Plymouth in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Abijah Smith & Company

Photographed by PaulwC3, August 3, 2013

1. Abijah Smith & Company Marker

Inscription. Established 1807 by Abijah Smith, who had bought 75 acres here on Ransom Creek and was later joined by his brother John. Their shipments of coal by ark down the Susquehanna, begun in 1807, continued for 20 years. This company was, in 1818, the first to extract Pennsylvania coal by powder blasting. In the same family almost 70 years, it was considered the first commercially successful U.S. anthracite firm.

Erected 1989 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1807.

Location. 41° 14.117′ N, 75° 57.686′ W. Marker is in Plymouth, Pennsylvania, in Luzerne County. It is on West Main Street (U.S. 11) 0.1 miles south of Coal Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 747 West Main Street, Plymouth PA 18651, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Pennsylvania’s Anthracite Coal Region,

in the Wyoming Valley,

and in Greater Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Shawnee Fort (a few steps from this marker); Veterans and Pioneer Families Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Civil War Memorial (approx. half a

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mile away); Sephaniah Reese (approx. 0.7 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); 28th Infantry Division Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Vietnam War Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Sergeant Sherwood Baker (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Plymouth.

Also see . . . The Pittsburgh Press: The first American Coal Man. (Submitted on September 21, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia.)

Wide view of the Abijah Smith & Company Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by PaulwC3, August 3, 2013

2. Wide view of the Abijah Smith & Company Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,448 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 19, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photos of the site of the Smith Coal Mines • Can you help?