The pennsylvania coal company was chartered in 1838 and organized in 1915 in. Series ii contains minute books of the pittsburgh coal company for the period from. A walk through the rise and fall of anthracite might phmc. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, underground coal mining was at its zenith and the work of miners was more grueling and dangerous than it is today. As the coal passed beneath them the boys would pick out the rock and slate by hand. To enter the virtual museum of coal mining in western. Although many miners lived in coal towns such as saint clair, others lived in the patches, or small villages surrounding town. Record group 43, department of environmental resources. Another world examines the history of the bituminous coal mining industry. Part 1 of another time another world examines the history of the bituminous coal mining industry. These mining reports document the productivity and efforts of hardworking pennsylvania miners past and present. Trump says new pennsylvania coal mine created 45,000 jobs.
Miners from pennsylvania and other states formed the united mine workers of america umwa in 1890. Its a great read, i grew up in northeastern pa, my grandfather was a coal miner. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Guide to the consolidation coal company records, 18541971 ais. Windber was found in 1897 by the berwindwhite coal company. Books and some articles relating to coal mining, especially historical. We live on top of high carbon, low ash anthracite coalone of the richest deposits in the world. Virtual museum of coal mining in western pennsylvania by the 20th century society of western pennsylvania. A block of three lessons on mining in western pennsylvania that can be taught in a geography or history class. Pennsylvania mining resources genealogical society of pennsyvlania links to various resources related to the historical aspects of mining in pa. Pennsylvania coal culture resources coal culture projects. Fire damp wrecks the braznell mines near brownsville coal miners naked lamp ignited gas and a terrific explosion followed difficult task of the rescuers great mass of wreckage. The coal deposits are pennsylvanian in age 325 million years.
See more ideas about history, coal mining and pennsylvania history. Idlewild author researching book on western pennsylvanias lost amusement parks. Writing this book, i wanted to know more about him and the life he lived, and the coal mining community that exited then. The lackawanna coal mine opened in 1860 and is set in the northern anthracite coal field, the largest of four coal fields in pennsylvania. Easton, pa canal history and technology press, 1998. In 1888, the western pennsylvania bituminous coal regions inspection. The anthracite fields stretch for nearly 500 square miles across portions of northeastern pennsylvania, while the bituminous fields underlie most of the western. New book examines pennsylvania coal and coke communities in. Abebooks, an amazon company, offers millions of new, used, and outofprint books.
The early history of heilwood a western pennsylvania coal. Coal mining numerous books, both fact and fiction, have been written about coal mining. Roomandpillar mines have been active in pennsylvania s bituminous coalfields since the late1700s. Coal mines a shenandoah veteran points to the many who died young. Bobby hughes, the leader of a local environmental group, has made it his mission to plug this part of minings legacy in the region. How a photograph helped end child labor captured history. Bituminous coal was first mined in pennsylvania at coal hill mount washington, just across the monongahela river from the city of pittsburgh. The final years of the northern anthracite industry and the effort to rebuild a regional economy. A tribute to the coal miners of western pennsylvania. Discover your family history and start your family tree. Nov 24, 20 the site has a searchable database to find coal miner memorials by name, coal mines by name or coal companies by name, in part of the bituminous mining region. Coal mining drainage prediction and pollution prevention in pa online book.
Irwin marcus, history professor emeritus a reference guide to resources on coal mining and associated materials compiled by dr. Other previous mines listed above, congress, rothschild minerou tunnel, are separate mines on the north side of peru creek. Heilwood has a rich historical past, some of which still lies in the foundations and ruins of numerous coal mining facilities silent, unknown symbols of the past. Although bartolettis book is about western pennsylvania coal towns, many in west. Mining resources genealogical society of pennsylvania. Pa mining history department of environmental protection. After the boom, the industry began a steady decline that continues to the present day. Pennsylvania mining families is a firstrate work of anthropology, a fascinating history and a significant contribution to the shelf on labor, particularly as it applies to coal operations. In 1769, two brothers daniel and obadiah gore, opened a mine near plymouth in order to get the coal they needed to burn in their blacksmith forges.
