Circa 1910: Built in 1867 by Jacob Robinson, the Lackawanna Valley House was one of Scranton’s leading hotels, located near railroad depots and at the entrance to the city’s commercial and theater district, at Lackawanna and Franklin avenues. Its corner cafe catered to hotel guests and passersby, offering both a quick lunch and a full bar. Visible next door is the elaborate entrance to Dreamland, an early motion picture theater.
2019: The Lackawanna Valley House catered to guests for almost 100 years before it was destroyed by fire in 1951. Dreamland was less long lived — the theater shuttered in 1913. Today, the corner is occupied by the Scranton Enterprise Center, a business incubator managed by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
Photo from “Wish You Were Here: A Picture Postcard History of Lackawanna County”; research courtesy of Lackawanna Historical Society