Jenny Gonzalez-Monges felt far removed from the experiences of coal miners growing up as a first-generation Latina in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
"But then you read about their experiences, their struggles, you learn about the garment industry, and you learn about the agricultural industry, with many of whom were of Hispanic and Latino background. And you start really connecting the dots, and you're like, wow ... some experiences and struggles are similar to previous generations, and there is that connection," she said.
Gonzalez-Monges spent a year-and-a-half translating the Lackawanna Historical Society’s new downtown Scranton Walking Tour booklet into Spanish.
The first booklet was published in 2010.
In the new version — called “History Set in Stone" — it’s not just the language availability that’s changed. It's also updated to include the current purpose of buildings, new owners, new restoration projects and previously overlooked spaces. The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority (LHVA) received a grant through the National Parks Service for the booklet.
Gonzalez-Monges is the director of the STARS Program at Marywood University. The mentoring program is open to students of diverse backgrounds but traditionally has focused on youth from the growing Hispanic and Latino communities.
She said brochures, like the guide, are important to have in different languages. If someone is traveling to the region or even plans to establish long-term roots, a guide in their language helps them understand the people who came before them.
"That allows for a better explanation of an understanding of current lived experiences amongst new immigrant community members," she said.
Gonzalez-Monges spent a year and a half translating the guide. She used different translation apps and worked with native Spanish speakers to make sure the translations made sense.
"If they're understanding it, then people who are reading this would be understanding it too," she said.
Gonzalez-Monges and historical society representatives stood in front of the statue of labor leader John Mitchell on the Adams Avenue side of Lackawanna County Courthouse Square to release the new booklet. The society has been giving tours of the square for the past 30 years.
"I loved giving the tour because Lackawanna County Courthouse Square gives you snippets of so much of the county's history," said Mary Ann Moran-Savakinus, executive director of the historical society.
Monuments on each corner of the square honor the city’s early immigrants — Irish, Italian, Polish and Lithuanian. Ukrainian residents planted a Norway Spruce on the square. Those details are found in the book. Many of the buildings surrounding the square were constructed using stone from West Mountain in the late 1800s and early 1900s, also a fact from the historical society that's in the guide.
Sarah Piccini is associate director of the historical society. She created the first guided tour while working for the LHVA.
"It was a great opportunity to be able to update that and bring it out to new audiences," she said.
One of her favorite hidden gems is the cat and dog along with the typical coal miner family engraved in stone behind the Mitchell statue. Those animals and more are part of a Scranton Safari Scavenger Hunt featured in the booklet alongside the history of the city and county and the architecture of the buildings.
Piccini hopes residents take advantage of the guide.
"We always try and reach out to tour groups who are coming in, but it's important also to be a tourist in your own hometown," she said.
The booklet separates Scranton architecture into six distinct districts. There’s also a notable destinations section which features some sites, like Dunmore Cemetery, outside the City of Scranton.
The booklets will be available at the historical society, local history sites, libraries and hotels. United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania will also help distribute the Spanish language version.
The historical society’s small-group walking tours begin on Saturday, June 7. For more details, visit lackawannahistory.org.
