Coal patch villages and towns differed from other villages and towns in that they were not incorporated, did not have elected officials and were wholly owned by the coal company which controlled who lived within their confines. Mining resources genealogical society of pennsylvania. The coal region is a historically important coal mining area in northeastern pennsylvania in the central ridgeandvalley appalachian mountains, comprising lackawanna, luzerne, columbia, carbon, schuylkill, northumberland, and the extreme northeast corner of dauphin counties. Pennsylvania s rich coal mining history dates back centuries to the late 1700s and boomed between 1870 and 1930. Even if the miners could afford to buy or rent, there werent any houses for miles around. Dec 24, 2015 community corner pottstown near the top of the 100 most dangerous towns in pa has compiled a list of the most dangerous pa towns based on fbi crime data. The pennsylvania state archives hold numerous collections which pertain to persons either employed in or in some way associated with the anthracite hard coal and bituminous soft coal mining industries of the commonwealth. Nov 02, 2009 pennsylvania s coal and iron police ruled small patch towns and industrial cities for their coal and iron company bosses from 1865 to 1931. In pennsylvania coal region, many are forced to travel. The following is a list of patch towns in and around hazleton. Mar, 2019 at the western entrance of the coal patch town of lattimer, in luzerne county, pennsylvania, sits a roughcut shale boulder, about eight feet tall, surrounded by neatly trimmed bushes. Coal mines large company owned, and small private mines, abounded in this region.
Virtual museum of coal mining and patch towns in western. In the early 1900s pennsylvania had more company towns, which were known as coal patches, than any other state in. City chicken, despite its name does not contain chicken. The town agreed to erect a memorial to jim thorpe and to change their name from mauch chunk. Virtual museum of coal mining and patch towns in western pa. The pennsylvania anthracite heritage museum, featuring a permanent exhibition entitled appropriately enough anthracite people. Few pennsylvania counties bore the imprint of bituminous coal mining more. Red patch was one of the many coal mine patch town neighborhoods in northeastern pennsylvania during the first half of the 20th century. As such, the residents were under the legal jurisdiction of the coal company from work, to the company store, to the law enforcement.
How a 1897 massacre of pennsylvania coal miners morphed. The success of this industry, like its glass and iron manufacturing work force. Within these towns lived the ethnic families that were the coal miners. Coal was discovered in this town in the 1880s and helped launch the areas coal mining industry. A final look at coal towns for posterity pittsburgh postgazette.
Pages in category coal towns in pennsylvania the following 81 pages are in this category, out of 81 total. Today, pennsylvania s distinctive preponderance of independent municipalitiesthe commonwealth is home to more municipalities than any other state in the nationis a direct legacy of this period. 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. Although many miners lived in coal towns such as saint clair, others lived in the.
Large towns had a resident physician, and a traveling doctor visited small communities, checking in at the company store to see if. In vast stretches of pennsylvanias coal region, its hard to get by without a car. Soupie, a meat snack relatively similar to pepperoni, is a traditional coal region cuisine that originated in italy, but since is nearly endemic to small coal region towns. 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. A coal town, also known as a coal camp or patch is typically situated in a remote place and. In the mid1950s, the town was looking to attract industry. Patch house originally erected for the use of coal miners working in the climax mine. The coal companies maintained a doctor who was readily available, and deducted three dollars a week from the miners salaries to cover the cost. In the patch towns, as they were called, houses, schools, and churches were built right next to the mine. A 1922 survey estimated that a little less than half of the states estimated 180,000 bituminous coal workers lived in independent communities. 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, companyowned patch towns. They were paid little, worked hard, and had to live in company towns, called patches. It was the home of a world renown realist artist, nicholas bervinchak. Roomandpillar mines have been active in pennsylvania s bituminous coalfields since the late1700s.
Disappearing coal patches were a vital part of regions fabric. Large towns had a resident physician, and a traveling doctor visited small communities, checking in at the company store to see if anyone needed him. Pennsylvanias coal and iron police ruled small patch towns and industrial cities for their coal and iron company bosses from 1865 to 1931. How a 1897 massacre of pennsylvania coal miners morphed from. The patches consisted of from a few dozen to a hundred frame houses, with a. This is a presentation of historically significant bituminous coal mining towns and structures in western pennsylvania. Moreover, significant features of patch towns were also in their public services. Patch towns each carry their own unique history news. The hundreds of coal mines opened in the region at the turn of the 20th century created a corresponding number of new company towns known as patches. Children in coal towns, like their parents, made their own fun.
Hovanec seems to have made a gigantic leap from her early familial roots planted deep in the coal mining towns of southwestern pennsylvania to the loftier heights of academia. Company house now private residence located near united area, in climax, pennsylvania. Located in newport twp, about 3 miles from nanticoke. This was the coal companys office at russellton, pa. Northeastern pennsylvania, 18 replies wilkesbarre is. After the boom, the industry began a steady decline that continues to the present day.
Some old coal mine centered patch towns had many bars. It was incorporated as a borough on january 5, 1857, and as a city on december 4, 1891. Rather than building new towns in these places, it seems as if. Immigration heritage in the anthracite coal region of. Aug 09, 2015 patch towns each carry their own unique history. 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. Historians with the state say towns are found in 30 pennsylvania counties.
