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Annual dragon boat races held on Susquehanna River

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Push on to convince Luzerne County residents to participate in Census

<p>What is now a parking lot at East Market Street and South Pennsylvania Avenue, formerly called Canal Street, in Wilkes-Barre stood one of the city&#8217;s most elegant hotels.</p><p>The five-story structure with 65 rooms stood for 80 years and was known as the Grand Hotel when it was demolished in May 1975 by the Wilkes-Barre City Redevelopment Authority.</p><p>Its origins began in late 1800s when M.S. Charles had a restaurant on the site. In 1894, the building was purchased by John A. Redington Sr. and it became known as the Redington Hotel, according to a story in the Times Leader on Aug. 24, 1974.</p><p>&#8220;A fine hotel and cafe, corner of Market and Canal streets. This is one of the leading places in this city run on the European plan,&#8221; said a Redington advertisement published in the Wilkes-Barre Record on May 2, 1896.</p><p>The advertisement mentioned the hotel provided breakfast, lunch and supper, and sold the best wines, liquors and cigars.</p><p>Redington made a few renovations including a stone sidewalk to the Lehigh Valley passenger train station to accommodate travelers to his hotel, the Evening News reported July 31, 1897.</p><p>&#8220;It is for gentlemen and it is one of the best equipped hotels in this city. Connected with this hotel is a ladies&#8217; and gents&#8217; dining room,&#8221; stated another advertisement published in the Sunday Leader on Jan. 2, 1898.</p><p>Eight years after purchasing the hotel, Redington bought a smaller hotel across the street at East Market and what was renamed South Pennsylvania Avenue where he demolished the three-story structure and constructed a seven-story hotel in 1903.</p><p>Redington&#8217;s former hotel became known as the Terminal Hotel.</p><p>&#8220;In 1906, the Terminal Hotel was extensively remodeled and enlarged. A mansard roof was added and running water was installed in all of its guest rooms,&#8221; the Times Leader reported Aug. 24, 1974 in a story announcing plans to demolish the structure.</p><p>The main entrance was redirected toward the train station and a larger restaurant was constructed on the first floor, the Evening News reported Dec. 15, 1906.</p><p>&#8220;An office will be completely equipped with telephone booths, a private switchboard and a handsome elevator. On each floor will be a large bath room, equipped with shower baths and so arranged that each shower bath may be used privately,&#8221; the Evening News reported.</p><p>Nearly 30 people gathered at the Terminal Hotel on Dec. 22, 1906, when a 26-year-old barrel of Germany whiskey was tapped, tasted and poured into bottles that were planned to be sold on Christmas that year, reported the Evening News on Dec. 22, 1906.</p><p>The Terminal Hotel had its name changed again to the Milner Hotel in 1937 until 1958 when Nicholas Arnone purchased the structure.</p><p>&#8220;Arnone changed its name to the Grand Hotel and operated it mainly for permanent residents, pensioners and convalescents,&#8221; the Times Leader reported in 1974.</p><p>Following the 1972 Agnes flood, the redevelopment authority changed the face of central city by purchasing and razing buildings, including the Grand Hotel and other hotels along East Market Street.</p><p>&#8220;The redevelopment authority recently purchased the 80-year-old structure and will raze it as part of the authority&#8217;s Industrial park Urban Renewal Project. All permanent guests at the 65-room building have vacated the structure during past months and a ground-level coffee shop has been closed,&#8221; reported the Times Leader in 1974.</p><p>A barbershop was the last business to close at the Grand Hotel.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Grand-Hotel-05201975-tl-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Grand Hotel at East Market Street and South Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre being demolished. Picture published in the Times Leader May 20, 1975. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Grand-Hotel-05201975-tl-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Grand Hotel at East Market Street and South Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre being demolished. Picture published in the Times Leader May 20, 1975. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Milner-Hotel-TL-08291958-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Grand Hotel when it was called the Milner Hotel between 1937 to 1958. Picture published in the Evening News on Aug. 29, 1958. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/web1_Milner-Hotel-TL-08291958-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Grand Hotel when it was called the Milner Hotel between 1937 to 1958. Picture published in the Evening News on Aug. 29, 1958. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Look Back: Remembering one of the WB’s most elegant hotels