Downtown

Downtown Scranton lost most of its Christmas time luster when Scranton Dry/Oppenheim's ( above) closed around 1980...

... and the Globe Store (above) shut down a little more than a decade later.  Even though the Mall at Steamtown is there, it's not the same.

I went on a Christmas blitz last week.  After attending Marywood University's Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the 2nd, I jumped in the car for the short trip to Lackawanna County's Courthouse Square in Scranton.  I made it in time to see the county's Christmas tree turned on for the first time this season.  That's it above.

While I was there, I decided to attempt to hone my night photography "skills."  Above is the view looking toward the intersection of North Washington and Linden.  The Parking Authority garage is in the middle.  the federal building is off to the left.

This one above actually came out pretty good.  It's the Penn Security Bank building at North Washington and Spruce.  What you can't see here is a really nice Christmas tree display on the bank's first floor.

And finally, looking down Spruce Street, with the Penn Security building on the left and Rite Aid straight ahead.  In the distance, the WEJL radio tower, atop the Scranton Times Building, with all the holiday lights.

Merry Christmas!