Wilkes-Barre Twp. comes together for semiquincentennial

Wilkes-Barre Township celebrated its semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) on Saturday afternoon at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. That means that Wilkes-Barre Township is older than American Independence and Pennsylvania’s ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Two and a half centuries after its founding, Wilkes-Barre Township has a lot to celebrate. Within its borders are the Wyoming Valley Mall, Wilkes-Barre Commons, “Three-O-Nina” the brown cow, and the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, where most of Saturday’s festivities took place.

Before the celebration moved to the arena’s parking area, the day kicked off with a parade through the township and a memorial dedication lead by Mayor Carl Kuren.

Father John Terry provided the opening prayer at the memorial, followed by cermonial cannon fire and a singing of “God Bless America.” The morning performances continued with a pipe and drum band playing “Amazing Grace.”

“There were a lot of people with tears in their eyes,” Kuren said of the public’s response.

The parade and its watchers were then directed toward the arena, where food and drink vendors, a bandstand, and an antique car show awaited. That’s in addition to the fireworks that capped off the night, which followed a headlining performance from Eddie Day & the Starfires.

In order to make the celebration work, Kuren assembled a team of volunteers, workers and committee members to prepare the arena’s parking lot for the crowd and make sure things stayed on track once guests started to arrive. A number of community members and organizations pitched in as well.

“The American Legion, they helped a lot,” Kuren said. “Then you had The Ladies’ Auxilliary. A bunch of ladies there, they help us with everything we have.”

Kuren also pointed out the local Conservation and Friars clubs as being particular helpful groups in bringing the celebration to life.

“I’m very proud this turned out the way it is,” said Kuren.

The semiquincentennial brought out a number of vendors with close ties to Wilkes-Barre Township.

For example, Gail Pukatch was representing St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church. She was helping other members of the church community sell nut and poppy seed rolls, a signature delicacy that goes back generations in the church’s long history.

Gail identified herself as a third-generation member of the church. The first generation — contemporaries of Pukatch’s grandparents — were its founders.

Pukatch noted the township’s status as a melting pot for European immigrants who went through Ellis Island around the turn of the century, including her grandparents.

“Look at what’s in Wilkes-Barre Township now,” Pukatch said, pointing to the shopping areas and hospitality buildings that surround the Mohegan Sun Arena, before redirecting her eyes to the pavement at her feet.

“You know what was here? Strip mines.”

“It’s just amazing what Wilkes-Barre Township has become,” said Pukatch. She chalked up much of the municipality’s success to the construction of Interstate 81. Referencing a south-north trip she recently took along the highway, Pukatch said that not many areas directly off of I-81 exits appear to be as bustling as Wilkes-Barre Township.

“After you leave here [and travel north on I-81], even in Scranton you don’t see this,” said Pukatch. “You don’t see this again until you hit Syracuse… It’s a long haul.”

Mike Jagodzinski played a dual role at the celebration, as both a member of the Conservation Club, and the owner of food vendor Yogi’s Potato Pancakes. He said that everything that is earned by Yogi’s at the celebration will go back into the Conservation Club.

Jagodzinski shared admiration for the planning of the celebration, citing the tight schedule of events and the success of the morning parade.

He expressed some concern with the afternoon heat, but, considering the essentially cloudless sky, Jagodzinski was quickly able to find a silver lining.

“We’ll take the sun over the rain,” he said. “It’s way worth it. We’ll do well.”