Comments on: Scranton – Small Town, Big Shadow

By: Nock Nooty

Nock Nooty — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 22:55:15 +0000

600,000 residents in a 200 square mile land mass is NOT a small town. It’s a decently large city.

By: William

William — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 02:56:41 +0000

In reply to Marty Flynn. More accurately, it was the first place that had a streetcar system entirely powered by electricity. Though there is some contention of who actually had the first system, according to Wikipedia:

Another early electrified streetcar system in the United States was established in Scranton, Pennsylvania by November 30, 1886; it was the first system to be run exclusively on electric power, giving Scranton the nickname "The Electric City"

. Other contenders for the first system were New Orleans, Mongomery Alabama, Omaha, and Richmond VA.

By: Marty Flynn

Marty Flynn — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 13:55:16 +0000

In reply to Pete De Ritter. Scranton is referred to "The Electric City" because it is the home of the first electric rail car.

By: Mark Allenb

Mark Allenb — Sat, 02 Apr 2016 03:11:08 +0000

Scranton has significant potential, however lacks the investment, jobs and infrastructure to lift itself out of the condition it is experiencing. The biggest win for Scranton would be to connect the train line to NYC…this would be a life line to establish the opportunity for investment, jobs, economic expansion. Many cities that have been revitalized after many years of decline need investment for the turnaround and the incentive to attract new industries. Scranton has the makings of a Northeast technology center for millennials if you connect the train line….you have what once was a thriving city’s architecture which can certainly be used to house new technology companies . Medical centers, churches, cultural centers and universities are plentiful….these are good foundational items that cannot be replicated or built in other start up towns. The Fed and State government should step in and provide the appropriate incentives to bring the great city back. With a new train line…it fits the new world order. Millennials could live cheaply, walk to work, have access to cultural, religious, education and medical facilities. If you look around the country….Scranton actually has a lot of potential. You just have to see the future through a different lens….

By: Tha GAWD

Tha GAWD — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 17:18:13 +0000

You got that Sopranos quote wrong. It was a conversation between Gigi and Philly Parisi.

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Tue, 24 May 2011 22:36:16 +0000

@PCI: What? Scranton, not the height of civilization?! Blasphemy!

By: PCI

PCI — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:47:16 +0000

I would have to agree that scranton is not the height of civilization, but it is always nice when political events put a small town on the map, it is great for tourism and local culture!

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:49:08 +0000

@Kristen: Nice to see you here and thank you for your comment. Scranton is that sort of place — on the move in some ways, but running in place in others. Funny you mention Coney Island Texas Lunch. I had some “Texas Lunch” at home in honor of Coney Island. I completely understand how the new sparkling white Coney Island seems horrible. More importantly, there’s no guy lining the wieners up his arm before slapping on the chili, onions and mustard.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:56:23 +0000

Great write-up. I’m from Scranton as well as attend the now defunct Bishop Hannan High School. It is fascinating when I visit family to see how much it has changed and how much stayed the same. The new Coney Island Texas Lunch cracked me up because it was so sparkling white and somehow that seemed horrible to me.

Thanks for the memories.

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:47:51 +0000

@George: Thanks for a terrific, thoughtful and humorous comment. Glad you enjoyed the piece. Actually, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed your comment.

Love the references to “da U”, “UL”…especially. I’ve heard bits and pieces of the casino-to-juvenile detention centers saga, but never before so well connected. If I were artistically inclined…and had some time, I would draw a diagram of this tangled web. Someone needs to.

And yes, Bishop Martino is slowly but surely becoming world famous (or is that infamous?).

“Cautiously optimistic” – It’s the best this realist can do. It’s better than being cautiously pessimistic, isn’t it?

Dougherty’s: in one respect, it is uniquely Scrantonian, on the other hand, it’s an example of the all-time American gathering place. Among other things, what makes it special: at just about any point, you’ll have a collection of folks inside that could tell fully the recent history of Scranton.