Book Review: "Greater Wyoming Valley Trolleys" By Harrison Wick

The documentation, research, and full fledged illustrations shows just how dynamic our boroughs and townships once were while advertising how far we have yet to go to enrich our lives here.

I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news but I've resided in Luzerne County Pennsylvania my entire life. Originally in a rural location near Thornhurst and the Lackawanna Forest and subsequently marrying and relocating towards the inner cities including both Kingston and now Wilkes Barre.

The sites and sounds of the trains and trolleys of bygone days that are now being plowed over and the abandoned strip mines full of coal dust being used as reclaimed land to build brand new schools that I for one would never go near do to the toxicity of said land.
As for this historical work it was very little writing to read but plentiful in historical perspective, past reference points, and showcasing the diamond city in its glamour.
The Hotel Sterling that was originally built in 1897 was visible in one of the Market Street Bridge images and it captured the stunning beauty of this beautiful brick Victorian Chateau in better days.

Unfortunately, not everything old is new again and sadly even the former trolleys out of service could no longer be salvaged & were removed.

In addition, many articles about the last remaining trolleys in our area were recently addressed via local media for which I can provide two local examples with the latter being part of a home: https://www.mydallaspost.com/news/378...
https://www.timesleader.com/news/7487...
To be young again during these times as I've noticed back then Public Square actually had a bounty of trees much like NYC Central Park. It's sad all that hustle and bustle is now lost to the honking horns, impatient drivers, and insanity we now find ourselves residing within as we can one day be glamourous again w/o the need for potholes, torn up roadways, dilapidated buildings, mine subsidences, and bridges in dire need of repair while we payout exuberant amounts to the State Police Pensions via increasing tolls upon our PA Turnpike, Casino Revenues, and Taxes upon our residents. https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvan...
In fact we now pay the highest gas tax yet the swindling continues here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

When I see pictures such as this it makes me which we could go back in time when there's zero debris on roadways, easily accessible roads that are maintained, brick surface rather than paved, and so much more.

Simpler is sometimes better these days..