As part of my Eagle Scout Project, I planned and developed this

historic walking trail through the streets of West Pittston. The 2.5
mile trail will have stops along the way at several locations
highlighting important places, people, and occurrences from West
Pittstons storied past. I Thank you for your interest in the history of
West Pittston, and I hope that the pieces of information Ive given
you spark your interest to look further into our small towns storied
history.
Drew Slater
Boy Scout Troop 352
First United Methodist Church, West Pittston, PA

West Pittston Borough
An elegant suburb of Pittston, or more properly an elegant
residence spot of some of Pittstons wealthiest people, where it is
a mere step across the river over either of the two elegant bridges
spanning the same, and is reached by in of the most residence
boroughs in the county. The land is but gently rolling, and the
wide streets and straight and shaded avenues that are lined with
residences giving every evidence of wealth and refinement. The
stranger first visiting the place is delighted to walk and enjoy the
natural and artificial beauties of the place. The river just above
this breaks through the mountain as it sweeps past the place is yet
practically untainted that further down so disfigures it. Across is
Pittston crowning its many hills and to the north is Campbells
Ledge and to the west are the low rising mountains, sweeping
away to the west and south and at your feet and than the ken lies
the rich and beautiful Wyoming Valley
Except from: The History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Written by: Henry C. Bradsby, 1863
Starting at the park at the corner of Delaware Ave and Wyoming
Ave. walk east towards the Susquehanna River, stay on the left side
of Delaware Ave. Stop when you reach the Yellow House.

1. The Dandelion Cottage - Delaware Ave. just to the right of the old
cigar factory- this is the first home constructed in the borough after
it became West Pittston. The first person born in West Pittston,
Arthur Frothingham, was born in this house. It was constructed in
1851 by Augustus Frothingham, one of the boroughs first
developers. He moved his family to West Pittston from Pittston.
Originally located on the corner of Montgomery Avenue and
Susquehanna Avenue, it was moved to Delaware Avenue when
Thomas Ford built his mansion on that site. It is nicknamed The
Dandelion Cottage due to its bright yellow color.

Continue to walk east on Delaware Ave, turn left onto Susquehanna
Ave heading north. Stop when you reach the clearing near the
Firemans Memorial Bridge.

2. Cherry Blossom Trees - along the Susquehanna River bank, the
project designed to enhance the beauty of the river bank was
inspired by local business man, Roy Stauffer in the 1960's. The
Annual Cherry Blossom Festival was started in the 1970's as a
community celebration. In the early 1900s through the 1930s this
section of the river sported sand beach that was used a public
swimming area.

Continue to walk to the north along Susquehanna Ave, carefully
crossing the Luzerne and Exeter Avenues. Stop at the granite
marker on the corner of Exeter Ave and Susquehanna Ave.

3. Site of Fort Jenkins At the corner of Susquehanna Ave and
Exeter Ave across the street from the Jenkins Bridge stands a
monument erected at the site where Fort Jenkins once stood. The
most northern of all forts in the Wyoming Valley, the fort was
simply a log home surrounded by a wooden stockade fence. It was
originally occupied by the Harding and Jenkins families. It was
burned to the ground on July 1, 1778 by British Colonel John
Butlers invading forces.

Continue to walk to the north along Susquehanna Ave. Along the
way youll be treated to beautiful views of the river and be able to
see some amazing architecture in the homes along the way. Stop at
the railroad tracks.

4.Delaware, Lackawanna and Western (DL&W) Railroad Bridge -
Susquehanna Ave and Maple St. This Bridge served as a link into
the borough for passenger and freight trains alike. Take notice how
the rails run along what was the industrial past of town, past
Hitchner and the iron works with spurs leading to the Sullivan Trail
Coal Breaker.

Once again, continue along Susquehanna Ave until you get to the
gates of the:

5. West Pittston Cemetery Along with many of the town's
founding citizens being buried here are industrialists, mine company
owners and workers, and early doctors and lawyers. More
importantly, it contains the graves of numerous war heroes
spanning the history of our nation. The cemetery is still used and
functioning today.

Make a left and head south on Clyde St. At the end of Clyde St, turn
left onto Ash St. When Ash St. intersects with Elm St., Make a right
and head south on Elm St. Stay on the right side of Elm St. Stop at
the clearing to the rear of Dons Machine Shop.

6. Site of the Sullivan Trail Coal Co. Where the current Ledgeview
homes are built, once stood the Original Sullivan Trail Coal Breaker.
The original Breaker at this site was closed in 1909 when a cave-in
caused the river to flood the underground mine. That breaker
originally built by the Clear Spring Coal Co. (in operation from 1882-
1911) had been knocked over during a wind storm in 1920.
Pagnotti's Sullivan Trail Coal Co. purchased the land, pumped out
the water, opened up two shafts, and began mining coal again.
They later erected a modern breaker in 1935 at a cost of more than
$200,000. The old breaker produced 1,000 tons of coal with about
110 men, while the new breaker put out 1,500 tons with only six
men. The breaker stopped most operations in the early 1950s when
the deep mine ran out of coal. The Breaker was torn down in 1996.

Continue south on Elm St to Exeter Ave. Turn left on Exeter Ave
heading east. Stop in front of the current West Pittston Borough
building.

7. Vulcan Iron Works - later became West Pittston Iron Works and
then the Glen Alden Shops (Exeter Ave. between the railroad tracks
and Fremont St.) - began as a machine works to provide machinery
for anthracite mining and the railroad industry. This shop, like most
others during the time, converted to manufacturing for World War
II. The building burned to the ground in the 1970s. At the time it
was the biggest fire in the history of the Borough.

