A Special Urban Park

Nay Aug Park sits in 73 wooded acres in Scranton. The name Nay Aug traces its origin to the Munsee Indians, a sub group of the larger Lenape tribe. In their language Nay Aug means “noisy water or roaring brook.” The Munsee settled along the banks of the Roaring Brook and were a peaceful group mostly committed to fishing and farming.

Nay Aug Park was established in 1893. Scranton’s 9th Mayor, W.L. Connell directed the purchase of 2 acres of land in the city’s east side from the Beckett Estate. The early years were a boom for the citizens of Scranton and the park. The population was growing and leaders had the foresight to realize the need for a place to gather. The city purchased five more acres of land from the Beckett Estate. Scranton received donations of land from the Watres Estate and Lackawanna Iron and Coal which owned the majority of land the park now occupies.

There was an amusement park located on the eastern side which was called Luna Park. It opened in 1906 and met with a disastrous fire in 1916. It never recovered and subsequently closed for good. The land was incorporated into what is now Nay Aug Park. The park today contains a variety of attractions and hosts a wide array of activities throughout the year,

The Everhart Museum, the largest in the northeast, houses artifacts related to natural history, science and art.
A portion of the park was once a zoo.
The David Wenzel Treehouse is a really impressive and unique structure built in 2007.
A great view down into Nay Aug Gorge.
I love the way this house seems perched on the hillside.
A little excitement in the air from the treehouse.
Some of the old zoo buildings have been converted to Street Cats, an adoption and spay and neuter charity for feral cats.

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