First Electric Cars
Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
The first street car system in the U.S. built entirely for operation by electric power was at Scranton. It began operation on Nov. 30, 1886. The initial run was between central Scranton and Green Ridge section.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
On November 30, 1886, Scranton launched what is celebrated as the first street railway system in the United States built entirely for electric operation, running between the city center and the Green Ridge section. In an age when most urban transit still relied on horses, this was a bold leap into a new technology. The achievement earned Scranton its enduring nickname, the Electric City.
Why it matters
Scranton's pioneering electric streetcars helped usher in the era of electrified urban transit that would reshape American cities.
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Related events
- · First all-electric street railway in the U.S.
Themes & tags
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