp House, built by the Tripp family in 1771, is the oldest building in the city.

The city's religious history is evident in the [[Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Ann]], which draws thousands of pilgrims to its annual [[novena]], and [[St. Stanislaus Cathedral (Scranton, Pennsylvania)|St. Stanislaus Cathedral]], the seat of the [[Polish National Catholic Church]] in North America. The history of the founding of this [[Christian denomination|denomination]] is tied to [[Polish people|Polish]] immigration to Scranton in the late 19th century.

Since the 1970s, Scranton has hosted ''La Festa Italiana'', a three-day Italian festival that takes place on [[Labor Day]] weekend on the courthouse square. The festival originally took place around [[Columbus Day]], but was moved because Scranton generally receives cold weather in October.

Scranton's large [[Irish people|Irish]] population is represented in the annual [[St. Patrick's Day Parade Scranton|Saint Patrick's Day Parade]], first held in 1862. Organized by the St. Patrick's Day Parade Association of Lackawanna County, it is the nation's fourth largest in attendance and second largest in per capita attendance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saintpatricksdayparade.com/scranton/index.htm |title=2008 Scranton Pennsylvania Saint Patrick's Day Parade – The Scranton, Pennsylvania St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 11:30 am |publisher=Saintpatricksdayparade.com |date=March 13, 2010 |access-date=September 8, 2012 |archive-date=October 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030114225/http://www.saintpatricksdayparade.com/scranton/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Held on the Saturday before [[Saint Patrick's Day]], the parade includes more than 8,000 people, including floats, bagpipe players, high school bands and Irish groups. In 2008, attendance estimates were as high as 150,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=19404282&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=590572&rfi=8|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912234815/http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=19404282&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=590572&rfi=8|url-status=dead|title=Scranton Times-Tribune - News - thetimes-tribune.com|date=September 12, 2012|archive-date=September 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stpatparade.com/ |title=Scranton's Saint Patrick Parade |publisher=Stpatparade.com |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=September 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110905044541/http://www.stpatparade.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Scranton was a cultural center for [[Welsh Americans]], and in the late 19th century it was described as ''Athen Cymru America'' (the Welsh Athens of America).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grosvenor |first1=Gavin |title=New American president born in town founded by Welsh settlers |url=https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/18856170.birthplace-new-american-president-founded-welsh-settlers/ |website=www.countytimes.co.uk |access-date=June 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419161551/https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/18856170.birthplace-new-american-president-founded-welsh-settlers/ |archive-date=April 19, 2023 |language=en |date=November 8, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

For recreation, there is [[Montage Mountain Ski Resort]], known as Sno Mountain for a short period, which rivals the numerous resorts of the Poconos in popularity and offers a relatively comprehensive range of difficulty levels. The {{convert|26.2|mi|km|adj=on}} [[Steamtown Marathon]] has been held each October since 1996 and finishes in downtown Scranton. [[Nay Aug]] park is the largest of several parks in Scranton and was designed by [[Frederick Law Olmsted]], who also laid out [[Central Park]] in [[Manhattan]], New York City. The city is the home to numerous artistic organizations, including the [http://www.scrantonfringe.org Scranton Fringe Festival] (a performing arts festival held in the downtown section of the city in fall).

Scranton's primary concert venue is the [[Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain]], a partially covered amphitheater that seats 17,500. Its summer concerts have included [[James Taylor]], [[Dave Matthews Band]], and many other musical acts.

[[Scranton Cultural Center]] at the [[Masonic]] Temple is an impressive piece of architecture which houses several auditoriums and a large ballroom. It hosts the Northeast Philharmonic, Broadway Theater and other touring performances.

