PAGE 1 VOLUME 44, NO. 1 The Lackawanna Historical Society Journal Volume 44, No. 1 ISSN 0895-1802 Winter 2014 Society Trustee Pens New Book Discussing the Effects of our Physical Past An old tagline used by the Lacka- how the past shapes the wanna Heritage Valley Authority noted that present and future. Scranton’s early immigrant population “came Conlogue uses the voic- here to build a new life and ended up building es of poets to call atten- a new nation.” Indeed, the city that sprang out tion to the stories not of bucolic woodlands and farm pastures be- celebrated in the region came a boomtown crisscrossed with railroad to underscore the im- tracks and studded with mine openings and portance of the under- coal breakers. Iron and steel T-rail produced standing the place we by the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company call home. He calls at- helped extend railroads forward across the tention to the darker country; anthracite coal mined under Scranton remains of industry; ra- was shipped to New York to vanish into heat ther than focusing on and light. The immigrants who called the the heroic story of “building a new nation,” he Lackawanna Valley home powered industries wonders how residents could ignore culm that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution. banks, mine fires and subsidence to remain In time, however, all booms go bust. The unaffected by the physical past. iron works were gone by 1902, dismantled and On October 6, 2013,Conlogue further shipped to the shores of Lake Erie to be re- addressed Northeastern Pennsylvania’s self formed into the Lackawanna Steel plant. The esteem problem as a guest editorialist in the rise of oil and natural gas led to the decline of Scranton Times. In the column, he pointed out coal; the Knox Mine disaster in 1959 flooded a that while “historians have written many eco- large portion of the underground mines and nomic, social and labor studies of the region, made them unworkable. The last passenger they often downplay its environmental story, train left the Lackawanna Station in 1970; the despite the obvious physical damage. ... After railroad declared bankruptcy two years later. the last coal companies stopped deep mining in Scranton is left with the remnants of boom the 1960s, local residents were left with pollut- times, both good and bad: beautiful downtown ed waterways, stripped land and unstable architecture and culm piles, a patchwork eth- ground.” With his assistance, an exhibit on nic population and mine subsidence. mine subsidence is planned to open this month A new book by Bill Conlogue, PhD, a at the Anthracite Heritage Museum. Conlogue Society trustee and Professor of English at will also conduct a book signing at the Catlin Marywood University called Here and There: House on January 8 at 7 pm following a Reading Pennsylvania’s Working Landscapes presentation about his work. A reception will looks at the region’s everyday landscape and follow. -Review written by Sarah Piccini PAGE 2 VOLUME 44, NO. 1 The Lackawanna A Word from the President... Historical Society 2014 ello Everyone OFFICERS H Michael Gilmartin President ...and Best Wishes for the New Year! I wish you all Good Health and Much Hap- Donald Frederickson, Jr., Esq. 1st Vice President piness in 2014. I am pleased to announce that we have moved into the second year /Solicitor of our Capital Campaign which is foremost among our objectives as it will greatly Laurie Cadden 2nd Vice President Douglas Forrer, CPA Treasurer improve the ease of using the Catlin House for presenting our regular programs, as- Dalida O’Malley Assistant Treasurer sisting visiting researchers and providing tours as well as secure the preservation of William Conlogue Secretary the collections materials. As we begin the new year, please know that we continue TRUSTEES to solicit new donations and receive scheduled pledge payments from our generous Joseph F. Cimini, Esq. supporters. Most recently we received word from PPL Corporation that they will Joseph X. Garvey Thomas Horlacher, AIA donate $15,000 over the next three years. A complete and updated list of all cam- Jeffrey R. Kiefer, Assoc. AIA paign donors can be found in this issue. Richard Leonori, AIA Linda Lynett Also in this issue is news that we recently accepted a letter of resignation from Trus- Mary Jane Memolo Arlene Devereaux O’Hara tee Mark Cruciani. I want to personally extend my appreciation to Mark for his Ella S. Rayburn contributions over the 15 years that he was a Trustee, for his time as a individual William J. Rinaldi, Esq. volunteer, his work on the various committees on which he served, and his continued Elaine Shepard dedication as an active member. EMERITUS Richard Bovard As we look forward to Spring, I want to bring two events to your attention. The STAFF first is the fourth edition of Dinner by Design, which will take place in the begin- Mary Ann Moran