History & Heritage
The history and heritage of the Anthracite coal industry in the Susquehanna River Valley is profound, touching, sad and inspirational. Through partnerships with local historians, historical societies, professors, educators and Bucknell University, we have gathered a vast amount of information about the Anthracite Coal Industry to celebrate its 250th anniversary.
Family Adventures & Events
Knoebels Amusement Resort Coal Mine Museum
Walk through Knoebels’ Coal Mine Museum – a tribute to our local history where visitors can see genuine tools and artifacts from the mining days.
391 Knoebels Boulevard (Route 487)
Elysburg, PA 17824
800-487-4386
Knoebels.com
The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum
Home to a wide variety of interactive exhibits where visitors can explore science, art, culture and history. Discover local history by exploring their coal mine exhibit.
2 West 7th Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
570-389-9206
The-childrens-museum.org
Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area
An off-road trail system located in Central Pennsylvania’s coal region where riders of ATV’s, SxS, dirt bikes, and full-size vehicles enjoy a trail system on 7,000 acres of land.
4100 State Route 125
Coal Township, PA 17866
570-648-2626
aoaatrails.com
Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine
Tour a real anthracite coal mine 1,800 feet into the Mahanoy Mountain. Deep inside the mine, you will alight from your car and follow your miner-guide as you discover how coal is mined.
19th & Oak St.
Ashland, PA 17921
570-875-3850
Pioneertunnel.com
Lower Anthracite Model Railroad Club
The 3000 square foot model railroad of Pennsylvania’s coal region from Northumberland to Mount Carmel. The model includes 1,400 feet of track and 154 turnouts.
210 East Independence St.
Shamokin, PA 17872
570-204-4437
trainweb.org/lamrrc
Mount Carmel Area Public Library
While in Mount Carmel, stop by the Mount Carmel Public Library to see the coal mining display in the rear of the library.
30 South Oak Street
Mount Carmel, PA 17851
570-339-0703
mountcarmelareapubliclibrary.com
Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts
May 25-26, 2018
The annual Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts kicks off Friday evening, May 25, 6:30 p.m. with twilight cemetery tours. Over 100 vendors will line Market Street on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Market Street, Shamokin 17872
570-850-9121
anthraciteheritage.com
New Year’s Coal Drop
December 31
Gather for food and fireworks to revel in the New Year in Shamokin, PA. The small town decorates a large piece of coal and hoists it on the community flagpole for an annual tradition that began in 1988.
Intersection of Market Street (State Route 125)
and Independence Street
Shamokin, PA 17872
Featured Anthracite Research
Inspired by Bucknell University’s Coal Collections: Local, National and International Stories series presented by the Weis Center for the Performing Arts and the Place Studies program of the Bucknell Center for Sustainability and the Environment, students from a variety of disciplines have collaborated on the development and implementation of a unique, media-rich digital storymap about families and mining histories of Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region.
Kubek: Project
The Emil Kubek Project is a scholarly resource dedicated to researching and publishing the history of the Slavic and Eastern European communities in Pennsylvania’s Coal Region.
Anthracite Stories
The Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Region
It was common for miners to have accidents within and outside of the mines. There were many perilous activities a miner had to perform.
Continuity and Decline in the Anthracite Towns of Pennsylvania
Explore the evolution of the split between what the towns mean to the residents and what it provides them.