The tallest building in Scranton is the Scranton Times Tower, a lattice radio tower on the Times building, which is illuminated during Christmas season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=19692 |title=Times Tower, Scranton |publisher=SkyscraperPage.com |date= |accessdate=February 17, 2022 |archive-date=October 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018001502/https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=19692 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Libraries===
The Lackawanna County Library System administers the libraries in Scranton, including the [[Albright Memorial Building|Albright Memorial Library]], the [[First Church of Christ, Scientist (Scranton, Pennsylvania)|Lackawanna County Children's Library]] and the Nancy Kay Holmes Library. As of 2008, Scranton libraries serve more than 96,000 people and have a circulation of over 547,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_123484_887235_0_0_18/Statistics_Public_Libraries_2008.xls |title=Statistics Public Libraries 2008 |access-date=September 8, 2012 |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021221536/http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_123484_887235_0_0_18/Statistics_Public_Libraries_2008.xls |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Sports==
Scranton's professional sports date to 1887, when the minor-league Scranton Indians became the city's first professional baseball team. Many more followed, including teams in the [[Pennsylvania State League]], [[Eastern League (1938–2020)|Eastern League]], [[Atlantic League (1896–1900)|Atlantic League]], [[New York State League]], [[New York–Penn League]] and the New York–Pennsylvania League. The [[Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders]] of the [[International League]] play their home games at [[PNC Field]] in [[Moosic, Pennsylvania|Moosic]], south of Scranton.

In football, the Scranton Eagles, a discontinued semi-pro/minor league team, dominated their Empire Football League, winning 11 championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eteamz.com/empirefootballleague/news/index.cfm?cat=41842 |title=EMPIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE: EFL Mission & History |publisher=Eteamz.com |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=August 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810195427/http://www.eteamz.com/empirefootballleague/news/index.cfm?cat=41842 |url-status=live }}</ref> The former [[af2|arena football]] [[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers]], who played eight seasons at the [[Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza|Mohegan Sun Arena]], formerly Wachovia Arena, in [[Wilkes-Barre Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre Township]] made the playoffs in their last six years of existence and contended for the [[ArenaCup VIII]] in 2007 and the [[ArenaCup X]] in 2009, their final year, but lost both times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=clubhouse&team=90|title=ArenaFan Online Page|access-date=February 27, 2011|archive-date=February 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216071029/http://www.arenafan.com/teams/?page=clubhouse&team=90|url-status=live}}</ref> Another semi-pro/minor league team the North East Pennsylvania Miners of the [Big North East Football Federation started play in the area in 2007.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nepaminers.com/| title=NEPA Miners Official Website| access-date=February 25, 2011| archive-date=March 3, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303224851/http://www.nepaminers.com/| url-status=live}}</ref>
The NEPA Shock are a Semi-Pro/Minor League team that currently operate out of the Dickson City borough. The Shock were established in 2012 and participate in arena style football as a member of the Great Eastern Football Association.
Currently, the [[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Mavericks]] play in the area, an arena team formed in 2024 and a member of [[Arena Football One (2025)|Arena Football One]].

Scranton previously had pro basketball teams, including the Scranton Apollos, [[Scranton Miners]] and Scranton Zappers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pahoops.org/easternpro.htm|title=PA Hoops|access-date=February 25, 2011|archive-date=November 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126174817/http://pahoops.org/easternpro.htm|url-status=usurped}}</ref> [[Syracuse Orange|Syracuse University]] men's basketball coach [[Jim Boeheim]] played for the Miners before turning to coaching.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://finner68.wordpress.com/2007/01/18/jim-boeheim-scranton-miner/| title=Jim Boeheim and the Scranton Miners| date=January 18, 2007| access-date=February 25, 2011| archive-date=July 18, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718095542/http://finner68.wordpress.com/2007/01/18/jim-boeheim-scranton-miner/| url-status=live}}</ref>  In 2012, the city played host to the [[Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Steamers]] of the [[Premier Basketball League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepbl.com/2011/07/premier-basketball-league-adds-scrantonwilkes-barre-pennsylvania/ |title=The Premier Basketball League &#124; Premier Basketball League adds Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania &#124; Premier Basketball League |publisher=Thepbl.com |date=July 7, 2011 |access-date=August 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712163259/http://www.thepbl.com/2011/07/premier-basketball-league-adds-scrantonwilkes-barre-pennsylvania/ |archive-date=July 12, 2011 }}</ref> The team went inactive after that season, and no professional teams played in the city. In 2018, the Scranton Shamrocks joined the [[American Basketball Association (2000–present)]], once again bringing professional basketball to the region.