Continue walking east on Exeter Ave. crossing Ann St Stop at the
railroad tracks.

8. Hitchner Biscuit Co. - Exeter Ave. - Provided jobs to borough
residents for over 50 years, was part of the Nabisco Company. In
December of 1904 this was the site of a major fire in West Pittston,
causing upwards of $50,000 in damage (Which is equal to $1.2
million in todays money.) And destroying the building, which was
later rebuilt.
The construction specifications called for,
A brick, steel and concrete structure, four stories
and a basement with cut stone and terra cotta
trimmings. The entrance to the main building will be
on the upper side of Exeter Street through a large
hall. The hall will have tiled floor and expanded
metal walls and ceiling. The shipping will be done
from the first floor. On the Ann Street side, all
wagon deliveries will be taken care of. On the
opposite side of the room all car (rail) deliveries are
provided for. Back of the shipping room and also
part of the basement is the flour storage. All flour
will be sent to the basement or upper store-room
by chutes, no carrying being necessary. Cold storage
will be installed in the basement for butter, lard,
molasses, eggs, etc. The second floor is the main
machine and baking room. At the end and outside
of the room, the ovens will be installed. The ovens
are to be built outside the building so that it will be
impossible for any gas or heat to enter the main
room. The third floor will be planned expressly for
icing and marshmallow work with all the latest
equipment. On the fourth floor, all packing will be
done. This floor is also provided with resting rooms,
etc. There will be a large electric sign on the
building which can be seen from the Laurel Line.
Recently the building was converted to an apartment building
maintaining most of the historical exterior.

Continue walking east on Exeter Ave crossing Maple St. Stop at 516
Exeter Ave.

9. Newry House - 516 Exeter Avenue - The oldest home in the
borough still standing is the tiny Newry House. Built by Thomas
Jenkins, it is estimated by the Luzerne County Historical Society to
have been built between 1800 and 1811 and is a colonial salt box in
style. The home and Jenkins surrounding lands at the time were
named Newry after a town in Northern Ireland. It is a private
residence.

Keep Walking east on Exeter Ave. Cross over Exeter Ave and stop in
front of the Moose Lodge.

10. Washington Street School - located on the corner of
Washington Street and Exeter Avenue (current Moose Lodge
location) Thousands of children were educated here as West
Pittstons first school. Made of brick, it had only four large school
rooms. An enormous crowd would fill the streets to see the children
during afternoon exercise, including clergymen, school directors and
business people. It was very badly damaged in a mine subsidence in
the 1940s, eventually leading to the demolition of the school.

Continue walking east on Exeter Ave. crossing over Parke St. Keep
walking until you reach Spring St. Turn right and head south on
Spring St. Stop at the West Pittston Hose Co. No. 1.

11. West Pittston Borough Building 216 Spring St - At this site
once stood the Two-Story West Pittston Borough Building. It
housed Borough Administration and the Police Department on the
second floor and the Hose Company on the first floor. This included
the fire wagons as well as the horses to pull the wagons. The
building remained there until 1974 when the new Borough building
was built where the Vulcan Iron Works was.


Proceed south on Spring St. to Luzerne Ave. At Luzerne Ave. turn left
and head east again. Cross over Warren St. Continue East along
Luzerne Ave to the intersection with Linden St. Turn right heading
south on Linden St staying to the left side of the street. Stop at the
Cemetery.

13. Jenkins Harding Cemetery - Linden St. and Wyoming Avenue
The earliest burials date back to July 1, 1778. The story of those
burials:

On June 30, 1778, Benjamin Harding, Stuckley
Harding, Young John Harding, James Hadsell and his
sons James and John, Daniel Weller, John Gadner
and Daniel Carr traveled up the river into Exeter
(now Harding), to tend to their fields. Late in the
afternoon, they were attacked by Indians.
Benjamin Harding, Stuckley Harding, James Hadsall
and his son James, were killed. Young John Harding
escaped by throwing himself into the river and
hiding just below the waters surface. He was able
to hear the moans of his friends an family as they
laid dying. The Indians searched for him and, at one
time, were so close that young John could have
reached out and touched them. He survived.

On July 1
st
, Colonel Nathan Denison and Lieutenant-
Colonel George Dorrance, with a small force,
marched from Forty Fort, to where the murders
were committed. The appearance of the bodies
had indicated they had given their last full
measure. All were scalped and the bodies
mutilated. Two Indians which had stayed behind,
expecting to kill anyone attempting to recover the
bodies, were themselves were taken by surprise,
and slain by the burial party. One was shot where
he sat, and the other while in the river while
attempting to flee.

The land for the cemetery was given by Judge John Jenkins shortly
after the murders of the Hardings. Benjamin and Stukely are
considered the first two victims of the Wyoming Massacre (July 3,
1778). On an interesting note, the Harding stones were moved
several feet to the West when Wyoming Avenue was straightened --
the bodies were left in place "as not to disturb the rest of the dead."
However, when the tracks were laid for an electric streetcar, an
electric pole was driven through Stephen's grave.

Continue walking south on Linden St to the intersection with
Wyoming Ave. bear right along Wyoming Ave. Continue to Follow
Wyoming Ave to the south crossing Montgomery Ave until you come
to the intersection of Delaware Ave. Make a left crossing over
Wyoming Ave. This is where you started your hike about 2.5 miles
ago.

Sources:
West Pittston Historical Society
West Pittston Cemetery Association
The History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania - Henry C. Bradsby, 1863
The Indian wars of Pennsylvania - By C.H. Sipe (year unknown)
Excerpts from news reports from: The Times Leader, Pittston Gazette, Pittston, & Sunday
Dispatch
www.undergroundminers.com