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| "In August, 1818, the Lehigh Navigation Company, and, very Shortlly after, the Lehigh Coal Company, were formed wwith a combined capital of $2000,000, and White, Hazard and Hauto were the ruling figures in each. From then on lthe progress was steady, although for the first decade or so, slow enought. In the growth that came, firest "Old MInes now called Summit Hill: next Aston And Storm Hill, now together called Lansford; and finallly New Wales, Centerville and Geary town, now collectively denominated Coaldale,-a less ornamental name than any of the others, in the estimation of many,-dotted the green of St. Anthony's Wiilderness, as stars peep throught the blue of tof the firmanment." Source: The Story of St. Mary 1918 |
| Coaldale Mayors from 1906 up through 2002. Exact dates of their terms not included. (Updates and Dates of service provided would be welcomed.)
According to 125th Anniversary Book (published 1952): 1906 - Dr. C. C. Gallagher Dennis Carr Gildea Harry F. Blaney James Bynon Evan Jones D. Peter Shubeck Evan Jones* (after Shubeck served three terms) According to 175th Anniversary book (published 2002): Joe "Chappy" Sharpe John Berezinak Ronald Plocinik Theodore Bortnick John Radocha Claire Remington 2002-2015: ??? 2015 - Joel Johnson |
| Coaldale Constable Term. 6-YR.....Election results of November 3, 2015 Election. Precincts Reported 2 of 2 (100.00%) Candidate Party Votes Mark Richards Dem/Rep 173 Write-in 280 ....(Otis Remington did win the write-in ballot for constable. May have been a first in the General. election for a "write in" win in Coaldale. |
| Nardini Market – Coaldale Time passes. In Coaldale time passes slow. I remember Nardini's as a kid. Best Kielbasa anywhere. We ate it cold at Easter time like ring bologna. This was only a block from Gram's house. There was once a penny candy store on the corner, then Nardini's, Tommy's and then the Angela Theater. There might have been a few other houses in there. Across the street was the supermarket. There were other penny candy places around town. I looked while I was in town last June to no avail. I think there was one up on High Street in someone's basement. When we got old we could walk the whole way to the Acme in Lansford. (Nardina Market - Circa Late 1930's to early 1960's - Posted by Haney Other comments: Halloween Day: Nardini's would give a treat (forgot, what it was); however, to receive the treat, one would have to remove the mask. As I remember, too many kids would go back a second time. When purchasing, the practice of buying fruits or vegetables, the store keeper would pick the items. Be sure that out of four apples, one may be bruised. (This was the practice of most family owned grocery stores in the region.) |
| Panchura's Dress Shoppe was located at 63 Second Street and was owned by Mary (Panchura) Sharpe and Helen (Panchura) Sofsky. The shop was, for sure, in existence in the late 50's and early 60's. (Above information was supplied by a family member.) |
| White's Store: Located at 19 East Phillips Street around 1930 and 1940's . He sold everything from sugar to primarily work shoes. Night shopping was interesting: The store had a fifteen watt light on in the back of the store. Open the door and Mr. White would ask: What do you want? Answer, from the customer; "sugar". He would say wait a minute, a larger wattage bulb would be lite. One walks to that area, for sugar, be waited on you. Ask for something else: light out and another light would go on.. |
| Daleys Store: Located at 19 East Phillips Street. When Mr. White's store was Closed. In existence in the 1950's into the 1960'a. A woman's craft store. This was operated by the Daley's sister's. Last known business was and upholstery store. It should be noted that previously Daley's Sister's store was at a different location. (Prior to the store location on 19 Phillips Street, they had a previous Coaldale location.) |
| Berezniak's Grocery/ Candy Store.Located at 31 East Phillip Street. Durning the 1930' to the early 1950's. The father was paralyzed from the waist down from a mining accident at number 9 mine. The wife ran the store. Store was opened from 1931 - 1949. |
| Tiger Gridders Excel in Class(Reading Eagle, February 16, 1964) It was a combination of brains as well as braun that enabled Coaldale's football forces to win 21 of 23 games during the past two years. No less than 11 members of the 1963 squad are listed on the school's Merit Register. The academic elite includes Jeb Hart, George and Bob Hoffman, George Priggins, Bob Keefer, John Molotzak, Frank Petrash, Nick Trubilla, Dave Danchak, and Dick Orsulak, plus Kerm Hoffman and Bob Berger, who are members of the current basketball squad as well as pigskin performers. A total of 81 students have been named on the Merit Register. |