Professional ice hockey arrived in 1999 when the [[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins]] of the [[American Hockey League]] began play at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in [[Wilkes-Barre Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre Township]]. The team won conference championships in 2001, 2004, and 2008.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.wbspenguins.com/| title=Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Official Website| access-date=February 25, 2011| archive-date=September 4, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904104228/http://www.wbspenguins.com/| url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Electric City Shock SC]] semi-professional soccer team was founded in 2013 as part of the [[National Premier Soccer League]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalpremiersoccerleague.com/| title=National Premier Soccer League| access-date=April 6, 2015| url-status=usurped| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405062239/http://www.nationalpremiersoccerleague.com/| archive-date=April 5, 2015}}</ref> The team is on the fourth tier of the [[American Soccer Pyramid]] and plays at the [[University of Scranton]]'s Fitzpatrick Field.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.electriccityshock.com/| title=Electric City Shock Official Website| access-date=April 6, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502133953/http://www.electriccityshock.com/| archive-date=May 2, 2015| url-status=dead}}</ref>

Watres Armory in Scranton hosted a World Heavyweight Championship fight between titlist [[Larry Holmes]] and challenger Lucien Rodrigues of France on March 27, 1983. Holmes retained his title via a unanimous 12-round decision without losing a single round in any official scorecard.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=2309 |title=BoxRec Boxing Records<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=January 29, 2014 |archive-date=August 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804112005/http://boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=2309 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Education==
===Primary and secondary education===
{{Further|Scranton School District (Pennsylvania)}}
The city's public schools are operated by the [[Scranton School District (Pennsylvania)|Scranton School District]] (SSD), which serves almost 10,000 students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/846172/enrollment_public_school_2009-10_xls |title=Enterprise Portal |publisher=Portal.state.pa.us |access-date=September 8, 2012 |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904120141/http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/846172/enrollment_public_school_2009-10_xls |url-status=live }}</ref> The city has two public high schools for grades 9–12: [[Scranton High School (Pennsylvania)|Scranton High School]] just northwest of the downtown and [[West Scranton High School]] located on the West Side of the city. The district also has three public middle schools for grades 6–8: Northeast Intermediate, South Scranton Intermediate, and West Scranton Intermediate. In addition, SSD maintains 12 public elementary schools for grades K–5.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scrsd.org/ssd/ |title=Scranton School District |access-date=February 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814135744/http://www.scrsd.org/ssd/ |archive-date=August 14, 2010 }}</ref>

Scranton has two private high schools: [[Scranton Preparatory School]], a private [[Jesuit]] school, and [[Bais Moshe|Yeshiva Bais Moshe]], an [[Haredi Judaism|Ultra Orthodox]] school. [[Holy Cross High School (Pennsylvania)|Holy Cross High School]] in [[Dunmore, Pennsylvania|Dunmore]] is a Catholic high school operated by the [[Diocese of Scranton]] that serves students in Scranton and the surrounding area. The diocese also operates several private elementary schools in the city. Protestant schools that serve the Scranton area include Abington Christian Academy, Canaan Christian Academy, Summit Academy, and Triboro Christian Academy. The Pennsylvania Department of Education provides oversight for the [[Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children]].<ref>[http://www.pdeinfo.state.pa.us/depart_edu/cwp/view.asp?a=13&Q=32588&g=144&depart_eduNav= |116|124|&depart_eduNav=|1919|1927 Dept. Info.: State Owned School Greeting]{{Dead link|date=August 2011}}</ref> The [[Scranton State School for the Deaf]], a state-run school was replaced by the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children.

[[Penn Foster High School]], a [[distance education]] high school, is headquartered in Scranton.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pennfosterhighschool.com/ |title=Penn Foster High School |publisher=Penn Foster High School |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=August 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824063031/http://pennfosterhighschool.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Merakey Education Center is a small private school located in North Scranton.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.merakey.org/programs/autism-and-education-centers |title=Autism and Education Centers |publisher=Merakey.org |date= |accessdate=February 17, 2022 |archive-date=January 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124232537/https://www.merakey.org/programs/autism-and-education-centers |url-status=live }}</ref>

Scranton, West Scranton, Scranton Prep and Holy Cross all compete athletically in Pennsylvania's Lackawanna League which is a part of District 2 of the [[Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association]].

