Mount Airy Casino Resort

This is one of two casinos that have opened in Northeastern Pennsylvania recently. The other one is Mohegan Sun located in Wilkes Barre, Pa. I will add that one to my site at a later time because it is still under Construction.
Mount Airy Casino Resort (shown here) features 2523 gaming machines, 4 restaurants, 188 room hotel, golf, shops, spa, and a swimming pool. 25 of the hotel rooms are suites and 163 are luxury suites. This Casino is located at 44 Woodland Rd. in Mount Pocono, Pa. For information, and driving directions go to: http://www.mtairyresort.com/.
This Casino is definitely worth checking out because of the scenery surrounding the resort, the activities available, and the activities near the resort. There are a wide variety of slot machines as well. I hope everyone plans to include this stop in their travel plans because it is worth the stop. There are plenty of activities for the whole family nearby which I will post at a later date.

Lackawanna County Coal Mine Tour

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The Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour is Located In McDade Park. The Park has many activities for everyone and there is no admission fee to the park. For information about the park and the available activities call: 1-570-963-6764.

This coal mine originally opened in 1860 as an anthracite coal mine. (Anthracite=Hard Coal) Now visitors can take a tour of the mine and go 300 feet below the surface. The mine is a constant 50 degrees year round. Parking is free.

Scranton was once called the "Anthracite Capital of the World". The largest vein of anthracite coal in the world is under the Lackawanna Valley. There is still millions of tons of coal in the ground. Many mines used mules to pull the coal cars in and out of the mines and most mining companies valued the mules over that of mine laborers. Around 1964, the Government passed laws as to the use of animals in mines. Approx. 15'000 children under 16 years of age worked as miners, most worked 10 hours a day. Some mines used children as young as 12 years old and sometimes even as young as 7. Many died in mines. Many anthracite coal regions of Pa. have had mine fires through the years and one is still burning under the town of Centralia, Pa. This fire could be extinguished by being strip mined but some residents won't accept the Government buyout. Call for mine tour information @ 1-570-963-mine.

There is also the Heritage Anthracite museum at McDade Park and information about the museum is @ 1-800-238-7245, or 570-963-6463.

The coal mine industry has a lot of history which is very interesting and I believe everyone should take this tour or another similar tour and you will learn things that will open your eyes to what hard and dangerous lives coal miners and their famalies had. I hope everyone finds this industry as interesting as I have and plan to visit this mine in the future.

Steamtown Railroad Site

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Here are a few photos of the Steamtown Railroad Museum which is located in Downtown Scranton Pa. and the address is Lackawanna Ave. and Cliff st.
You can get visitor Information by calling 570-340-5200 Or Train ride information and reservations @ 570-340-5204. Also you can visit their website @ www.nps.gov/steal. They have a locomotive repair shop. There are also Restored Freight and Passenger cars. Short train rides are available through December 29th. There is also a trolley car museum. This is a great stop for the whole family while visiting this area of Pa.
This is just one of many examples of the many things to fo in this area and every few days I will add other sites to see.

Scranton Cultural Center

This building is the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple located at 420 N. Washington Ave. in downtown Scranton. There are many shows and performances at this location and to find out shows and times you can contact them at 570-346-7369.

The main reason I mention this building is because of the architecture and the amazing carvings on the building shown here in these photos. Originally built as the Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral. The Architect was Raymond M. Hood and it was built in the late 1920's. Sections of this building have been restored and other sections are currently being restored.