| The restaurant/bar location at Phillip and Fourth Street. The bar was owned/or operated by Wargo's, Polischak's, the Coal Bucket. Rick McHugh was the last bar owner and still owns the building. Presently converted to an apartment. It should be noted when the building was first built, a bar was established. |
| Zahora's Meat Market was located at 113 East Phillips Street. In 1949, on this propety the Angela theatre was built around Folk's Phamarcy (the property next door). As the Angela building deteriorated, Folks Pharmacy built the building at 114 Phillips St. and run the pharmacy for a number of years. |
| A. Kononchuk 148 East High Street - opened in the 1940's - sold meats and groceries. |
| Folks Phamarcy original location was at 111 East Phillips Street and later in the 1950s moved to 114 East Phillips Street. Later at 114 East Phillips a laundromat was located and the following tenant was Andy Magazoo run his A/C business out of that building in the 70's. I believe it now occupied as a storage for a music store. |
| Willings Grocery/Candy Store. (Seek) Circa 1950. Address of Store would be appreciated. Via-John Laskos. Jackie lost his legs while trying to jump on a moving train when he was a kid. He passed away, in his 50's, from kidney failure. I can remember him outting a ladder up himself in our yard, climbing the ladder (with no legs), and reshingling the entire roof on the store by himself. He would put a pile of shingles on his shoulder and climb the ladder! He was a remarkably strong man. He used to kick a football to me by swinging on his crutches. He deer hunted. I bought my first baseball cards and marvel comic books at that store. His homemade sausage will never be matched. I used to ride with him to pick up his produce, but a lot of his stuff was delivered by a farmer by the name of John Grube. I used to hunt on Grubes farm. Boy...this is bringing back great memories! |
| Coaldale Carpet Store Granted Loading Zone January 06, 1994|by CHRISTINA M. PARKER, Special to The Morning Call Coaldale Borough Council last night agreed to restrict parking in front of Andy Sotak's carpet store at 146 Second St. No parking will allowed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. so that deliveries can be made. The borough will erect a sign within a few weeks. Councilman Warren Balliet said he's received complaints from Sotak, who said delivery trucks must double-park in front of his store while unloading carpets. Police Chief John Tonkin added that the double-parking creates a hazardous situation because of the narrow street. Councilwoman Claire Remington questioned whether the restriction would inconvenience residents, but Balliet said there are "plenty of parking spaces nearby." |
| Coaldale Fire Chief Quits 1st Assistant To Take Over June 03, 1986|The Morning Call Andy Sotak Jr., fire chief in Coaldale for 13 years, resigned over the weekend, and was replaced by Andrew Magazzu, a 20-year veteran of the fire service and the previous first assistant chief Sotak has been a member of the company since 1964 and will remain an active firefighter. He operates Sotak's Carpeting, 2nd Street, Coaldale |
| Albert Morgan: Union Man (1946): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88YtG_vO5rs "Albert Bryce Morgan, nicknamed Abbie, became a well-known regional musician. Although forced to make a living by mining anthracite, his passionate avocation or hobby was music. He was born in Coaldale in 1896. After World War I, Morgan organized the Broadway Melody Dance Band. In 1923, it became The Alpine Syncopators." Miner Musician: Albert Bryce Morgan (born in Coaldale, 1896): http://coaldalehighalumni.homestead.com/article_p_v_octet.html |
| Kutztown Hall of Fame (1988): John Polischak Jr., Kutztown Class of 1939, CHS Class of 1935 A football standout at Coaldale High, he went on to earn 12 varsity letters in football, baseball, and basketball at Kutztown, where he was an end and running back. He graduated with a degree in secondary education, then worked for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, before serving in the U.S. Navy. He was a teacher at Twin Valley High, where he coached soccer, basketball, baseball, and track. After receiving a master's from Temple University in 1961, he became dean of men at Kutztown, where he reached the rank of associate professor, was director of housing, and coached football and baseball before retiring in 1978. He lives in Palm Coast, Fla., with his wife, the former Eugenia Morozewicz of Reading. They have two daughters. Below: copy and paste to address bar |
| Below is the explanation when "Tigers" was first used as the nickname for Coaldale athletic teams.
