Steamtown National Historic Site, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was the site of steam railroad facilities for freight and passenger traffic and of the service and repair of locomotives. In 1853, the American iron manufacturers George and Selden Scranton, for whom the city is named, founded the facilities as a way to efficiently haul their iron products. The purpose of the historic site is to further public understanding of steam railroading and the effects it had on the development of the United States.
In the late 1800’s, the United States experienced a demand for anthracite, a hard, clean-burning coal found in Pennsylvania. George and Selden Scranton merged three railroads to form the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad (DL&W). At its height, the DL&W operated 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) of track and employed thousands of people.
In 1925, diesel-electric locomotives began replacing coal-burning steam locomotives. In 1949, the DL&W’s steam locomotive repair shop in Scranton closed. By 1960, the DL&W had merged with one of its competitors, the Erie Railroad, hoping to avoid economic collapse. The Erie Lackawanna was later taken over by Conrail, which abandoned the Scranton railroad yard in 1980. Conrail in the northeastern United States became part of CSX Corporation.
Steamtown National Historic Site covers part of the former Scranton Yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The site has a large collection of steam locomotives and freight and passenger cars. Also on site is a theater, visitor center, history museum, technology museum, and restoration shop. At certain times of the year, visitors may take a ride on one of the steam locomotives.
In 1986, Congress established Steamtown National Historic Site. Beginning in 1988, visitors were welcomed, though the site was still under construction. The site’s official grand opening took place in 1995. The National Park Service maintains and operates the buildings.