Coal mining and coal towns in western pennsylvania by dr. Coal region pennsylvanias coal region has a rich heritage of coal mining and is, in fact, home to the largest deposits of anthracite coal in the americas. Baker towers jennifer haigh january, 2005 bakerton is a community of company houses, church festivals, and firemens parades. The pennsylvania coal company was chartered in 1838 and organized in 1915 in scranton to mine anthracite coal. The patches consisted of from a few dozen to a hundred frame houses, with a company store and perhaps a chapel.
Early coal mining in the anthracite region pa images of america. These 15 rare photos show pennsylvanias coal mining. The earliest note of coal in pennsylvania appears on a map made. Early coal mining in the anthracite region is a journey into a world that was once very familiar. Virtual museum of coal mining in western pennsylvania. Miners went on strike and organized to gain better pay and working conditions and more power in the work place and patch town. Gray mountain hardcover by john grisham goodreads author shelved 53 times as coalmining. Field and survey books and underground field books give elevation and. The anthracite mining region of northeastern pennsylvania extends over 485 square miles of nine counties. Abandoned village the history of yellow dog, pennsylvania duration.
The new and often roughhewn coal communities that sprouted up during the anthracite boom became rigidly defined places, where elite and often arrogant coal operators built magnificent victorian mansions while their immigrant laborers lived in overcrowded. To rediscover this past, i call upon residents, former residents, and any interested people who may have stories, memories, or photographs of the community to share them with the. Anthracite coal mining region of ne pennsylvania this research guide focuses on resources, images, and other resources specific to the anthracite mined area. The studa mine was operated by the washington county coal co. The following resources are related to pennsylvania coal culture, mining, transportation, and distribution of bituminous coal in western and. Old forge mining history organization bituminous coal region. Additional resources on pennsylvania coal mining include history lectures by dr. May 05, 2020 mining bituminous stories from pa history index to the coal mining districts of the pennsylvania anthracite supports search by county name only, from the 1880s forward. History of anthracite coal mining in pennsylvania wikipedia. Pa state archives mg282 scope and content note pa coal. Additional resources on pennsylvania coal mining include history lectures by. This book set includes maps showing mined out areas and other land use for the anthracite region of pennsylvania. By the end of the american civil war, the coal industry was booming in the u.
By 1828, railroad construction began and quickly spread throughout the. In the old days, coal was cleaned by young boys working over chutes in the breaker. Coke ovens steel historical marker explore pa history mining anthracite explore pa history remembering the pride and pain of pa. Dirty mines is a story about coal mining in pennsylvania. The earliest known mention of coal in north america is of that on cape breton island, canada, in 1672. Mining in pennsylvania was a well regulated industry after the avondale mine. Coal was first discovered there in the late 18th century and commercial coal mining began in the early 19th century with the formation of the lehigh coal and navigation company. Success and prosperity, however, were not shared by all in the anthracite region. Although it was not the first company town built in the northeast, it quickly became the archetype of one. Lackawanna coal mine tour scranton, lackawanna county. This enormous resource contains thousands of detailed coal mine maps that can be overlaid on a variety of base maps for the entire state, including terrain, topographic and road maps, and aerial. I knew that there was a significant coal mining history there.
Royalty records are an account of types and amounts of coal mined from various locations, giving. The account book is arranged chronologically by date of entry. Pennsylvaniamines coal miners, wilkes barre pennsylvania, luzerne county, local history. In the spirit of zinn, we offer a list of books about the pennsylvania anthracite coal region. Books related to the history of the anthracite and bituminous industry in the keystone state. The most serious explosion in the history of the coke region occurred in the braznell mines a few days ago. Nov 17, 2019 given pennsylvanias rich mining history, i jumped at the chance to check out the lackawanna coal mine on the outskirts of scranton. The reader experiences what the mystery of coal mining.
