New Photo Tour: Clarks Summit/Waverly (Abingtons) (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: transplants, salon)

[SteelCityRising]

Good afternoon, everyone! I received a surprise phone call this morning offering me off the day from work (our Lowe's has been trying to cut back its payroll tremendously), so I gladly obliged and headed on up to the Abingtons for my latest photo tour. Within the next hour, I'll be posting over 120 images of only a few select areas of the Abingtons; just as with Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and the Back Mountain, this region is simply too massive to have been able to cover adequately in just one photo tour. Featured today will be the sleepy hamlet of Waverly, the town proper of Clarks Summit, and a few other points of interest in South Abington and Newton Townships.

The Abingtons refers to the following eleven communities of northwestern Lackawanna County that generally comprise the Abington Heights School District:

Abington Township (Including Waverly)
North Abington Township
West Abington Township
South Abington Township (Including Chinchilla)
Newton Township
Ransom Township
Glenburn Township
LaPlume Township (Including Keystone College)
Clarks Summit
Clarks Green
Dalton

This region is arguably the most affluent part of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area; BMW SUVs and Volvo station wagons are the common methods of transport, and neighbors in many subdivisions seem to be in a quest to "outdo" one another with the most stylish driveway entry columns. The school district was rated a few years back as being among the top 100 in the nation, but I tend to think that any area where over half the children are the offspring of surgeons, attorneys, research scientists, engineers, architects, politicians, etc. will correspondingly have better test scores; this is reflective of one's social class, not necessarily of the caliber of the cirriculum.

"The Abingtons" have drawn my ire for quite some time. As Scranton continues to try to reinvent itself as a nightlife hot spot and cultural mecca, residents of the city proper continue to bleed out into newer subdivisions in the Abington Heights School District. I read the property transfers in the Scranton Times-Tribune on a daily basis, and it seems as if there's at least one lot in the Abingtons sold per week to a Scranton family. As the city's tax base continues to erode, it becomes exponentially more difficult to revitalization to continue. I wouldn't mind promoting the Abingtons to others as being a nice place to live if people moving there would make a concerted effort to at least try to patronize city businesses, attend city festivals, etc., but most people in the Abingtons shop at the Dickson City chain stores and thumb their noses at the city for some reason or other. (Even though Clarks Summit would wither up and die if Scranton were to collapse).

I hope that you'll all enjoy touring the Abingtons online as much as I enjoyed snapping the photos! As always, feel free to vote in my poll thread for what area you'd like to see next (I'll probably "bump" that thread back to the first page to make it easier to find). I'd also like to know if you're all even still interested in seeing these photo tours or not? I'm not the type of person who needs "atta boys" at every corner, but I seem to be noticing the number of views and replies to my photo tours progressively decreasing from set to set. If this trend continues, this may be my last photo tour---I don't spend a half-day at a clip and four batteries at a time just for my health; I'm only doing so if I think it can be of any sort of guidance to those pondering relocating to the region. If it's not a help, then please let me know!

[memoriesbre]

I think you do a wonderful job SWB. I haven't been out and about much yet to start taking some photos but would love to add to the tours soon.

I vote for the tours, anybody second that?

[new2pa]

Paul,
since you mention the school district of Abington heights, they may be ranked very highly academically but some of their administrators have a lot to learn about human relationships and how to deal with others. I had an incredibly negative experience when trying to find information about their schools: I won't go into details but while we were willing to consider the town at first, let's just say I will not be sending ANY of my kids to their schools, special needs or not!!! My blood is still boiling from my last dealings with them, and I haven't even moved to the area yet!!!

[SteelCityRising]

My first stop was the Waverly Historic District of Abington Township, approximately two miles north of Clarks Green via Route 407. I drove through this area once before out of curiosity on my way home from Keystone College in nearby LaPlume Township, but I didn't have time that day to stop and saunter around. Today I pulled in and parked in a small dirt lot behind the Waverly General Store and set out on foot for a half-hour to digest the beautiful, historic architecture around me. Waverly truly reminds me of a small Vermont village with its community house, town green, churches, and its smaller colonial and cape cod homes. I noticed quite a few NY plates driving through the village as well, possibly indicating that it's no longer the "best kept secret" of the Abingtons.