Pennsylvania has launched a hospital preparedness database, which shows the level of available icu bed and ventilators by county. 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. Hazleton is a city in luzerne county, pennsylvania, united states. Exploring the coal region of pennsylvania duration. Jan 10, 2011 some old coal mine centered patch towns had many bars. Coal mining defined life above ground as much as it did below ground. Bessemer and lake erie railroad had housing at russellton for their employees, too.
It struck a deal with the descendants of jim thorpe the athlete to have mr. This is a collection of photos and things as contributed to this site by various folks. 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. Roomandpillar mines have been active in pennsylvanias bituminous coalfields since the late1700s.
Interactive atlas of historical coal mine maps in pennsylvania. Our goal is to examine the rise and fall of the anthracite coal industry, and address issues related to inequities in the community, past and present. In the early 1900s pennsylvania had more company towns, which were known as coal patches, than any other state in the nation. By kara seymour, patch staff keep up with what your neighbors are. Pennsylvanias rich coal mining history dates back centuries to the late 1700s and boomed between 1870 and 1930. In fayette county alone, more than 140 coal communities were created, although the exact number is conjecture. Dec 23, 2001 professor reaches back to roots to write about coal era women. Some areas look more like a moonscape than a part of rural western pennsylvania. Clair provided all of the amenities needed by its residents, boasting a main business district with a range of shops, services, and social opportunities. Big mountain the history of a coal patch town home.
They were built by coal companies to provide housing for the miners and their families. At the western entrance of the coal patch town of lattimer, in luzerne county, pennsylvania, sits a roughcut shale boulder, about eight. Today, pennsylvanias distinctive preponderance of independent municipalitiesthe commonwealth is home to more municipalities than any other state in the nationis a direct legacy of this period. Boom and bust of pas coal towns pittsburgh postgazette interactive. At the western entrance of the coal patch town of lattimer, in luzerne county, pennsylvania, sits a roughcut shale boulder, about eight feet tall. Bituminous coal was first mined in pennsylvania at coal hill mount washington, just across the monongahela river from the city of pittsburgh. Life in the coal mining towns of western pennsylvania. What happens to coal patch towns when the coal was mined out. A tribute to anthracite miners mining, hard coal, and the. Bituminous coal was first mined in pennsylvania at coal hill mount washington, just across. Although many miners lived in coal towns such as saint clair, others lived in the patches, or small villages surrounding town. In fact, between september 2014 and april 2016, the industry as a whole in the u. River and into the lives of the miners and community life out in the coal patch.
Many small company towns, often referred to by locals as patch towns or patches, surrounded hazleton. Throughout the region, coal breakers rose from the ground and loomed over the surrounding patches and company towns, both literally and figuratively. You might be surprised to discover how many empty, abandoned towns dot the valleys and hills of our precious home state. For those without the necessary nickel, the nickelodeon had a long porch in front of it with holes in the walls strategically placed for peeping in at the activities inside. Professor reaches back to roots to write about coalera women.
Deserted patch houses in the abandoned coal mining company town of blacklick, pennsylvania. Academics have made the distinction between north anthracite coal field and south anthracite coal field, the lower. Instead, city chicken is made up of pork and veal, then covered in breadcrumbs and fried. Another nearby patch was the site of a mine accident that same year. Profiles for 428 cities, towns and other populated places in allegheny county pennsylvania. Rather than building new towns in these places, it seems as if weve just let the old ones sit like forgotten children. Northeastern pennsylvania, 18 replies wilkesbarre is definatly becoming a college town, northeastern pennsylvania, 68 replies thieves sayona gulf station on 100 north main keyser avenue, northeastern pennsylvania, 5 replies. Armed with a gun and badge and backed by state legislation, the members of the private police force were granted power in a practically unspecified jurisdiction.
Those onetime company towns are called coal patches in pennsylvania and coal camps in west virginia, ohio and kentucky. 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. Towns such as marianna, daisytown, coal center, and others became company, or patch, towns. Although the patch is gone, the morewood superintendents home still stands, near the mt. Pottstown near the top of the 100 most dangerous towns in. Hazleton is the second largest city in luzerne county.
A tribute to anthracite miners mining, hard coal, and. The national park services monograph on two coal towns states that bbetween 1880 and 1930, america witnessed the dramatic expansion of its coal mining industry. The patches consisted of from a few dozen to a hundred frame houses, with a company store and perhaps a chapel. Coal company mining town of adrian, north of punxsutawney, pennsylvania.
During the 1800s and till the mid 1900s, coal mining and the making of coke for the pittsburgh steel mills, was the largest industry, next to farming, in southwestern pennsylvania. Coal patches in western pennsylvania generally date from the 1870s through the 1920s. The coal company generally provided lots for churches and schools to be built. The history of a small coal patch town located in central pennsylvanias anthracite region. In 1918 ernest had a nickelodeon, where for five cents one could see silent movies and newsreels. The true number of coal towns across allegheny, fayette, washington and greene counties is somewhere around 260, according to chris dellamea, a beckley, w. That prevents many residents from getting the health care they need, leaving them vulnerable to. Pottstown near the top of the 100 most dangerous towns in pa. The towns tended to have few or no elected public officials. Companies built coal patches or camps to provide housing and basic resources for. Disappearing coal patches were a vital part of regions.