April 2019
If you have ever wondered what it’s like to work deep underground, a great place to visit is the Lakawana Coal Mine, a retired Anthracite coal mine and museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Opened by Continental Coal Company in 1903, many of the workers in the mine were European immigrants who came to the area to work in the mines.
The mine was abandoned in 1966, but in 1978, it was re-purposed as a museum run by Lakawana County.
After an extensive clean-up and renovation that included removal of debris, laying a mine car track to carry visitors into the mine, installation of electric lights, and reinforcing of the shafts, the mine re-opened to the public in 1985.
Visitors board a mine car and are transported down the #190 slope, about 250 ft below the surface into the Clark Vein of coal. Once at the bottom of the shaft, the guided tour continues on foot through the mine tunnels, which are around a constant 50–54 °F.
Once back on the surface, visitors can also tour the museum building with displays and artifacts documenting the history of coal mining in Pennsylvania.
The Lackawanna Coal Mine tours run from April 1 through November 30 with the exception of Easter Sunday and Thanksgiving Day.
-
- Entrance to the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- Inside the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- Inside the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- Inside the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- Inside the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- Inside the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- Inside the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- A coal vein inside the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
-
- Map of the Lakawana Mine. Photo: Bruce Forsyth.
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lackawanna_Coal_Mine, https://uncoveringpa.com/lackawanna-coal-mine-tour-scranton