===Colleges and universities===
The city hosts five colleges and universities: The [[University of Scranton]], [[Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine]], [[Johnson College]], [[Lackawanna College]], [[Marywood University]], and two technical schools, [[Fortis Institute]] and The Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County. The [[Pennsylvania State University]] operates a [[Penn State Worthington Scranton|Commonwealth Campus]], [[Penn State Worthington Scranton|Penn State Scranton]], north of the city, in the borough of [[Dunmore, Pennsylvania|Dunmore]].<ref name="PA Colleges">{{cite web
| url=http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_123645_716151_0_0_18/PA%20Institutions%20of%20Postsecondary%20and%20Higher%20Education%20Map%20PA%20DOE_web.pdf
| title=PA Colleges and Universities
| access-date=February 26, 2011
| archive-date=October 21, 2012
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021221455/http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_123645_716151_0_0_18/PA%20Institutions%20of%20Postsecondary%20and%20Higher%20Education%20Map%20PA%20DOE_web.pdf
| url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Luzerne County Community College|LCCC]], a [[community college]] operating out of [[Nanticoke, Pennsylvania|Nanticoke]] in [[Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Luzerne County]], operates a satellite campus at [[The Marketplace at Steamtown]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Palumbo |first1=Andy |title=LCCC Opens at the Marketplace at Steamtown |url=https://wnep.com/2016/08/23/lccc-opens-at-the-marketplace-at-steamtown/ |website=WNEP |date=August 23, 2016 |access-date=January 17, 2020 |archive-date=November 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104113935/https://wnep.com/2016/08/23/lccc-opens-at-the-marketplace-at-steamtown/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Penn Foster Career School]], a [[distance education]] [[vocational school]], is headquartered in Scranton.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pennfoster.edu/ |title=Penn Foster Career School |publisher=Pennfoster.edu |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=August 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830063432/http://www.pennfoster.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Media==
The [[Wyoming Valley|Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area]] is the 55th largest U.S. television market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvb.org/media/file/Nielsen_2014-2015_DMA_Ranks.pdf |title=Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates |publisher=Nielsen |access-date=May 26, 2015 |archive-date=July 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726014254/http://www.tvb.org/media/file/Nielsen_2014-2015_DMA_Ranks.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Local television stations<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/Wilkes+Barre-Scranton |title=Wilkes Barre – Scranton Television Stations |publisher=Station Index |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=August 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830022850/http://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/Wilkes+Barre-Scranton |url-status=live }}</ref> include:
* [[WNEP-TV]] [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate
* [[WBRE-TV]] [[NBC]] affiliate
* [[WYOU-TV]] [[CBS]] affiliate
* [[WVIA-TV]] [[PBS]] member station
* [[WOLF-TV]] [[Fox (television)|FOX]] affiliate
* [[WQMY]] [[MyNetworkTV]] affiliate
* [[WSWB]] [[The CW]] affiliate
* [[WQPX]] [[Ion Television]] owned-and-operated station

Local [[public-access television]] and [[government-access television]] (ECTV) programming is aired on [[Comcast]] [[cable TV]] channels 19 and 21.

Scranton hosts the headquarters of [[Times-Shamrock Communications]], which publishes the city's major newspaper, ''[[The Times-Tribune (Scranton)|The Times-Tribune]]'', a [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning broadsheet daily founded in 1870. ''Times-Shamrock'' also publishes the'' Electric City'', a weekly entertainment tabloid, and ''[[The Citizens' Voice]]'', a daily tabloid based in [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]]. ''[[Times Leader]]'' is a daily paper that primarily covers nearby Wilkes-Barre. The ''Times Leader'' also publishes ''Go Lackawanna'', a Sunday newspaper serving Scranton and surrounding municipalities, and the ''Weekender'' is a Wilkes-Barre-based entertainment tabloid with distribution in Scranton.

''[[The Aquinas]]'' is the weekly [[student newspaper]] of the [[University of Scranton]]. ''The Scranton Post'' is a weekly general interest broadsheet which bills itself as the city's first online newspaper. There are several other print publications with a more narrow focus, including the ''Union News,'' ''La Voz Latina,'' and ''Melanian News.''

