Although Scranton is a relatively small city, many aspects around the city show how much the city takes pride in its history. In particular, the city of Scranton takes its history with electricity seriously. A quick drive around the city will reveal all sorts of murals, signs, and logos with the words "The Electric City" embedded within them. The type of the art in Scranton I wanted to cover for this project was art that Scranton was best known for or art that best embodies what I think Scranton means to me. What I learned as I dug deeper into the history of each piece of art I wanted to include in my project was the rich history that each piece had attached to it. The more entrenched I got into my research, the more I realized that some of the most prominent art pieces in Scranton are its electrical signs.
The genesis of Scranton's namesake, the Electric City, goes way back to the middle of the 1800s. The city was one of the first cities in the nation to utilize electric street signs and electrical trollies (Kashuba 2010). Both of these innovative additions to the city were only made possible through the robust coal mining industry of Northeast Pennsylvania. The street lamps and electric trollies were powered by coal during that period of time. My project is centered around the history, purpose, and significance of three major electrical signs in Scranton, and the history of the buildings that they are attached to. The signs that I included in my project include one of the most iconic symbols of Scranton, the Electric City sign on Linden Street. The second sign that is in my project is the Times signs that are located on Penn Avenue. The last sign that I included in the electrical sign that is located on the entrance to the Masonic Temple on North Washington Avenue.
The Electric City sign is the embodiment of the pride the city has in its history with electricity. This sign was first installed onto the top of the Scranton Electric Company building in 1928. This building was built in 1898 and designed by Lansing Holden, who was a New York-based architect. The building was designed for the Scranton Board of Trade, which was a predecessor to the chamber of commerce. A carved stone roof and copper roof tile were some of the key architectural aspects of this building (Downtown Scranton Landmark Buildings and Historic Districts). Standing at only eight stories tall, this building was considered the first skyscraper in Scranton. Prior to the installation of the Electric City sign in 1926, there was a sign on top of the building that was not electric. Pertinent details of this sign are not fully available online (Local Landmarks: History of the Electric Building). The Board of Trade building was then purchased by the Scranton Electric Company in 1926, which allowed for the animated sign to be installed 2 years later.
The purpose of the Electric City sign was to commemorate Scranton’s major accomplishment of being one of the first cities in the country to have electric streetlamps and was the first city in the country to have electric streetcars. This electrical beacon captured the pinnacle of Scranton’s standing as one of the premier cities on the east coast for a short period of time. The fundamental structure of the sign has stayed consistent throughout the years. The sign contains three distinct parts. The majority of the sign consists of the words "Scranton The Electric City" enclosed in 2 green circles that are studded with lights. To the left and right of the sign are two lamps that seem to be lit with fire. The top of the sign includes a radiating light bulb that flashes when the sign is turned on. The sign also includes red, white, and green lights. For a period of 25 years, the sign sat dormant until its restoration in 2004. The sign would go on to change again in 2014 with the addition of LED lights (Lockwood 2014). Many of these changes were implemented to cut costs on electricity. The sign that shines over Linden is hardly Scranton’s only landmark. Just a few blocks away stands another iconic staple of the city.
This structure located on Penn Avenue is the Scranton Times building. The building first became a possibility in 1925 when Edward L. Lynett acquired the property. Lynett was the editor and manager of Scranton Free Press. The paper had been expanding quickly and in 1922 it also acquired WEJL-AM radio station (Downtown Scranton Landmark Buildings and Historic Districts). These new expansions demanded more workspace for new operations. Architects Edward Davis and George M.D. Lewis designed a structure that was not only aesthetically pleasing but more importantly, functionally and practically sound. The building was made with concrete and steel frame, with a white terracotta façade. Small tidbits around the building help enhance the paper that is produced inside. There is a mural that amasses the whole entire posterior side of the building. The outside also featured ornamentation common for the time. The building is a monument to the prosperous time in which it was created. The structure itself is impressive enough, but what really commands the area is what sits atop.
