In 1866 , Scranton was made a city when Hyde Park and Providence joined together with the Borough of Scranton . The city had 35,000 people living in it . Scranton was incorporated as a city of 35,000 in 1866 in Luzerne County when the surrounding boroughs of Hyde Park ( now part of the city 's West Side ) and Providence ( now part of North Scranton ) were merged with Scranton .