Introduction
Jack Hiddlestone chronicles the complete history of this park in the book
Scranton Luna Park. That publication is available from the Lackawanna Historical Society,
232 Monroe Ave., Scranton, PA 18510-2104. The phone is (570) 344-3841.
As such a comprehensive history exists the material on this page is somewhat sketchy.
Otherwise it would be an unnecessary repetition of Mr. Hiddlestone’s work. For that
reason the thrust of this page is to give a few basic facts on the park and to bring scans
of Luna Park post cards to the Defunct Parks site.
Beginnings
The Scranton Luna Park Company was formally organized on March 15,
1906, with Major Thomas Penman as president. Penman also served on the Board of Directors
of the Laurel Line, the Dunmore branch of which formed the eastern boundary of the park.
Thus from the beginning the Laurel Line and Luna Park managements were intertwined. The
interurban built a station complete with platforms and a siding. Great expense (over seven
thousand 1906 dollars) was incurred building a tunnel under the Laurel Line tracks. Such a
precaution was necessary as the big interurban cars received their power from an exposed
third rail.
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However, Luna was one of the few trolley parks to be served not only by the interurban
with which it shared management, but also by city streetcars. Strangely, from the very
beginning Luna Park officials believed that most customers would arrive on the Nay Aug
line of the Scranton Railway Company as service was more frequent. Additionally access
could be accomplished from anywhere on the Scranton Railway system through a transfer
instead of paying an additional fare to the interurban. Park management also believed that
the Scranton Railway would extend its line to the Luna Park entrance. Such an extension
was never to be and patrons walked one-third mile from the city streetcars to the bridge
over Roaring Brook.
One has to wonder why an interurban would back a park on its line knowing that most
patrons would not use its cars to get to the park. However, such ineptness seems to have
characterized the management of both Luna Park and the Laurel Line.
Rides and attractions
Closing
Remains