Jane Jacobs Tour of Scranton, Pennsylvania
Prior to her famous writing and career in New York City and later Toronto, Jane Jacobs (nee Butzner) started life in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She would go on to be one of the most influential authors on urban planning of the 20th century, best known for her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961). Jane’s vision of cities and neighborhood communities has had a significant impact throughout the world. The roots of that important work can be found in Scranton and neighboring communities.
815 Electric Street
Born May 4, 1916. Moved at age of 4 to a new house at 1712 Monroe Ave.
1712 Monroe Avenue, Dunmore, PA
The childhood home of Jane Jacobs where she lived for 14 years. The daughter of Bess Robinson Butzner, a nurse and teacher, and John Decker Butzner, a prominent and highly respected physician. Jane lived here for 14 years from 1920 to 1934. In 1931 she was awarded third prize in a national poetry competition. Jane moved to New York City in 1934. Later Jacobs would write in an autobiographical sketch in the Nov 22, 1961 issue of Architect’s Journal, “I was born May 4, 1916, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and grew up in a nice old suburb there…”
407 Wyoming Ave
Where Jane’s father Dr. J.D. Butzner had offices, prior to opening in the Dime Bank Building.
George Washington School #1, North Washington Ave
Presbyterian Church
Central High School (no longer extant)
At the age of 15 in 1933 won a poetry competition with Scholastic. That same year she graduated and worked briefly as an unpaid intern for the former Scranton Tribune. One poem she wrote as a high school student, titled “To a Teacher” captured her poetic flair:
The moon, with all her brilliant light
Illumines only space and night.
The starts with but each other’s aid
Stand cleanly out, all unafraid.
Without a light to help explore,
Some things seem clearer than before.
Jane Butzner
Public Library
This Gothic Revival building is where we found a special file in the archives on Jane Jacobs. The file contained her report cards, among other items.
Sources Cited
Singleton, David. “Late urban planner to get plaque at Dunmore Home,” Times-Tribune, April 14, 2011.