Editing Plains Township, Pennsylvania (section)

===Township status===
[[File:Mohegan Poconos hotelLuzCo PA.jpg|thumb|right|The [[casino]]’s [[hotel]]]]
Large amounts of [[anthracite coal]] rested underneath Plains. In 1808, Henry Stark of Plains succeeded in burning anthracite coal in a grate. This was the second successful attempt in the region (after Judge [[Jesse Fell]]). This resulted in the widespread use of anthracite coal as a fuel source. Throughout the 1800s, [[canals]] and [[railroads]] were constructed to aid in the [[coal mining|mining]] and transportation of coal. The mining industry in Luzerne County boomed. [[Farming]] was a major way of life in Plains prior to the mining industry. Farmland was replaced by great collieries, [[coal breaker|breakers]], canals, and railroads.<ref name="pagenweb1"/>

As a result of the growing population in Plains, it was officially made a [[Township (Pennsylvania)|township]] on November 10, 1851. Plains Township was formed from sections of [[Wilkes-Barre Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Wilkes-Barre Township]] and [[Pittston Township, Pennsylvania|Pittston Township]].<ref name="pagenweb1"/>

At the beginning of the 20th century, Luzerne County was in the midst of an economic boom. Industry, which included [[manufacturing]] and coal mining, drew thousands of [[immigrants]] (mostly from [[Europe]]) to the region. By the mid-20th century, anthracite production was declining at a fairly steady rate. Consumers were gradually switching from coal to other forms of energy (e.g., oil, gas, and electricity). The [[Knox Mine Disaster]] was the final blow to the industry. On January 22, 1959, the Susquehanna River broke through the River Slope Mine in [[Port Griffith, Pennsylvania|Port Griffith]], [[Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania|Jenkins Township]] (just north of Plains Township). The incident claimed twelve lives. In the following months, two of the area's largest coal companies announced a full withdrawal from the anthracite business. Thousands of jobs were lost and the mining industry never recovered in Luzerne County.

In the early 21st century, [[Mohegan Pennsylvania]] (along [[Pennsylvania Route 315|PA 315]]) became one of Pennsylvania's first [[casino]]s. The casino features over 2,300 [[slot machine|slots]], and live tables for [[blackjack]], [[roulette]], and [[poker]]. The casino opened in November 2006. In November 2013, Mohegan Sun opened a hotel (which is connected to the casino floor).