Its neighborhoods include little italy, swedetown, and polish hill. Consequently, bituminous coal production in western pennsylvania grew. The coal company towns of southwestern pennsylvania. If you dont know history it is as if you were born yesterday. Bituminous soft coal was first mined in pennsylvania about 1760 at coal hill presentday mount washington, just across the monongahela river from the city of pittsburgh.
And if you were born yesterday, anybody up there in a position of power can tell you anything, and you have no way of checking up on it. Virtual museum of coal mining and patch towns in western pa. Its neighborhoods include little italy, swedetown, and. Forms part of the frances benjamin johnston collection. In 1992 pennsylvania produced only 65 million tons of coal, but was still the nationwide leader in coke production. Jefferson college in southwestern pennsylvania and, from 195985. Coal mining began in pennsylvania in the mid1700s, fueled by the colonial iron industry. Strip mines and fires, most notably in centralia, remain visible. In 1849, it merged with the washington coal company. See more ideas about coal mining, coal miners and pennsylvania history. Bobby hughes, the leader of a local environmental group, has made it his mission to plug this part of mining s legacy in the region.
Work, enterprise, and ethnic communities in the mine fields. May 05, 2020 produced only this year, this publication contained some details about accidents that occurred in pa coal mines in 1970 and 1971. Field and survey books and underground field books give elevation and other. Nw slope of decatur mountain and south side of peru creek, about 3 miles ene of montezuma, in se4 sec. These 15 rare photos show pennsylvanias coal mining history like never before. I was referred this book by a friend that knew i had family from scranton pa and the surrounding area. The company was founded after german immigrant philip ginder discovered beds of the anthracite stone coal near summit hill in 1791 while out hunting carr. Lu, soo chun, history department, indiana university of pennsylvania grade level. Learning mining history at the lackawanna coal mine tour in. By 1828, railroad construction began and quickly spread throughout the geographic region. Coal mining history, disasters, and tours in pennsylvania.
The struggles of new immigrants for unionization,1890s1930s. Because of an 1869 disaster at its avondale mine in which 110 miners died, laws were passed providing for a second opening to mines and better ventilation. The pennsylvania department of environmental protections office of active and abandoned mine operations has collaborated with pennsylvania state university to produce the pennsylvania mine map atlas. Anthracite coal is a natural mineral with a high carbon and energy content that gives. A map made by the explorer joliet in 1673 shows a coal location in illinois. Mining history as far back as 1755, anthracite was being used to a limited extent as a fuel in homes, but it was not until the period from 1825 to 1835 that anthracite mining became an economically important industry. Gsp newsletter gsp digital newsletters pennsylvania genealogical magazine gsp books. The coal was extracted from drift mines in the pittsburgh coal seam, which outcrops. The anthracite mining industry loomed over the region until its decline in the 1950s. Miners and managers in the american coal industry university press of kentucky, 1985, conflict in the coal industry to the 1980s. Philladelphia inquirer, august 7, 1994 anthracite coal mining circa 1920 youtube, march 27, 2015.
Windber was founded in 1897 by the berwindwhite coal mining company. This website is dedicated to the more than 51,000 pennsylvania miners who died working these mines and quarries, to those that survived, and to those that continue this dangerous work today. Several violent incidences in the history of the u. Western coal company, 18871944 25 volumes, and northwestern mining. Coal region map poconos and endless mountains, pennsylvania. Once a region full of mining towns, the area has since become a tourist destination. Interiors and exteriors of mine and living quarters. Bituminous coal was first mined in pennsylvania at coal hill mount washington. Each town has an eatery that has been open as long as anyone can remember. Elsewhere in the world of coal mining its called a tipple. Early history of coal mining the lehigh coal mine company first used coal commercially in 1792. By the civil war era, coal was king in the united states. Early coal mining in the anthracite region pa images of.
Dec 18, 2015 in more modern times, the surface mining holes have become popular swimming spots in many coal region towns, such as the mile in trevorton, pa or the caves in shamokin, pa. Breaker is a word peculiar to pennsylvania hard coal country. The typical miner and his family lived in a one or twostory frame house, often owned by the mining company. This is done in a large structure called a breaker.
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