Look Back: Public Square scene of Christmas festival in 1923
Nov. 27—Decades before the Wyoming Valley Mall and adjacent shopping plazas were built and today's online shopping taking precedence, people shopped the many stores on and around Public Square in Wilkes-Barre.
What was deemed a "surprise party" by many downtown merchants, an estimated 20,000 people gathered on Public Square to kick off the Christmas season on Dec. 4, 1923.
"The spirit of Christmas time was manifested on Public Square last night to an extent never before witnessed in Wyoming Valley and according to members of Public Square Merchants' Association, Wilkes-Barre's first Christmas party was in truth a surprise party," the Wilkes-Barre Record reported Dec. 5, 1923.
The event wasn't much of a "surprise" as planning for the event began in September 1923 as preparations got underway in November of that year.
"Two thousand electric lights, placed at intervals of two feet each along the inner and outer circles will adorn Public Square during the holiday season," the Record reported Nov. 17, 1923.
An advertisement in the Record on Nov. 29, 1923, promoted the event hosted by the Public Square Association.
"Bands and orchestras will play and a myriad colored electric lights will blaze forth the spirit of Christmas on Tuesday night when Public Square will be the scene of a community Christmas festival," the Record reported Dec. 3, 1923.
Policemen closed Public Square to traffic and the Wilkes-Barre Traction Company scheduled additional street cars to transport throngs of participates.
"Scores of Santas will fill their annual roles of entertaining the children who flock to the toylands and every effort will be made to give the people of the community an evening of ideal enjoyment. Dancing, music, refreshments, practical demonstrations in everything from cake baking to the washing of working clothes are listed on the evening's program," reported the Record.
Stores such as Benesch & Sons, MacWilliams, Duncan & Homer and the Boston Store reserved floors in their buildings to accommodate toys while Joseph S. Coons & Co. cleared their first floor to make room for dancing.
"More than $350,000 in diamonds will be displayed at Jerome Meyer & Sons, and this display, it is said, will be the largest collection of diamonds ever shown in this city," the Record reported.
The event kicked off at 7:30 p.m. when Alexander's band began signing near the Christmas tree in the middle of Public Square.
"Thousands of people wended their way in and out of various stores, children ranging in age from two to 12, crying out in wonder at the unusual toy displays arranged by the various stories," the Record reported.
Burly policemen had a difficult time handling impatient crowds that sought to gain admittance to Duncan & Homer's where the fourth floor was entirely filled with toys, and store employees at Benesch & Sons had trouble directing foot traffic at the double door entrance.
Benesch & Sons gave away a "beautiful cedar chest" as a door prize.
Columbo Cigar Store was brilliantly lighted for the occasion and tug-of-war contests were held outside The Hub.
At MacWilliams' Department Store, where Pomeroy's was later located, scores of shoppers entered the business and were greeted by the Penn-Baron and Gilligan's orchestra.
Young girls modeled the newest collections of dresses for women on the MacWilliams' second floor while wide-eyed children gazed while wondering through the store's toyland, the Record reported.
"Police estimated the number who attended the party as upwards of 20,000. With traffic cut off from Public Square, sidewalks, roadway and park resembled an immense playground. The beautiful lighting effects, the Christmas tree and Alexander's band contributed toward making the occasion a gala one in every sense of the word," the Record reported.
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