What Lies Beneath The Streets Of This Pennsylvania Town Is Creepy Yet Amazing

We all know that coal mining was once a major industry in Pennsylvania, one that helped usher the Industrial Revolution into America— though rarely do we stop to consider the many miles of excavated tunnels that lie hundreds of feet beneath the surface of our state. After a visit to the Lackawanna Coal Mine, where you can take a tour, you’ll feel much more acquainted with our incredible local history.

Wally Gobetz/ Flickr

You'll descend slowly down Slope #190. 300 feet beneath the surface of the earth, you will find yourself in the coal mine that originally opened in 1860. Watch your step!

John Karwoski/ Flickr

Pennsylvania became one of the most valuable places in the world to mine coal during the 19th century, when anthracite was discovered in the aptly named Carbon County. Anthracite, a harder and more powerful type of coal than other types, was created by a unique geological phenomenon in this region of the globe that occurred hundreds of millions of years ago. This event left us with 500 square miles of the valuable substance— and even some black diamonds.

John Karwoski/ Flickr

This is what a mine supervisor's desk would have looked like back in the day. Luxurious, right?

Coal mining was dangerous, low-paid work and often led workers to suffer from chronic illnesses such as the black lung. The immigrant families whose husbands and fathers worked in the mines usually lived in squalid mining towns, while mine owners and operators built themselves mansions. What's more is that the operators would often foster tension among the various ethnicities, in order to prevent a revolt.

Glenn Simmons/ Flickr

The Lackawanna Coal Mine remains at 53 degrees Fahrenheit all year. Its dim tunnels and dusty walls might make you feel slightly claustrophobic— but just imagine how the miners who once worked here felt, spending their days underground and never being completely certain whether they'd see daylight again.

Here’s an old video to give you an idea of what this sort of environment looked like when the mines were open. This footage was taken of a coal mine in Scranton in December 1929.

Have you been to the Lackawanna Coal Mine— or do you know of any other mine tours in the area? Do you or one of your relatives have any stories from this chapter of our history? Please feel free to share, and thanks for reading!