09/04/2026
OHriginally from PA — and visited relatives who lived in the Wilkes “Berry” and Scra (t)in area 😉 Often traveling from Lankisstir (Lancaster) LOL
Wilkes-Barre Residents Confirm Nobody Actually Knows How to Pronounce Wilkes-Barre
After more than 150 years, residents have made absolutely no progress determining how to pronounce the city they live in. Depending who you ask, it’s Wilkes-BEAR, Wilkes-BAR, Wilkes-BARRY, or some fourth pronunciation known exclusively to people whose family has lived here since coal was invented.
People born three blocks apart will say it differently, then look at each other like one of them just moved here from Ohio. GPS says one thing. News anchors say another. Your grandmother had her own version. And somewhere in Luzerne County, a 74-year-old man is currently explaining why every single one of them is wrong.
Officials recommend picking a pronunciation, saying it confidently, and correcting everyone else.