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre radio market is the 71st-largest in the nation, according to [[Arbitron]] rankings in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arbitron.com/home/mm001050.asp |title=Arbitron Radio Market Rankings – Spring 2011 |publisher=Arbitron.com |date=October 14, 2009 |access-date=August 29, 2011 |archive-date=October 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016182624/http://arbitron.com/home/mm001050.asp |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Transportation==
===Air===
{{Further|Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport}}
The [[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport]] is located in nearby [[Avoca, Pennsylvania|Avoca]]. The airport is serviced by [[American Airlines]], [[Regional Sky]], and [[United Airlines|United]]. The [[Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport]] is also located in the metropolitan area and serves primarily as a general aviation facility.<ref>{{cite web |title=KAVP – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport |url=https://www.airnav.com/airport/KAVP |website=AirNav |access-date=January 17, 2020 |archive-date=January 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200119054059/http://airnav.com/airport/KAVP |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Highways===
Scranton is served by several major highways. [[Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania|Interstate 81]] runs along the southeastern and northern edges of the city, connecting Scranton with [[Binghamton, New York]], to the north and [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]] to the south. The [[President Biden Expressway]] (formerly known as the Central Scranton Expressway) provides a freeway connection from downtown Scranton to I-81. [[Interstate 476]], the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, runs along the western edge of the city, connecting Scranton with [[Allentown, Pennsylvania|Allentown]] and [[Philadelphia]] to the south and terminating just north of Scranton in [[Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania|Clarks Summit]]. While not inside the city limits of Scranton, Interstates [[Interstate 84 in Pennsylvania|84]] and [[Interstate 380 (Pennsylvania)|380]] terminate with I-81 in nearby Dunmore. I-84 connects the Scranton area to [[New England]], and I-380 connects to a junction with [[Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania|Interstate 80]] near [[Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania|Mount Pocono]].

[[U.S. Route 11 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 11]] enters Scranton from the south, moving through the downtown area and into the northern part of the city as a freeway known as the North Scranton Expressway. [[U.S. Route 6 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 6]] moves through the northeastern edge of the city, running as a freeway concurrent with I-81.

Scranton is also served by one state highway, [[Pennsylvania Route 307]], which mostly runs along U.S. Route 11 through the city.

===Public and private buses===
{{Further|County of Lackawanna Transit System}}
Scranton's provider of public transportation is the [[County of Lackawanna Transit System]] (COLTS). COLTS buses provide extensive service within the city and more limited service that reaches in all directions to [[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]], [[Covington Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Daleville]], [[Pittston]], and [[Benton Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Fleetville]]. The other bussing company is the [[Luzerne County Transportation Authority]] (LCTA), which mainly runs through The Minooka section (closest to Luzerne County) and Downtown Scranton by The Marketplace at Steamtown. LCTA takes passengers from Scranton to the [[Mohegan Pennsylvania]] racino in [[Plains, Pennsylvania|Plains]].

[[Martz Trailways]] and [[Greyhound Lines]] provide coach bus transportation from its downtown station to [[New York City]], Philadelphia, and other [[Northeastern United States|Northeastern]] destinations.

Several jitney companies operate from Scranton through Stroudsburg to [[Paterson, New Jersey|Paterson]] and [[New York City]] via I-80.

===Railroads===
Rail transportation, in both freight and passenger, were vital to the city's historic growth. The city was a hub, serving the [[Central Railroad of New Jersey]] (CNJ), the [[Delaware and Hudson Railway]], the [[Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad]] (DLW), the [[Erie Railroad]], and the [[Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad]] (LWV), with routes radiating in all directions, to New York state's Southern Tier, to several points in Pennsylvania, and to parts of [[North Jersey]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Index of Railroad Stations, 1480|journal=Official Guide of the Railways |publisher=National Railway Publication Company |volume=74 |issue=1 |date=June 1941}}</ref> The [[Scranton station (Central Railroad of New Jersey)|CNJ station]] and the [[Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel|DLW station]] were the last to lose passenger service, in the early 1950s and in 1970, respectively.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Central Railroad of New Jersey, Table 1|journal=Official Guide of the Railways |publisher=National Railway Publication Company |volume=87 |issue=7 |date=December 1954}}</ref><ref name="roddy">{{cite news |title= Repeating for All Needing |first=  Michael|last=Roddy |newspaper= Associated Press|date= December 30, 1982}}</ref>

Freight rail remains important in Scranton. The [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] runs freight trains on the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western (DL&W) line between Scranton and [[Binghamton, New York]], having taken over operations from the [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] (Delaware and Hudson Railway division) in 2015. The [[Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad]] serves the former DL&W Keyser Valley branch in the city.

