National Register of Historic Places marker unveiled at historic train station

WILKES-BARRE — “A symbol of our past — a footprint for our future.”

Those words were spoken by Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo at Thursday’s unveiling of the new National Register of Historic Places marker at the historic train station, which serves as the home of Visit Luzerne County, 200 Old Train Station Road in Wilkes-Barre.

“That’s what this plaque represents, and that’s what Luzerne County continues to build toward,” Crocamo said before she and Alan K. Stout, executive director at Visit Luzerne County, removed the white cloth covering the plaque at a brief ceremony. “Today, we celebrate a piece of Luzerne County history that has watched generations of our neighbors come and go, the beautiful Luzerne County train station.

“This building isn’t just brick and mortar. It’s where families said goodbye to sons and daughters heading off to war, where immigrants first set foot in the community they’d call home, where coal and commerce moved through on their way to build the region we know today. The new historic marker we unveil today ensures that story doesn’t get lost to time.”

Stout said the history of the former train station dates back to 1868, when it was originally constructed for the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad.

In 1871, it came under the control of the Central Railroad of New Jersey and became well-known for its passenger trains.

In 1882, the first parlor cars were run from Wilkes-Barre to Philadelphia, and the finest luxury Pullman cars were also run between Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and New York.

Passenger service ceased in 1963, and the station closed in 1972.

In 1975, the building — though abandoned at the time — was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.

Stout said throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the renovated train station — which was then called The Station and Market Street Square — served as a popular nightclub, restaurant, and hotel. It closed, under the name Banana Joe’s, in 2004.

In 2021, under the direction of local developer George Albert, Stout said it was renovated to become the new home of Visit Luzerne County. In 2025, the county purchased the building. The first floor remains occupied by the Visitors Bureau. The second floor is occupied by the Luzerne County Office of Law.

Stout said that, though the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, a historical marker was not likely installed there until 1980, when it was renovated into a bar/restaurant/hotel.

Stout explained that at some point, while the building was vacant from 2004 to 2021, the marker was stolen. Last year, when the county purchased the property, Stout said the Visit Luzerne County office began taking steps to replace it. After receiving the proper guidelines from the Department of the Interior, a replacement was made. It is an exact replica of the original marker.

“The former train station, where we now work and from where we serve the people of Luzerne County, is the last standing train station in Wilkes-Barre,” said Stout. “The entire area, from Wilkes-Barre Boulevard over Pennsylvania Boulevard, and from East Market Street, all the way down to South Street, was all, at one time, a giant rail yard. And there were three train stations on site. Our building is all that remains from that incredibly important part of local history, and today, we could not ask for a better place to house the Visitors Bureau. A big part of our job is to help showcase the great attractions of the county, and this building is an attraction in itself. And we are thrilled to be replacing the proper and official marker, which designates its significance.”

The marker was replaced with the approval of Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo, who gave it her full blessing.

“The replacement of the National Register of Historic Places marker symbolizes Luzerne County’s long-term commitment to the historic preservation of the train station,” she said. “Never again, under our ownership, will this magnificent building ever fall into disrepair. Like our beautiful Courthouse, we see it as one of the crown jewels of the county.”

Crocamo congratulated everyone who worked to make the recognition possible, and thanked the community members who never stopped believing this station’s story deserved to be told.

“But this isn’t only about looking backward,” Crocamo said. “A station, by its very nature, is about movement, about where you’re headed next. As we honor this building’s past, we’re also investing in what comes next for Luzerne County — revitalized main streets, renewed infrastructure, and communities that draw strength from knowing where they came from.”

Tony Brooks, director and curator of the Wilkes-Barre Preservation Society and a member of the Visit Luzerne County Advisory Board, also spoke.

“This is historical preservation in action,” Brooks said. “I also want to thank Richard Kramer, who is with us here today, for filing the paperwork to apply for the historical marker.”

Kramer said he was one member of a committee that wanted to get the train station on the National Registry.

Members of Luzerne County Council and the Visit Luzerne County Advisory Board also attended, and a short slideshow illustrating the building’s history was shown.

“None of this happens without Alan Stout, who spearheaded this effort from the start,” Crocamo said. “Alan’s commitment to preserving and telling our region’s story is a big part of why this community continues to take pride in where it came from — I’m grateful for his leadership and for his staff on this project.”

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