Editing Coaldale, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Coaldale, Pennsylvania
|other_name = 
|native_name = 
|nickname = 
|settlement_type = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
|motto = 
<!-- images and maps ----------->
|image_skyline = Coaldale Town Hall, Schuylkill County PA.JPG
|imagesize = 
|image_caption = Coaldale Town Hall in July 2015
|image_flag = 
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|blank_emblem_size = 
|pushpin_map = Pennsylvania#USA
|pushpin_label = Coaldale
|pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption = Location of Coaldale in [[Pennsylvania]]
|pushpin_mapsize = 
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Pennsylvania]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania|Schuylkill]]
|government_footnotes = 
|government_type = Borough Council
|leader_title = Mayor
|leader_name = Herbert Whildin
|leader_title1 = 
|leader_name1 = 
|leader_title2 = 
|leader_name2 = 
|leader_title3 = 
|leader_name3 = 
|leader_title4 = 
|leader_name4 = 
|established_title = Settled
|established_date = 
|established_title1 = Incorporated
|established_date1 = 1906
|area_magnitude = 
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2 = 5.63
|area_land_km2 = 5.63
|area_water_km2 = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi = 2.17
|area_land_sq_mi = 2.17
|area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
|area_water_percent = 
|population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_note = 
|population_total = 2426
|population_density_km2 = 430.58
|population_density_sq_mi = 1115.40
|timezone = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = EDT
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|coordinates   = {{coord|40|49|20|N|75|54|36|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes = 
|elevation_m = 
|elevation_ft = 968
|postal_code_type = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code = 18218
|area_code = [[Area codes 570 and 272|570 and 272]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 42-14600
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1215545
|website = {{URL|http://coaldaleborough.org/}}
|footnotes = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|image_map = File:Schuylkill County Pennsylvania Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Coaldale Highlighted.svg
|map_caption = Location of Coaldale in [[Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania]]
}}
'''Coaldale''' is a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in [[Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania]], United States. Initially settled in 1827, it was incorporated in 1906 from part of the former Rahn Township; it is named for the coal industry&mdash;wherein, it was one of the principal early mining centers. Coaldale is in the southern Anthracite Coal region in the [[Panther Creek Valley]], a tributary of the [[Little Schuylkill River]], along which [[U.S. Route 209]] was eventually built between the steep climb up [[Pisgah Mountain]] from [[Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania|Nesquehoning]] (easterly) and its outlet in [[Tamaqua, Pennsylvania|Tamaqua]], approximately five miles to the west.
 
The town is virtually joined at the hip to nearby [[Lansford, Pennsylvania|Lansford]], to its immediate east&mdash;as both were founded as company towns on lands owned by and mined by the [[Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company]] (LC&N) while technically ''on opposite sides of the county lines''. The history, business situation, and fortunes of not just the two, but of three towns, the third being the nearby [[Summit Hill, Pennsylvania|Summit Hill]], located a few thousand feet upslope, were tied in decades of co-development because the LC&N had built the western terminus of the nation's second railroad, the [[Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway|Summit Hill and Mauch Chunk Gravity Railway]] to ship coal out, and opened multiple mines throughout Coaldale and Lansford and the rest of the Panther Creek Valley in the days when railroads were coming into their own. The town has a bus stop with a mural on one side reading: "Everybody's Goal Is Mine More Coal" and the other side reading: "A Car More a Day Means More Pay".<ref name="flickr">{{cite web|url=http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5202/5254221889_ed03572187.jpg|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130906010123/http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5202/5254221889_ed03572187.jpg|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 6, 2013|title=Image: 5254221889_ed03572187.jpg, (500 × 375 px)|publisher=farm6.static.flickr.com|access-date=2015-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://coaldaleborough.org/ |title=Welcome To Coaldale Borough Online |publisher=Coaldaleborough.org |access-date=2014-03-16}}</ref> The area on the western border of the borough is known as Seek.

