Near Weatherly in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Eckley Miners’ Village
Photographed By Don Morfe, September 29, 2015
1. Eckley Miners’ Village Marker
Inscription.
Eckley Miners’ Village. . Anthracite coal was the heating and iron-making fuel of choice for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Almost all the anthracite came from northeastern Pennsylvania during that time. Eckley Miners’ Village was first opened in 1854 while coal mining was becoming the predominant regional industry. A colliery (breaker), houses, churches, hotel, school and company store were erected over the next 75 years by the mine owners. Both the village and its underlying minerals were controlled by the owners during its 115 years of private concern.
Because the owners made few changes or improvements in the community, the village’s original appearance is easy to see. The village provides today’s visitors with an authentic reflection of life in an anthracite-mining town. That is why Paramount Studios purchased Eckley as a movie set for the Molly Mcguires in 1967-68. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the village from a local preservation organization in 1971 and opened it as a museum in 1975.
Today, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, working with the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and other partners throughout the northeastern Pennsylvania, preserves and tell the story of the anthracite region and its people.
(Inscription under the photo in the upper right) , Coal from Ekley and other mines in the region first traveled to market by way of the Delaware and Lehigh Canals. By the late 19th century, railroads became the primary method of moving anthracite.
(Inscription under the image in the lower right) , Eckley Miners’ Village today retains about 80 buildings, including mine owner’s houses, miners and laborers’ houses, two churches and other service structures. The Visitor Center exhibition and the village tour explain the growth and decline of the village and the way of life in anthracite “patch towns.”
Anthracite coal was the heating and iron-making fuel of choice for much of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Almost all the anthracite came from northeastern Pennsylvania during that time. Eckley Miners’ Village was first opened in 1854 while coal mining was becoming the predominant regional industry. A colliery (breaker), houses, churches, hotel, school and company store were erected over the next 75 years by the mine owners. Both the village and its underlying minerals were controlled by the owners during its 115 years of private concern.
Because the owners made few changes or improvements in the community, the village’s original appearance is easy to see. The village provides today’s visitors with an authentic reflection of life in an anthracite-mining town. That is why Paramount Studios purchased Eckley as a movie set for the Molly Mcguires in 1967-68. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the village from a local preservation organization in 1971 and opened it as a museum in 1975.
Today, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, working with the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and other partners throughout the northeastern Pennsylvania, preserves and tell the story of the anthracite region and its people.
(Inscription under the photo in the upper right) Coal from Ekley and other mines
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in the region first traveled to market by way of the Delaware and Lehigh Canals. By the late 19th century, railroads became the primary method of moving anthracite.
(Inscription under the image in the lower right) Eckley Miners’ Village today retains about 80 buildings, including mine owner’s houses, miners and laborers’ houses, two churches and other service structures. The Visitor Center exhibition and the village tour explain the growth and decline of the village and the way of life in anthracite “patch towns.”
Erected by Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.
Location. 40° 59.72′ N, 75° 51.377′ W. Marker is near Weatherly, Pennsylvania, in Luzerne County. Marker is on Main Street. The marker is near the entrance to the Visitor Center, Village of Eckley. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2 Main Street, Weatherly PA 18255, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 13, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 259 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. submitted on October 17, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
