River coal was neither particularly lucrative nor well-known. While the history of the Anthracite coal region of eastern-central Pennsylvania is thoroughly recorded, the legacy of the river coal industry has been left untold.
This project is made in an effort to preserve and honor the ingenuity of those who made their modest fortune off of river coal. One family's story is related here through the eyes of two brothers who were the last to share in a long-lived family business, and who witnessed the demise of the industry.
In addition to memorializing river coal, this project addresses the critical environmental issues surrounding the coal industry and distinguishes river coal as an industry that attempted to ameliorate the damage caused to the environment by the coal industry at large. The environmental lessons learned from observing the river coal industry should be an inspiration in the struggle to creatively resolve contemporary environmental problems.
Please feel welcome to post comments to the site regarding your own river coal stories or other relevant anthracite region information.