The [[Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad]], as designated operator of county-owned rail lines, oversees the former Delaware and Hudson line from Scranton north to [[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]], the former DL&W line east to the [[Delaware Water Gap]] and the former Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad third-rail [[interurban streetcar]] line south to Montage Mountain, [[Moosic]] and the Minooka Industrial Track. These lines host the seasonal passenger trains of both the [[Steamtown National Historic Site]] and the [[Electric City Trolley Museum]] and are under the jurisdiction of the [[Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority]].

The PNRRA was created by [[Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania|Lackawanna County]] and [[Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Monroe County]] to oversee the use of common rail freight lines in [[Northeastern Pennsylvania]], including one formerly owned by [[Conrail]] running from Scranton, through the [[Pocono Mountains]] towards [[New Jersey]] and [[New York City]] markets.

One of its primary objectives is to reestablish rail passenger service to [[Hoboken, New Jersey]] and New York City. Regular passenger train service to Scranton is slated to be restored [[Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project|under a plan]] to extend [[NJ Transit]] service from Hoboken via the [[Lackawanna Cut-Off]].  That project is ongoing as rail is being laid down in New Jersey.<ref name="njt">{{cite web|url=http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=Project019To|title=Lackawanna Cutoff|publisher=[[New Jersey Transit]]|date=October 2009|access-date=January 2, 2011|archive-date=November 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115102505/http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=Project019To|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="njarp_2009">{{cite web|title=NJ-ARP Annual Report 2008–2009 |date=November 19, 2009 |url=http://www.nj-arp.org/annrpt_09.pdf |access-date=January 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101043557/http://www.nj-arp.org/annrpt_09.pdf |archive-date=January 1, 2011 }}</ref> The trains would pass the Lackawanna Station building and pull in at [[Scranton (NJT station)|the new Scranton station]] on Lackawanna Avenue along the northernmost track east of Bridge 60, the railroad bridge over the [[Lackawanna River]], and the Cliff Street underpass.<ref>NEW JERSEY – PENNSYLVANIA LACKAWANNA CUT-OFF
PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE RESTORATION PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, [[U.S. Department of Transportation]], [[Federal Transit Administration]] and NEW JERSEY TRANSIT in Cooperation with the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]], June 2008.</ref> In December 2023, the [[Federal Railroad Administration]] granted $500,000 for planning studies into the Scranton to New York City corridor to fulfill step 1 of its [[Corridor Identification and Development Program]].<ref name="PR20231205">{{cite news |work=[[Pocono Record]] |title=Federal Railroad Admin chooses Scranton-NYC Amtrak route to move forward |first=Kathryne |last=Rubright |date=December 5, 2023 |url=https://www.poconorecord.com/story/news/local/2023/12/05/scranton-nyc-amtrak-route-gets-500k-move-forward/71813416007/ |access-date=January 16, 2024}}</ref>

===Cabs===
Private operators such as Burgit's Electric City Taxi service the Scranton area, but they are hired by telephone through central dispatch and cannot be hailed on the street as in larger cities.

==Fire department==
The [[Scranton Fire Department|Bureau of Fire]] was incorporated as a paid service in 1901. It is a full-time service consisting of about 142 [[firefighter]]s. Its headquarters is on Mulberry Street in Central City. The fire department has seven operating [[fire station]]s. It has nine firefighting vehicles, including five [[Fire engine|engines]], two trucks (ladders), one [[Heavy rescue vehicle|rescue]], and an assistant chief's vehicle.{{as of?|reason=When did the fire department have this many firefighters and vehicles?|date=October 2021}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scrantonfire.com/|title=Scranton Fire Fighters IAFF Local 60|website=scrantonfire.com|access-date=March 27, 2020|archive-date=March 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200326181934/http://scrantonfire.com/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scrantonpa.gov/fire_department.html|title=Scranton, Pa – Fire Department|website=Scranton, Pa – Official Website|access-date=March 27, 2020|archive-date=March 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321125919/http://scrantonpa.gov/fire_department.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Police==
The police department consist of 150 sworn police officers and 18 civilian employees.  Units include motorized patrol units, walking beats, bike patrol and canine units. City patrol sectors include North, South, West, Center City and Green Ridge.  The non-uniform division includes the detective division, street crimes, arson, auto theft, child abuse, crime scene investigation, and juvenile unit.  There is a special operations group, bomb unit, and drone unit.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

