SCRANTON'S NORTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PART 1

"Field Stone" the Thomas E. and Evelyn Wisner Jones residence designed by architect E. G. W. Dietrich in 1887

Located one and a half miles from Scranton's Courthouse Square directly northwest along Washington Avenue is the beautiful neighborhood of Green Ridge. Back in 1877, this area laid beyond the bounds of Scranton's development. A prime tract of land between the Lackawanna River and Forest Hill Cemetery belonged to William Von Storch. Augustus Frothingham and his son Arthur identified the development potential of this property with its scenic landscape and close proximity to the rapidly growing city but were unsuccessful in negotiating a sale with Von Storch. On November 30, 1886, the Suburban Railway Company opened the nation's first electric streetcar line with service from downtown Scranton to Green Ridge. In March 1887, Arthur Frothingham finally purchased the Von Storch property for $40,000 with a vision to develop a park like setting for fine residences. For the development of North Park, Frothingham transferred ownership of the property to his attorney Edward B. Sturges, also the president of the Suburban Railway Company, and his uncle Robert E. Hurley. In August 1887 the Scranton Republican described the improvements to North Park: "From Sanderson-avenue to Washington-avenue the strip of land, 41 rods wide, has been laid out in park form. A winding road runs the whole length with curving drives into Monsey and Capouse-avenues. The road is good hard firm driveway with young trees on either side. The arrangement of the avenues affords fine chances for sightly building lots. It's a good place for a young man to buy a lot and build upon it the ideal home he expects to have one day". These curving drives are today's Electric and Sunset Streets.

Sturges and Hurley plan for "North Park" published in the Scranton Republican on August 2, 1887 

Extract from Pl. 9 of Baist's 1894 Atlas of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys showing North Park

In 1887, Thomas E. Jones and his wife Evelyn Wisner Jones commissioned architect E. G. W. Dietrich to design a magnificent stone and shingle home situated prominently at the corner of Green Ridge Street and Adams Avenue. In 1884 and before her marriage, Dietrich had already designed a striking Shingle style home for Mrs. Jones in Warwick, New York. Edward B. Sturges must have greatly admired Dietrich's design of the Jones's new home which was just one block west of his own residence on N. Washington Avenue. Sturges and Hurley hired Dietrich to design many houses for their North Park development. The Scranton Republican confirmed in their September 11, 1889 article that "Mr. T. E. Jones' residence 'Field Stone' has been so much admired that a number of other houses, part stone and frame, are under way... Mr. E. B. Sturges, esq., has plans made for a stone front cottage on Washington-avenue... Messrs. Sturges and Hurley contemplate the erection of some pretty cottages in North Park."  

Edward B. Sturges hired architect E. G. W. Dietrich to design this home on N. Washington Avenue in 1889