When Kirby Park opened to the public in 1924, some 50,000 visitors attended the celebration. They clamored across the Market Street Bridge or made their way down the west side avenues — most on foot, some in cars or trollies. Of those gathered at the park that day, likely none would have assumed that this beautiful, tree-spotted meadow would become a defining characteristic of the region for the next hundred years.

When the fanfare cooled and the dignitaries rolled away in their Packards and Model Ts and the trampled grass regained its spine, Kirby Park returned to quiet

And those who showed up merely for the spectacle returned to their offices and warehouses across the river and to their trolley traffic, and their jobs on the railroad or in the colliery. Their minds and their bodies settled back into work. For so many, though, that sprawling park, rolling out like green riffles extending from the Susquehanna, remained a vision of something dreamlike. It was a place where shovels and hammers and glowing furnaces ceased to exist – a place that eluded their best efforts and labors within the confines of the city.

The people’s park

And so, the story of Kirby Park carried on. Through the Great Depression, multiple floods and the slow end of an era for the city’s foundational industries, the park remained. Sometimes, it was just a place to escape and find yourself alone. In others, it transformed into a community gathering ground where local events and celebrations brought together many of the valley’s towns and villages.

A short-lived zoo near the riverbank housing bears, monkeys, buffalo and more drew thousands to the park during the 1930s. The zoo’s location however, left it vulnerable to regular flooding. And once the levee was raised in 1936, the zoo only lasted another 4 years before closing. The original bandstand, wading pool with sand pits and the caretaker’s cottage met the same fate. Fortunately, this area of the park is still accessible today via the Olmsted Trail.

Embracing the faster-pace of the world

By the middle of the century, Post-WWII Kirby Park took on an ever-changing Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Valley. The streets filled with automobiles and buses. Parking had become a necessity. People were on the move – spreading out from the city center into neighboring suburbs where grassy lawns were more common.

And while a new generation found themselves able to carve out their own little patches of paradise, Kirby Park’s acres of unbounded recreation and vast green spaces continued to hold its allure for visitors. The park, for the most part, had become synonymous with the city and the region in general. Everyone knew it. Whether it was the annual Easter Egg Hunts, the smoky sky after the 4th of July celebrations or playing make believe on the old red fire truck, everyone had a memory tied to it.

A Regional Hub of Relaxation and Recreational Sports for All Ages

Softball, football, rugby, running and tennis to name a few

Throughout those early decades, Kirby Park had established itself as a destination in the Wyoming Valley. In the later 20s, it became a popular locale for regional recreational sports teams. The athletic fields were regularly used for local and traveling athletic exhibitions.

Today, softball and baseball fields have become some of the more popular draws in the park. Wilkes-Barre City hosts several recreational adult softball leagues on the main softball field. And the un-fenced ball fields on the park’s interior are always in demand for pick-up games and practice.

Home of the friendly, neighborhood pickup game

The sprawling flat meadows in front of the levee are often the site of rugby matches, flag football games, frisbee, fetching dogs and always a traditional “Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl.” Toward the back side of the park, the familiar pop of tennis balls can be heard from the well-kept tennis courts. And, on sunny days all year, runners, walkers and cyclists take to the Levee Trail and the track.

Today’s Kirby Park Strives to Offer Something for Everyone

Recent decades welcomed the addition of pavilions, a pond, the centrally-located Martz Pavilion and state-of-the-art playgrounds

It’s a common sight on any fair-weather weekend to see families setting up picnics at the pavilions. The upgraded Luzerne County Levee Trail  features a lighted and paved surface where you can pair walks with beautiful views across the river. The path was also extended to connect with neighboring Nesbitt Park via a trail running underneath the Market St. Bridge.

Recently, the ADA-compliant walking path through the park was extended to offer easier access to the pavilions and the pond. The path also serves as a fitness trail with stops along the way that feature static exercise activities like pull-up bars and balance beams.

Every child welcome

Throughout the years, one of the most notable features at Kirby Park was the playground. It was an escape from the yard for many city kids and a reprieve for grandparents babysitting their grandchildren during the summer. The playgrounds have taken on many forms over the years. My memory is locked on the giant timber frame playhouse structure of the 80s with shiny steel slides and splinters for days.

So long splinters

Today, Kirby Park boasts two safe, state-of-the-art playgrounds. One, for all abilities, features swings, playhouses, slides a zipline and more. The more recently completed adaptive, special needs playground right next door offers 11 pieces of ADA-compliant playground equipment. Together, these gems of the park are some of the most inclusive playgrounds in the region.

Don’t forget those snow days

For some, it may seem normal to simply forget about a municipal park in the dead of a NEPA winter. But aside from flood protection, that big, beautiful levee also happens to serve as the premier sledding hill in the Wyoming Valley. Since the levee was initially raised in 1936, it was a snow day hotspot for local school children and teens. And so it remains nearly 90 years later.

Still a Preferred Gathering Place in NEPA

While many would associate Kirby Park with the Annual 4th of July fireworks celebration, it has grown into one of NEPA’s most popular spots for seasonal festivals, small carnivals and local cultural events

Every April, the park celebrates its annual Cherry Blossom Festival with live music, food vendors, rides and games. The event, regularly seeing thousands of weekend visitors, has grown into a local favorite. The park also hosts plenty of 5Ks and charitable walks throughout the year as well as many community organization events.

And this year, Visit Luzerne County along with the City of Wilkes-Barre will host its first Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Homerun Derby. The October event honors the legend of Babe Ruth’s longest homerun, which was hit from Artillery Park and landed in Kirby Park. The knock was an estimated 650-feet. And, of course, it’s equally disputed and heralded to this day. Kirby Park even features an informative kiosk at the spot where the ball is believed to have landed.

Here’s to 100 years!

Few cities of comparable size to Wilkes-Barre can claim their own sprawling green space. In fact, vast, municipal parks like Kirby Park are essentially remnants of a bygone era. Sure, many towns and cities are reclaiming old industrial sites and flipping them back to nature. And rightfully so. But the era of the grand scale nature park proportionate to the likes of Central Park, or even yes, our very own Kirby Park are unfortunately a luxury of the past. We should count ourselves lucky to have this special place right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

And it was all just a simple idea – a place to escape; to relax. From its inception, Kirby Park was a little slice of green grass under a shade tree, where on a sunny Sunday afternoon, you’d lay your hat down and listen for that whistle that never came calling. It belonged to them, each and every one who laid eyes on it, in some small, meaningful way.

And it still does. Happy Birthday, Kirby Park!