Savakinus ning of March and promises to be better than ever as we take the event “on the Executive Director Sarah Piccini Assistant Director road” with a brand new location, POSH at the Scranton Club. Several designers Olivia Bernardi Computer Assistant have already signed on and we are always excited to welcome new designers so be James and Gay Clifford Caretakers sure to spread the word! Second is the our annual local history game show “You The Lackawanna Historical Society is Live Here, You Should Know This!” scheduled for May 4th. New teams are always a 501(C) (3) non-profit organization welcome so if you want to play, be sure to contact our office. which is dedicated to keeping vital the Finally, please note that 2014 Lackawanna Historical Society membership renewals history of Lackawanna County. It is are now due. We invite you to use the form below to renew your membership today supported in part by the Catlin Memo- and ask that you please remember to include your email. A renewal letter and form rial Trust, Lackawanna County, and will be sent in the near future but we encourage you to renew now to help reduce membership dues. Regular hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm postage expenses. We look forward to receiving your renewal and hope to see you and Saturdays noon to 3 pm. soon at one of our upcoming events. The Lackawanna Historical Society Thanks for your continued interest & support, Journal is published by the Lackawanna Michael Gilmartin Historical Society, 232 Monroe Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510 Tel. (570) 344-3841. Address questions About Membership… Membership privileges include unlimited access to the to Mary Ann Moran Savakinus at Society library, 10% discount in our bookstore, advance notice and invitations to all Society activ- [email protected] ities, special members-only programs and the quarterly newsletter. Attached is a membership Members of the Society receive this form you can use to renew your membership or give to a friend or neighbor who is publication. Membership contributions interested in joining. Please return it to: The Lackawanna Historical Society at 232 are $35 and up for Individuals, $45 for Monroe Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510 Families, and $125 for Organizations. Special Silver and Gold Corporate LACKAWANNA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP FORM Student $10 NAME memberships are available. Individual $35 The Lackawanna Historical Society Jour- Family $45 ADDRESS nal is printed in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Contributing $75 Entire contents copyrighted © 2014 by Sustaining $150 the Lackawanna Historical Society. Silver Corporate $250 TELEPHONE Gold Corporate $500 EMAIL PAGE 3 VOLUME 44, NO. 1 In the Catlin House... The Lackawanna Valley New Members 1700 to 1880 Individual On Sunday, March 16 and 23 at 2 pm, Mary Eichelsdorfer, Waverly Township Robert Cummings will present a two-part Mark Dougher, Stanwood, MI history of the Lackawanna Valley Al Heller, Scranton at the Catlin House. Kathleen Smith, Binghamton, NY The first settlers were Indians, they named the river “Lackawanna” and the river named Family the Lackawanna Valley. It then took almost Kathleen Donohue, South Abington Township one hundred and eighty years of difficulty and Rossetti Family, Scranton disappointment, until a county was named Lackawanna. It happened. You should know Contributing the story! Kevin and Maria Edwards, Madison Township A BID FAREWELL: At the November Meeting, the Society trustees learned that Mark Cruciani was resigning. Mark served on the Board for fifteen years and was Assistant Treasurer from1999 through 2009. Mark also chaired the publicity committee and worked hard to help promote the Society’s activities and events. He was always happy to lend a hand whether he was playing “doorman” at our open house or joining us as a marcher at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In addition he served for several years on the Society’s Annual Din- ner planning committee and was instrumental in planning one of the our most successful dinner programs to date: Finding Sears Houses by author and Sears House expert Rosemary Thornton. Mark’s service and dedication to the organization is truly appreciated. We wish him great success in his future endeavors and continued happiness to him and his wife Betty and their daughter, Rebecca. 2014 Dinner by Design The Lackawanna Historical Society is pleased to announce that the 2014 Dinner by Design program will take place on February 28 through March 2 at POSH at the Scranton Club. We are excited about the new venue and believe this year’s event will be better than ever. Designers who have already signed on in- clude POSH, Central Park Flowers, Live with It by Lara Hobbs, JK Designs, Judy Sweeney, MCR, Cadden Florists, and last year’s Peo- ple’s Choice winner, John Mackey.