==Notable people==
{{main| List of people from Scranton, Pennsylvania}}

==In popular culture==
<!--Only include examples where Scranton is the setting or subject, not passing references-->
[[File:Dunder mifflin banner scranton.jpg|thumb|upright=1|A banner promoting [[Dunder Mifflin]], the fictional paper company on [[NBC]]'s ''[[The Office (US TV Series)|The Office]]'', hangs in downtown Scranton.]]
* The [[Harry Chapin]] song "[[30,000 Pounds of Bananas]]" is about an actual fatal 1965 accident in Scranton, where a driver hauling bananas lost control of his truck as it barreled down [[Pennsylvania Route 307|Moosic Street]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Buynovsky|first1=Sarah|title=The 'Banana Truck' Crash: 50 Years Later|url=http://wnep.com/2015/03/18/the-banana-truck-crash-50-years-later/|website=WNEP|access-date=April 11, 2015|date=March 18, 2015|archive-date=April 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407040003/http://wnep.com/2015/03/18/the-banana-truck-crash-50-years-later/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Blue Valentine (film)|''Blue Valentine'']]  was partially filmed in Scranton.
* The film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award winning play ''[[That Championship Season]]'' is set in and was filmed in Scranton.
* The city is home to the [[Pennsylvania Paper and Supply Company]], which was the inspiration for a branch of the fictional paper company [[Dunder Mifflin]] on [[NBC]]'s series ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]''. The Scranton branch is the setting for the majority of the show's episodes.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Thing That Made The Office Great Is the Same Thing That Killed It|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/05/the-thing-that-made-i-the-office-i-great-is-the-same-thing-that-killed-it/275883/|last=Craft|first=Kevin|date=May 16, 2013|website=The Atlantic|access-date=May 25, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923074637/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/05/the-thing-that-made-i-the-office-i-great-is-the-same-thing-that-killed-it/275883/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The city was the setting of the home of Roy Munson (portrayed by [[Woody Harrelson]]) in the 1996 American sports comedy [[Kingpin (1996 film)|''Kingpin'']]. The scenes were shot in [[Pittsburgh]] as a stand in for Scranton.
* The city is imagined as a member of the class of interstellar [[Okies]] in [[James Blish]]'s 1962 novel ''[[A Life for the Stars]]'', in which 2273 AD Scranton, equipped with a space drive, flies away and leaves an impoverished Earth behind.
* In 2017, Scranton got national recognition from late night television host [[John Oliver]] when he made jokes about how infatuated Scranton community members were with the little train that runs during the weather reports on Scranton's [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]-affiliated TV station [[WNEP-TV]]. The train had been featured in multiple of their "Talkback 16" segments. After a follow-up segment, Oliver donated a train set to WNEP. It was too big for their backyard, so they donated it to the [[Electric City Trolley Museum]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://wnep.com/2017/09/24/thousands-flock-to-electric-city-trolley-museum-to-see-the-new-backyard-train/ |title=John Oliver Reacts to Thousands Flocking to See the New Backyard Train |last=Whitehead |first=Anja |publisher=[[WNEP]] |date=September 25, 2017 |access-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218155830/https://wnep.com/2017/09/24/thousands-flock-to-electric-city-trolley-museum-to-see-the-new-backyard-train/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Musician [[John Legend]] was the head of the music department and choir director of Scranton's Bethel AME Church from 1995 to 2004.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ralphieaversa.com/2016/12/interview-john-legend-on-his-gospel-roots-pa-ties-and-new-album/ |title=John Legend on His Gospel Roots, PA Ties and New Album |last=Aversa |first=Ralphie |website=RalphieAversa.com |date=December 7, 2016 }}</ref>
* Lyricist [[Richard Bernhard Smith]] wrote the song, "[[Winter Wonderland]]", while being treated at the West Mountain Sanitarium in Scranton for tuberculosis.
* American singer, actress and television personality [[Cher]] lived in Scranton as a baby and spent time at a Catholic orphanage in the city run by the [[Sisters of Mercy]]. Cher wrote about the experience in the song, "Sisters of Mercy".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Library |first=Reference Department, Albright Memorial |date=August 24, 2005 |title=Scranton & Wilkes-Barre in Entertainment: "Sisters of Mercy" by Cher (2000) |url=https://wb-scranton-movies.blogspot.com/2005/08/sisters-of-mercy-by-cher-2000.html |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=Scranton & Wilkes-Barre in Entertainment}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cher Song Upsets Catholics, Calling Nuns 'Daughters Of Hell' |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/h7d88l/cher-song-upsets-catholics-calling-nuns-daughters-of-hell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203112947/https://www.mtv.com/news/h7d88l/cher-song-upsets-catholics-calling-nuns-daughters-of-hell |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=MTV |language=en}}</ref>
* American author and film & television producer [[Dick Wolf]] was married to Susan Scranton, daughter of former Governor [[William Scranton]], from 1970 to 1983.
* American radio talk show host, television broadcaster, and politician [[Dan Patrick (politician)|Dan Patrick]] began his broadcast career at [[WNEP-TV]] in Scranton.
* American [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] commentator, journalist, author, and television host [[Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]]'s early television career began at [[WNEP-TV]] in Scranton, where he served as a news and weather reporter, and as a news anchor later on.

