|
The GAR Building
305 Linden Street Scranton
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC BUILDING
PENN AVENUE AND LINDEN STREET
SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA
THE GAR
The Grand Army of the Republic was an organization of Union Civil War veterans established in 1868. The most powerful veterans group in American history, the GAR exercised considerable political power on the national, state and local levels. It was virtually essential to have GAR support for political success from 1870 until the 1920's.
The local Ezra Griffin Post was founded in 1879 and reached its maximum membership of 614 veterans in 1900. For many years the group sponsored Lincoln Day Dinners, organized patriotic parades and decorated local cemeteries with flowers on Memorial Day.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War succeeded the GAR when the last member of the local GAR Post died in 1943. Open to any male descendant of the Civil War, the group has attempted to carry on the work of the GAR. Nine members of the Sons of Union Veterans constitute the GAR Memorial Association which owned and managed the GAR Building until 1982. The Association's main role is to maintain the Civil War Museum and Library. Housed in the GAR Building on the second floor, this priceless collection of memorabilia includes weapons, uniforms, ammunition and books from the Civil War.
HISTORY OF THE BUILDING
Built in 1886 by Victor Koch. The ground and second floors housed Windsor Hotel and Saloon in a prime corner location. The Masonic Order occupied the large, ornate hall on the top floor.
In 1901 the building was purchased by GAR, Edward Griffin Post, for use as a meeting hall. It was owned and managed by the GAR Memorial Association after 1943.
The building was a center of influential political and social gatherings during the first half of this century. The ground floor was rented as commercial space and the upper floors were used by various union groups and Eastern Star.
In 1982 the building was purchased by Leung Hemmler Camayd, an architecture, planning and, development firm, for use as its offices on the upper floors and as commercial and rental office spaces on the first and second floors, as well as the lower level. The building was submitted to the PA Museum & Historic Commission and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also listed as a historic structure on the state and local levels.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
Attributed to noted architect, John Duckworth (1860-1912), this building is one of the few existing examples of his work that survives close to the original design.
The GAR Building is one of the best and most magnificent representations of Victorian Romanesque architecture in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The highly ornate carving and molding of the brick work and the ornamental details throughout the building mark it as a true Scranton landmark. The intrinsic quality of design of this commanding and majestic structure is an apt reminder of the power and prestige enjoyed by both the City of Scranton and the Grand Army of the Republic, which occupied the building for many years.
John Duckworth was born and educated in Toronto. He worked under the direction of William Tronig in designing the Canadian Parliament Building. After practicing in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Buffalo, he moved to the flourishing city of Scranton and established his own architectural office in 1884. His work during his 28 years of practice in Northeastern Pennsylvania included over 600 buildings. Among his other works of note are the Jermyn Hotel in Scranton and St. Rose Church in Carbondale.
|