There is a historical marker for [[Mother Jones]] located in Coaldale, as she organized many strikes and protests on behalf of coal miners around the country for improved pay, safer work environment and child labor laws. She organized a march for child workers that started in Coaldale and proceeded to [[McAdoo, Pennsylvania|McAdoo]]. At one trial for Mary Jones, a prosecution lawyer famously said, "there sits the most dangerous woman in America... to put down their tools and walk out".

Herbert Whildin was elected mayor in 2017.

==History==
The origins of today's Coaldale have their beginnings in [[West Penn Township, Pennsylvania|West Penn]] and [[Rahn Township, Pennsylvania|Rahn]] townships. Rahn Township was formed from West Penn Township in 1860. Initially, the land was developed for its timber tracts, with only a few farms to indicate an attempt at agriculture.<ref>Munsell, W.W., HISTORY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, PA, New York, McNamara Press (1881)</ref>  The beginnings of present-day Coaldale date from 1827, when John Moser and his wife settled there. Moser was born on May 24, 1805, in Tamaqua and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Burkardt Moser, the original settlers of Tamaqua. Upon arriving at a site that is present day Coaldale, John Moser built a log cabin on the north side of what was known as the Manila Grove Park. Today, the [[St. Luke's University Health Network|St. Luke's Hospital]] is located on this site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://coaldaleborough.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=67 |title=History of Coaldale, Pa. 1827}}</ref>

Coaldale (alternatively known in the 19th century as Coal Dale) developed from scattered villages.  The first dwelling houses (other than Moser's) were erected nearby in 1846 in what was known as Bugtown, located along the main road directly below the current St. Luke's Hospital.  Houses were then erected in 1848 at old Coal Dale on the Summit Hill road.<ref name="Munsell History">Munsell History</ref>
   
Gearytown was established in 1866.  That village was named in honor of the then Pennsylvania Governor, [[John W. Geary]].  Houses in Bull Run were erected in 1864 by the Greenwood Coal Co., run by Charles F. Shoener and William Carter (who purchased the nearby breaker of the same name).  Shortly after the mines began working, the population increased, and many new dwellings were built, practically all by the company.<ref name="History of Coaldale, Pa. 1827">History of Coaldale, Pa. 1827</ref> New Wales, or New Coal Dale, began later in 1868 or 1869.  Housing on the line of Schuylkill and [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Carbon]] counties were erected beginning in 1870. Centerville was located on the south side of Coaldale but was abandoned because of mines located beneath the surface.

Coal Dale received a post office in 1871, thereby formalizing the name.<ref name="Munsell History"/> The Greenwood breaker burned down in 1874 and in 1878 the Lehigh Navigation and Coal Co. purchased this property.<ref name="History of Coaldale, Pa. 1827"/> Coaldale was in the midst of the following LC&N mines - Nos. 4–6, Lansford; Nos. 8, 9, 12, Coaldale; Nos. 10 and 15, Greenwood; No. 11, Rahn; and No. 14, Tamaqua.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://amhistory.si.edu/archives/AC0071.pdf |title=Records of the LC&N 1874-1954}}</ref>

Coaldale was historically a coal-mining town, where the entire region was effectively the property of the [[Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company]]. The mine, the railroads the LC&N put in and a small shirt factory were the main historic industries in Coaldale.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Schuylkill_County/Coaldale_Borough.html |title=Coaldale Borough, Schuylkill County Pennsylvania (PA) 18218 |publisher=Livingplaces.com |access-date=2014-03-16}}</ref> Because of the adverse topology, the LC&N took several decades to survey and drive a railbed with a negotiable grade from Mauch Chunk through Nesquehoning, along the Nesquehoning ridge to [[Hometown, Pennsylvania|Hometown]], and then up the Panther Creek Valley from Tamaqua.

Coaldale also became the site of a [[Pennsylvania State Hospitals|State Hospital]] that was established to take care of coal miners. During the early years of mining in the Panther Valley, badly injured miners were taken to Ashland or Pottsville. This took a great deal of time. In 1909, the miners of the valley volunteered a pay day for the construction of a hospital, while the LC&N donated a site for the building and matched every dollar donated. The area chosen for the hospital was Manila Grove, a park near where John Moser had built his first home. The hospital was completed on July 11, 1910.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Coaldale_State_Hospital |title=Coaldale State Hospital}}</ref> and exists today as St. Luke's Miners Memorial Medical Center.