Welcome to the Waverly Historic District!



Here's the Waverly Community House, which reminded me of a much smaller version of Independence Hall. This building serves as a community gathering area for the Abingtons, and it also houses a library, the post office, and I believe also a small country gift shop. Being an "outsider" (even though I only live 25 minutes away), I didn't want to stroll inside and risk having everyone stop dead in their tracks to stare at the fresh blood. LOL!


The Waverly Deli


Waverly General Store


First Baptist Church of the Abingtons


Free Methodist Church of the Abingtons---Celebrating its 202nd Anniversary!


Looking across the town green towards the Waverly United Methodist Church.











Some Waverly dwellings


Waverly Barber Shop


Waverly Antiques Store


Loftus Law Firm


(TO BE CONTINUED BELOW)

[new2pa]

PS: I think your photo tours are wonderful but I vote for Moscow to be photographed next!!!

[SteelCityRising]

After leaving Waverly, I headed back to Clarks Summit. I first parked along Claremont Avenue to capture scenes from downtown and from the hilly area on the east side of town towards Clarks Green, and I then moved my car to Davis Street to capture the west half of town. Clarks Summit is decidedly the "hub" community of the Abingtons. Its downtown may be small (only about 2-3 blocks in length), but it packs a bunch with a wide array of upscale stores and restaurants. The only downside to the town proper is the horrible traffic congestion along State Street (Clarks Summit's version of "Main Street"), as you have to wait for people to stop for you in order to cross the street.


Everything Natural Organic Market (one of my favorite haunts when I have some loose change to burn!)


O'Boyle Real Estate, Sole to Soul Footwear, and Daddy Moe's Cafe.


Paul's Barber Shop (Who knew I opened a business? ), Paulette's Pretty Purses, The Jewelry Room


United Colors of Benetton


RD Studio Salon (Wow! You can barely make out my reflection in the glass just in front of the Rav 4! Cool!)


Taylor Hobby World. This long-time downtown fixture joins the former Tudor Bookstore & Cafe in being the latest independent retailer in Clarks Summit to go out of business, citing stiff competition from the "big boys" in Dickson City. My father and my uncle used to frequent Taylor Hobby because it was the largest local purveyor of wine-making supplies. I guess they'll have to find a new place now. STUPID CHAIN STORES TICK ME OFF!


Bunnell Hardware, located between Taylor Hobby World and the old fire hall. I wonder how long until this mom-and-pop folds too under pressure from nearby Home Depot and Lowe's in Dickson City? As I said, the people of the Abingtons couldn't care less about supporting their own independent merchants as long as they can save a buck or two by driving to Wally World in their $35,000 luxury SUVs.


PNC Bank


A downtown scene with the clock tower.


Clarks Summit Post Office, 18411


Here's what appears to be a commercially-zoned home along the main drag in town. I saw two men on the sidewalk in front of the place struggling to keep what looked like zoning maps from blowing away in the wind, possibly indicating a new upcoming business venture (or at least permit application?)


The very popular State Street Grille. There's live jazz music on Wednesday evening, if I'm not mistaken. A female friend and I dined here once for lunch on our way home from Tunkhannock, and I had a portobello burger to die for! Yum!


The Summit Diner---the cute little hangout for the Abington resident on a shoestring budget (oxy-moron?) LOL! I've eaten here before as well with my ex, and we both enjoyed sitting and watching the traffic pile up outside.


I must admit I wasn't sure what this building was. I thought it was the town hall judging by the flag and the brick facade, but the "Frontier" logo makes me think it may have been some sort of office building.


Highland Associates, a major local architectural firm. The owner of the firm is the father of a kid I used to go to school with here in Pittston. His own house is quite the brick masterpiece in one of Pittston's ever-expanding housing developments, so I'd recommend his firm if you're planning to build a new home in the Abingtons.

