Knowing that we have a lot of folks here whose origins are in the "Holy Land" (that's the onion-domed and three-bar crossed towns of the Coal & Rust Belts, particularly those in Pennsylvania, for the benefit of those who aren't familiar with the local usage ), I try to post links of potential interest when I come across them in the course of working on the directory.

Capt'n Clint's Place is a veritable potpourri of material and links to anything and everything you can imagine (lots of useful links there). However, it came to my attention because of its section devoted to a cluster of small towns in the Wilkes-Barre area of northeast PA, when I was trying to find a photo of Dormition of the Theotokos in Freeland (? the oldest parish of the Byzantine Metropolia).

Posted on the site are a significant collection of antique photographic postcards from the region that I suspect will be enjoyed by those who know the area. My particular favorite is here. It shows the 'old' and 'new' temples of St Mary's in Freeland - the old having been moved down the hill to make way for the new. (The site's owner graciously gave permission for me to use any of the photos of the EC churches that I might need for the directory.)

Many years,

Neil

Your attention please: Northeastern Pennsylvania's cities and towns are NOT the "Coal & Rust Belts".
The region is made up of some of the friendliest, hard working, God loving, charitable people in the United States. We love our part of the State for its multiethnic people, its institutions, its beautiful scenery, its cultural life, its recreational opprtunities, its rich history and its numerous church picnics and year round festivals. Our pyrohy, holubchy, pagach, borshch, paska, kolachy, ponchky, kobasa and let's not forget Old Forge pizza are all out-of-this-world.
If anything, we are "The Friendly Belt" - when you visit Northeastern Pennsylvania you're family.
Come see for yourself.

The term "Rust Belt" is not meant to imply anything about the character of the people living in the area that has been referred to as the "Rust Belt."

Amen!

I do see it for myself - usually at least once a month. Does this mean that I can't drive through northeastern PA anymore ? Would Anthracite Belt have worked?

I suppose I could have called it the Pierogie Belt (and defended my spelling as that of an ignorant Irishman, who knew no better) - because the alternative would be that I'd have had to decide between Pyrohy and Pirohi - and, no matter which I chose, I'd be wrong.

Lighten up and enjoy the postcards.

Many years,

Neil