Mahnny City, San Sooey Parkway

We know if you're an Outsider. Just tell us where we live and we'll tell you if you belong here.

Mahanoy City:
Started out as Ma-ha-noy, but to the locals it's "Mahnny."

San Souci Parkway:
San Sooey to us, regardless of what they say in Paris.

Peabody:
Peabody was the governor in Massachusetts, but PEA-biddy is the town.

Barnstable:
Anything other than "BONstibble" makes you one of Them.

Pennsylvania:
Where you from? It's P.A. And it’s not a state; it’s a Commonwealth.

The Avenue:
Live anywhere in Wyoming Valley, with its multitude of Avenues, you'll soon find there is only one "The Avenue" -- Wyoming Avenue on the West Side. There are two "Cross Valley Expressways," but only one gets called "The Cross Valley"; the other is well-used, but mostly forgotten. You can cross the river on the North Street Bridge, the Pierce Street Bridge or the Veterans' Memorial Bridge; they're all the same piece of construction.

Spelling our city's name:
Nobody knows. At one time, it was "Wilkesburg"; later, it was "Wilkesbarre;" currently it is "Wilkes-Barre." With the latest spelling, it had an accent over the last "e" for a while, but that has been dropped. I don't think John Wilkes or Isaac Barre ever saw the place. It's pronounced "Barry," in case you were wondering. Not Bear (that's an animal), Berra (the baseball player), Bar (that's a tavern) or Barray (the French way).