Mary Portelli, West Pittston Historical Society president, presented a program on the early days of the Borough of West Pittston at the West Pittston Library on Tuesday, April 23.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The map of West Pittston in the mid-1800s on the depicts the five sections of the borough as noted on the right of the slide.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
West Pittston Historical Society President Mary Portelli points to the screen during her presentation of West Pittston prior to it’s incorporation in 1857.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
WEST PITTSTON – Mary Portelli, West Pittston Historical Society president, conducted a program at the West Pittston Library on the early days of the borough pre and post incorporation in 1957.
According to Portelli, West Pittston being laid out in five different sections with one of the largest portion of the town of 700 acres being owned by the West Pittston Coal Company.
Approximately 25 people attended the program where Portelli showed slides illustrating the borough throughout the years.
In the late 1800s, West Pittston housed a three-story hotel along side the railroad tracks called Luzerne House.
West Pittston was also the home of the Luzerne County Fair at the late 1800s into the early 1900s complete with a horse race track.
Portelli said the next event for the Historical Society is the Third Annual First to Fall program on Saturday, June 30, at 2 p.m. at the Jenkins Harding Cemetery at Linden Street and Wyoming Avenue.
There will be guest speakers as well as members of the 24th Connecticut Regiment re-enactors.