I have the '33 Stentor (first one) and, in the football game summaries, the team is called, "The Moleskin Bearers." Boy, I'm happy that name didn't stick. Otherwise, the term "Orange and Black" is also used. |
| Via Ruth West -As far as I know Fosters had no number. No 1 is Nesq., 4 in back of wlsh,,5 in back of the Lan.town houses, 6 across, 7 by the main office, 8 in Coaldale, 9 west end of Lan, 10 down in seek, 11on the hill south of 209, 12 was the washery across from the hospital, 13 was to have been in back of Jamesway plaza, 14 were it still is. The only one open is no 9 for tours. In the Fall, weekends only,for the mine, museum may be open during the week, wed and Thur. Never heard of 15. Spring tunnel had no number either and there was two no 4. Second in the mountain behind the abbott aa. |
| No. 8 - L. N. C. Breaker Coaldale. Penna. In 1906, the year Coaldale was incorporated as a borough, there were:---601 men and 119 mules working at Number 8. Together they produced....296,982 tons of coal that year.---438 men were employed inside.---mine foremen 2 ---assistant mine foremen 2 ---fire bosses and assistants 5---miners 125---laborers 29 ---driver and runners 30---doorboys and helpers 12---company men 112 ---others 121---outside there were 163 men employed:---foremen 1---blacksmiths and carpenters 5---engineers and firemen 12---slate pickers (boys )13---slate pickers (men) 22---bookkeepers or clerks 1---others 109 |
| Housing Units ... At the time of the 2010 Census, Coaldale had 1,154 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 2,281 people, this averages 1.98 people per Housing Unit. The 2010 Census shows Coaldale had a land area of 2.17 square miles [5.6 km²]. This translates to 530 Housing Units per square mile [204.9 housing units/km²]. From the Census of 2000: Coaldale had 1,209 Housing Units, a population of 2,295 people and a land area of 2.17 square miles [5.6 km²]. This gives a density of 1.9 people per Housing Unit and 555 Housing Units per square mile [214.6 housing units/km²]. |
| Thanks to Ruth West who confirmed the location of Spring Tunnel: "Spring Tunnel was up on top of South Mnt. A little east of #9 shaft. My grandfather was mine foreman up there in the 20th. Hard to find. It's covered with sag piles." |
| Centerville (Skintown) a posting's on facebook stated, that the windows of the homes were covered with animal skins as a form of insulation, goat skins were common in this era. |
| Via Ruth West: Brights was the former company store. |
| Via Joseph Dougherty:"There was a school in Centerville which can be seen on old maps. As a kid in the late 50's all I remember seeing in the general area were what looked like the foundations of homes. I imagine that as families began to gain some economic prosperity they left patches like Centerville and Spring Tunnel and moved into the towns.There was also a patch a quarter mile east of the old Number 8 tunnel with houses located on either side of the old stage road called Sayersville." This was confirmed by others. |
| The notes below was in reference to Summit Hill in 1920. The notes below were bridged from a report regard tourism in Summit Hill Re: Spring Tunnel. "On Sundays, when thousands of tourists came into town on spring, summer and fall excursions, the trips were not complete without a visit to the famed burning mines, the ice cave and model mine at Spring Tunnel operated by George Davis." |
| Sayersville---from the St Joes 100th anniversary book "A quarter mile east of the old # 8 tunnel were 2 rows of small frame houses on either side of the old stage road. There was nothing attractive about the "patch" called Sayersville. A steep hill loomed immediately behind the lower row and the back of the other row was rough and stony. The stage road was the only playground for the children. The place was inhabited only because it was close to a water level mine in which the men worked. Today there is nothing left of Sayersville, but there lived Thomas Gallagher, Patrick Boyle, William Harkins, Condy Gallagher, Patrick Gildea, Cornelius O'Donnell, Patrick Moran, John Brown, Francis Gallagher, and Owen Heron.These were all members of old St. Joseph's and the fathers of large families." Submitted by Joseph Dougherty |
| The names of the mountains on both side of Coaldale is: Pisagh Mountain is on the souh side. Locust Mountain (aka North and/or Hauto mountain) is on the north side of Coaldale. |
| St. Mary's Catholic School closed in 1966 when the ceiling fell. |