==Sister cities==
Scranton has the following official [[sister cities]]:
* {{flagdeco|ITA}} [[Caronia]], [[Sicily]], Italy
* {{flagdeco|ITA}} [[Guardia Lombardi]], [[Campania]], Italy
* {{flagdeco|ITA}} [[Perugia]], [[Umbria]], Italy
* {{flagdeco|IRL}} [[Ballina, County Mayo]], [[Connacht]], Ireland
* {{flagicon|Philippines}} [[Naga, Camarines Sur]], Philippines
* {{flagdeco|RUS}} [[Balakovo]], [[Saratov Oblast]], Russia
* {{flagdeco|SMR}} [[City of San Marino|San Marino]], San Marino
* {{flagdeco|SVK}} [[Trnava]], [[Trnava Region]], Slovakia
* {{flagdeco|USA}} [[Little Rock, Arkansas]], United States

==See also==
{{portal|United States|Pennsylvania
}}
* [[Farley's Eatery and Pub]]
* [[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]
* [[Polish Cathedral style]]
* [[Scranton Area Community Foundation]]
* [[Scranton Army Ammunition Plant]]
* [[USS Scranton|USS ''Scranton'']], 4 ships
* [[Weston Field (Scranton)|Weston Field]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Scranton_-_Scranton_Electric_Building_(48472743896).jpg|Scranton Electric Building
File:Scranton_-_Scranton_City_Hall_(48472742281).jpg|[[Scranton City Hall]]
Image:St._Peter%27s_Cathedral.JPG|St. Peter's Cathedral
Image:Electric_City_Mural.JPG|Electric City Mural
Image:First_Liberty_Building.JPG|First Liberty Building
Image:Scranton_Post_Office.JPG|US Post Office and Federal Building
File:Scranton_-_Scranton_Cultural_Center_(48472741161).jpg|Scranton Cultural Center
Image:Brooks_Building.JPG|Brooks Building
Image:Downtown_Scranton_at_night.JPG|Downtown Scranton at night
File:Scranton_-_Scranton_Times_Building_(48472734656).jpg|''Scranton Times'' Building
File:Scranton_-_Radisson_Lackawanna_Station_Hotel_(48472745076).jpg|Lackawanna Station Hotel
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Scranton|Scranton}}
* [http://www.scrantonpa.gov/ City of Scranton]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Scranton
|North = [[File:I-81.svg|20px]] [[Binghamton, New York|Binghamton]]
|Northeast = [[File:US 6.svg|20px]] [[Carbondale, Pennsylvania|Carbondale]]
|East = [[File:I-84.svg|20px]] [[Milford, Pennsylvania|Milford]]
|Southeast = [[File:I-380.svg|25px]] [[Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania|Stroudsburg]]
|South = [[File:I-476.svg|25px]] [[Allentown, Pennsylvania|Allentown]], [[Philadelphia]]
|Southwest = [[File:I-81.svg|20px]] [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre]]
|West = [[Back Mountain, Pennsylvania|Back Mountain]]
|Northwest = [[File:US 6.svg|20px]] [[Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania|Tunkhannock]]
|image =
}}
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[[Category:Scranton, Pennsylvania| ]]
[[Category:1778 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Cities in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania]]
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