Some notable people come from here including:
*Former pro football player [[Johnny Gildea]] 
*[[George Welsh (American football)|George Welsh]], an all American quarterback at the US Naval Academy and successful college head coach at the US Naval Academy and the University of Virginia 
*Miner-musician Albert B. Morgan, who wrote and recorded his song Union Man in the Newkirk Tunnel in 1946 for [[George Korson]] of the Library of Congress compilation of Miner Songs.<ref>Fowke, E. and Glazer, J., Songs of Work and Protest, Dover Publications, New York (1973), pp. 62-63</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:5th St, Coaldale, Schuylkill County PA.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|Coaldale in July 2015]]
Coaldale is located at {{coord|40|49|20|N|75|54|36|W|type:city}} (40.822234, -75.910115),<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> which is (technically) one mile southwest of [[Lansford, Pennsylvania|Lansford]] as both municipalities lie along the border of [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Carbon]] and [[Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania|Schuylkill]] Counties. It is also five miles northeast of [[Tamaqua, Pennsylvania|Tamaqua]], 27 miles northwest of [[Allentown, Pennsylvania|Allentown]], and nine miles south of [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania|Hazleton]]. It is located on the northwestern fringe of the [[Lehigh Valley]] and just two ridgelines away from the nearby [[Pocono Mountains|Poconos]], and drains to the [[Delaware River]] by way of Panther Creek, the Little Schuylkill River, and the [[Schuylkill River]]. Coaldale sits atop one of the richest coal seams in the eastern end of the southern [[Coal Region]], which is still being exploited by a successor company of the LC&N (called the Old Company in the valley), the [[Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company]] (or the New Company). Coaldale's elevation is 1050 feet above sea level. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough has a total area of {{convert|2.2|sqmi|km2}}, all  land.

Coaldale is served by [[U.S. Route 209]], which runs through neighboring Lansford's business district, serving both municipalities as their main thoroughfare. The borough's terrain is mostly hilly, many of those ancient mine tailings or culm piles, and when not developed, its lands are mostly [[forest]]ed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Coaldale,%20Schuylkill,%20PA |title=Coaldale, PA |publisher=Google Maps |access-date=2014-03-16}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 5154
|1920= 6336
|1930= 6921
|1940= 6163
|1950= 5318
|1960= 3949
|1970= 3023
|1980= 2762
|1990= 2531
|2000= 2295
|2010= 2281
|2020= 2432
|estyear=2021
|estimate=2431
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020—2021|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html|website=Census.gov|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=August 1, 2022}}</ref>
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="USDecennialCensus">{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2013-12-11}}</ref><ref name="GR2" /><ref name=CensusPopEst>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2013-12-11|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=2013-06-11}}</ref><ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 2,295 people, 1,046 households, and 606 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|1,055.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,209 housing units at an average density of {{convert|555.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the borough was 98.34% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.31% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.04% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.26% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.57% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.48% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.13% of the population.

There were 1,046 households, out of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.0% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 19.2% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 28.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $23,362, and the median income for a family was $31,905. Males had a median income of $28,317 versus $18,083 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $14,021. About 8.3% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Architecture==

Coaldale's combined town hall and fire department building was constructed in 1907 to the designs of the Wilkes-Barre architect, [[Owen McGlynn]].

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Church on Ruddle St, Coaldale, Schuylkill County PA 01.JPG|Church on Ruddle St.
File:Ruddle St, Coaldale, Schuylkill County PA.JPG|Ruddle St.
File:Former Bank, Coaldale, Schuylkill County PA 01.JPG|Former bank, 1910
File:Post Office, Coaldale, Schuylkill County PA.JPG|Post Office
File:Coaldale War Memorial, Schuylkill County PA.JPG|War Memorial
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Coaldale, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania}}
*[http://coaldaleborough.org/ Coaldale Borough]
*{{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Coaldale|short=x}}

{{Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1871]]
[[Category:Municipalities of the Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1871 establishments in Pennsylvania]]