Scranton City Map Poster

About Scranton

The city has struggled with urban decay, economic depression, and population loss for many decades. Scranton was known as the "Electric City" when its large number of manufacturing companies provided jobs to thousands of workers. The city's economy relied on manufacturing until the mid-20th century; first in iron works and blast furnaces (Scranton Iron Furnace), then in steam engines (Dickson Manufacturing Company), silk (Eagle Silk Mills) and electric appliances such as refrigerators ("Electric Refrigerator Company", later Avanti). After a period of decline during the latter half of the 20th century, Scranton is reviving some old industrial sites at an industrial park along Lackawanna Avenue between Nanticoke Street/PA 309 Highway/US 11 Bypass Road southward to Blakely Street near downtown.