Overlooking the ground is the Times sign. Though not polychromatic or as flashy as the Electric City Sign, the Times sign holds powerful significance. With its bright white letters in its distinct Old English-like font, the sign represents a time that belongs to an older Scranton but passed on to a new generation. It’s a token that makes downtown Scranton what it is today. What makes this sign so unique is what accompanies it. Although it is bright enough to shine alone, it is joined by a duo of other pieces. Below the sign sits a smaller and similarly bright sign that reads WEJL. This represents the radio station bought back in 1922. Its lucent red beams compliment the glow of the Times sign perfectly. Yet there is one more piece that accompanies the sign. In 1950 George Lewis designed a new floor to the building. This floor was for the purposes of radio and broadcasting and with them came the transmitting tower (Downtown Scranton Landmark Buildings and Historic Districts). This tower is particularly popular for its bright multicolored lights during the holiday season. Whether you are in town or driving on the expressway, the tower acts as a beacon of the press in downtown Scranton. Surprisingly, this radio tower is the tallest structure in Scranton. Sitting right beneath it is the Times sign that harkens back to that older time in Scranton. The Times sign provides a look at a particular cornerstone of Scranton’s history, but other landmarks reveal a character study of the people in its history as well.
The Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral commonly referred to as the Scranton Cultural Center is a building dedicated to Freemasonry. The designs expound many references to the Masons. One of the first and most noticeable is the sign in front of the entrance doors. It is a sign that reads "Masonic Temple" accompanied by the traditional Masonic symbol of the "G" enclosed by a square and compass. The sign when lit up provides a bright white light at the entrance of the Temple, surrounded by a dim blue glow. The sign sits beneath the indented arch of the Temple, which is often lit up various different colors including blue, purple, and orange.
This building was built in 1927 by architect Raymond Hood. Hood received this job after winning a design contest that was being held. Mr. Hood’s other buildings were also quite popular including the Tribune Tower in Chicago and Rockefeller Center in New York City (Hartman 2012). Much of the design of this building was intended to be a reflection of the Masonic culture. The building was made from marble and limestone with a Gothic style. The inside features Spanish leather doors, marble walls, floors with Irish bluestone tile and the largest pipe organ in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This large space provided the city with an aesthetically brilliant space for cultural spectacles. Even though it was a place for Freemasons to gather and have meetings, the Temple became a cultural hub for the people of Scranton. A tradition that is still carried on to this day with great enthusiasm. Massive renovations for the center were conducted in 1989 which helped keep it in vigorous condition (Hartman 2012) The Masonic sign and the other lights of the Cultural Center are also what set the building apart from other structures in the city. The Gothic style combined with colorful lighting blends the past with the present. This forms a marriage between many different cultural styles. Much like the many signs and buildings in Scranton today.
These three signs act as more than just flashy decorations for the city of Scranton. They have meaning for the people who live there and for the people who built them. The history behind the signs is closely associated with the history of the city itself. Electricity was something Scranton took pride in many years ago. Electric streetlamps and electric trollies were supported by the bustling coal industry that put Scranton on the map. The culture started to be shaped around this industry and these creations. Even now, when Scranton looks drastically different than the city that came before it, the symbols still survive. Much of their history is not only tied to the industries that made them possible but the buildings the rest on.
The buildings in Scranton are reflective of both the city at the time they were built and of the people they were built for. The Electric City sign came to be the symbol of the city and its economic power. The Times sign stood as a symbol for prosperity and media. It acted as a mouthpiece of information to the people. Finally, the Masonic Temple was built for the Masons of the city, but also the culture at large. It provided an area where the people could enjoy something unique en masse. Over the years these buildings and their signs have been restored time and time again. They’ve even changed to better utilize new technology. While the face of Scranton continues to change, the inside will remain the same. The signs and symbols may continue to adapt over time. However, they will continue to reflect that although Scranton holds onto its past, it is not afraid to change for the future.