City history
A journey through the coal-rich history and timekeeping evolution of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Chapter one
Earliest documented name
"The term refers to the geographical area of the valley."
No specific indigenous name for this precise site is reliably documented, so the earliest historical regional designation is provided.
Named for Colonel John Wilkes and Isaac Barber
The city name honors figures associated with the early colonial settlement and land development within the Wyoming Valley region.
Chapter two
The adoption of standardized railroad time synchronized the city's schedule with the broader Eastern Time zone.
Daylight saving time was introduced to manage energy usage during periods of national wartime necessity.
Chapter three
Early colonial settlers began establishing permanent communities within the fertile Wyoming Valley region.
The massive expansion of the anthracite coal mining industry established the city as a critical industrial hub.
The catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Agnes tested the resilience of the local community and infrastructure.