(TO BE CONTINUED BELOW)

[SteelCityRising]

After leaving downtown, I snapped some photos of the town's neighborhoods. First, I'll show you the area wedged between State Street and the Clarks Green town line. This area is home to very narrow roads and very steep hills (if you were to draw them on a piece of paper, they'd be pretty close to being a 45-degree angle! I got my workout today, that's for sure! LOL! Some streets in this area include Colburn Avenue, Hutson Street, Nelson Street, Claremont Avenue, Main Avenue, Stone Avenue, School Street, and Highland Avenue.
















What a beautiful view of the west side of town as you head down Highland Avenue towards State Street!


Here are the areas to the east side of State Street, which is likewise hilly, but much less steep:












These homes were generally along West Grove Street, Center Street, Powell Avenue, Marion Street, Electric Street, and Bedford Street (generally the area wedged between West Grove Street and Winola Road and across the street from Clarks Summit Elementary).


Here's Woodridge Circle in Woodbridge, a small dead-end subdivision that branches off of West Grove Street.




Here's a few scenes from along Vosburg Lane in Taroli Estates, another small dead-end subdivision just off West Grove Street.









I took these photos while driving through the Floral Park subdivision, which is tucked back a little ways off of West Grove Street.


My poor car looks so out of place parked along Davis Street. I was shocked to see very few cars parked on any of the streets in town. Here in Pittston's subdivisions, people don't utilize their driveways too much for some reason or other.


Here's the state-of-the-art new fire station along Davis Street.

[rockky]

I just *loooooove* these tours! And they don't even cost us one token!
Thank you, Dear.

[SteelCityRising]

Those of you considering relocating to the Abingtons may want to make a mental note that the Morgan Highway (Route 307) also links the area to Scranton. Most newer transplants clog busy Northern Boulevard in and out of the Abingtons en route to the city, but the Morgan Highway is a much less-traveled artery. Here's some scenes from along this roadway, which runs through rapidly-growing South Abington and Newton Townships.


Amici Restaurant








Fieldstone Estates


United Methodist Church, Morgan Highway


Abington Community Library


Morgan Highway Water Tower



Abington Executive Park, including the MetLife Building





Country Club Place


Home along Country Club Road


Entering Newton Township from South Abington Township






Eagle Way Subdivision, adjacent to Scranton Country Club.




Clarks Summit State Hospital



Undoubtedly the future sites of more McMansions.


South Abington Township Municipal Building


The one-lane tunnel along Shady Lane Road


Jim Dandy's Restaurant


Amore Restaurant


Chinchilla Hardware


A scene from Summit Hills


While in Summit Hills, I took a turn up "Summit Hill Drive," thinking it was the roadway into the subdivision. Instead I came face-to-face with these two UNLEASHED dogs that began to harass my vehicle in the middle of the roadway. Every time I tried to back up away from the dead-end, these mutts would charge at my tires. I'd blare my horn crazily trying to get them to retreat, but that only egged them on. I was hoping the homeowner would come out to restrain them, but, as with most of the snottier residents of the Abingtons, they feel as if they own everything and can permit their animals to do what they please. I finally managed to back down the entire length of the roadway after about ten minutes of inching along, sweating, honking, and trying not to hit them, but I think I may have bumped one of them with my rear bumper in the process. Well, if the mutt got injured, let that be a lesson to you yuppies to KEEP YOUR DOGS ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY! There apparently wasn't any sort of "invisible fence" either, as I thought there may have been, as the dogs then proceeded to run after my car along Country Club Road. The people of the Abingtons may all have college degrees, but they apparently didn't learn too much common sense about adhering to township animal restraint ordinances in the process! After this incident, I was too angered to want to continue, so I cut my photo tour short! Sorry! I mean, what if I were a child walking down the street?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by memoriesbre

I think you do a wonderful job SWB. I haven't been out and about much yet to start taking some photos but would love to add to the tours soon.

I vote for the tours, anybody second that?

Thanks, Rosanna! As I said, I don't really need compliments, just more "views" to my threads. I've been watching the number of views to each new tour slump progressively lower and lower from my wildly-popular first tour of Downtown Scranton, and I worry that at some point, I'll end up spending a half-day snapping photos that nobody will see. If people take a gander at this one, then I'll be back in full force next week with my next tour of the North Pocono School District (Moscow Area).