April 14, 2016
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP
April 14, 2016 • 5:30 p.m.
Clymer Library, 115 Firehouse Road, Pocono Pines, Pa.
Attendees: 37 members and guests
Speaker: Martha Capwell-Fox, National Canal Museum, Easton, “The Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor-Cradle of the American Industrial Revolution.”
Secretary Jeanne Dyer called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Member Jim Forcella led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. Members and guests were welcomed and reminded to rejoin or become a new member of HATT. Forms are available at check-in.
Jeanne reminded the attendees of the programs for the next two meetings.
The May 12 program presented by Bruce Denlinger will be a presentation about “Ben Franklin’s Religion.” That meeting will be at the Clymer Library at 5:30 p.m.
The June 9 meeting, presented by Gene Kerrick, will be held at the Stoddardsville Heritage Center and Cemetery. This event will require reservations, with four groups of up to 15 people will be given tours through the center and cemetery. Information about this event will be available at the May meeting and on the web site.
Presentation: Jeanne introduced Martha Capwell-Fox from the National Canal Museum in Easton, who gave a presentation entitled” The Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor-Cradle of the American Industrial Revolution.”
In Carbon County in 1792, Philip Ginder literally stumbled onto anthracite coal under a fallen tree. He showed his find to Jacob Weiss, who bought land in Carbon County in order to quarry the coal close to the surface.
It was then discovered that there were large amounts of anthracite coal in the ground in Mauch Chunk, Columbia County, and the Wyoming Valley, three regions which would soon become an energy storehouse for the United States as coal replaced firewood for heating.
By 1827 it was known that for anthracite coal to burn hot and well, an updraft was needed. Once the coal could be heated well it became useful for heating and for smelting iron. In 1832 coal was transported to Easton and Philadelphia by means of rivers, ditches, and a gravity railroad.
In 1838 David Thomas, a Welshman, was persuaded to come to Pennsylvania to construct an anthracite-fired furnace, which was needed to make large quantities of high quality iron. The iron/steel industries remained important to the region throughout the 19th century.
In the late 1800s and the early 1900s, zinc deposits, slate deposits, limestone (cement rock), and steel became important industries in the region. Silk was brought to the area from China, and the miners’ wives worked in the mills, making it possible for the miners to strike for better working conditions.
By the late 1930s and early 1940s, the Delaware and Lehigh canals shut down. Until that time mules were used to deliver coal to the area.
In 1989 the Delaware Canal became a 165-mile recreational nature trail, extending from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeanne Dyer, secretary
