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One of the streetscapes
of the Lackawanna Avenue Commercial Historic District
Photograph by Kristen Carsto
Several of the commercial
buildings that comprise the district
Photographs by Kristen Carsto |
The Lackawanna Avenue
Commercial Historic District, the historic commercial core of
Scranton, is composed of a three-and-one-half block section
of Lackawanna Avenue and one square block which adjoins the
Avenue on the northeast. The buildings along Lackawanna Avenue
are generally three or four stories in height, containing a
variety of materials including brick, stone, tile, and stucco.
The most substantial buildings in the district are located along
Wyoming and North Washington Streets. Built in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries, these buildings reflect a greater
adherence to distinct architectural styles than their counterparts
on Lackawanna. The most common styles are Renaissance Revival,
Richardson Romanesque, Neo Classical and an early example of
Art Deco.
In the late 19th century Scranton became the heart of the
anthracite coal mining industry in Pennsylvania as well as
a manufacturing center. With a population of almost 150,000
in 1930, Scranton's growth between 1860 and 1930 had been
remarkable. During those years of growth Lackawanna Avenue
served as the commercial center of Scranton. Featuring a number
of fine examples of late 19th-century architecture, the Avenue
characterized the prosperity and hopes of the city. By the
20th century the business district had expanded beyond Lackawanna
Avenue to include a one block section of Wyoming and North
Washington Streets. The extension of the district was enhanced
by the recently constructed county government facilities situated
two blocks east of Lackawanna. America's first all electric
street car system, with numerous stops on Lackawanna, added
to the ambiance. New retail establishments and a large hotel,
the Casey Hotel, opened along the Avenue. The new buildings
were commonly Richardson Romanesque, Neo-Classical and Renaissance
Revival in style. Some Art Deco architecture was also introduced
in the extension during the 1920s. While commercial activities
in Scranton slowed in the 1920s, the city's "Golden Years"
ended in 1929 with the onset of the Depression. Although the
district fell on hard economic times, Lackawanna Avenue still
reflects the prominence that was a part of Scranton in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Brooks Building, located
at 436 Spruce Street, is an eight-story red sandstone and
brick office building erected in 1891 as the Commonwealth
Building. Designed by L. C. Holden, the building later became
the Peoples National Bank from 1906 to 1917, and later housed
the J. H. Brooks brokerage firm for many years, which gave
the building its name.
The Lackawanna Avenue Commercial Historic District is
located on the 200-500 blocks of Lackawanna Ave., the 100
block of Wyoming & Washington Aves., and the 400 block of
Spruce. Many of the businesses within the district
open to the public during normal business hours.
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