Eckley Miners' Village

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This village is located in Weatherly, Pa.

It is open year round and there is a museum on-site which is open Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. It is closed certain holidays so be sure and call ahead. For information and driving directions call 570-636-2070.

This was one of hundreds of mining towns built in anthracite regions in Pennsylvania in the nineteenth century. In 1854 work began on the Council Ridge Colliery (colliery=a coal mine) and the Village of Eckley.

The mining company Sharpe, Leisenring and Company, later known as Sharpe, Weiss and Company leased this land to mine for coal. The mine owners provided housing for mine workers and their families. They also owned the stores, schools and churches. By owning the village it gave the mine owners greater control over their workers.

In 1870 the population of this village was over one thousand. Eventually strip mining replaced underground mining. Strip mining was done with steam shovels or drag lines shown in the first 2 photos here. You can see how big these machines were by the person standing next to it in the second photo. As you can tell they were just abandoned in many cases when no longer needed.

In 1971 this site was deeded to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and it is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. These towns were also known as "Patches". In most of the miners homes the outer boards of the house were the only protection from the outside. Crumpled newspaper stuffed between the studs was used as makeshift insulation. In most homes the floors were bare or covered with burlap bags.

In 1968 this Vllage was leased to Paramount Pictures to film the movie The Molly Macquires. The coal breaker seen in the center photo was actually built by Paramount Pictures in the late 60's. It is a replica of the original.

This is another very interesting place to visit for the history of anthracite in Pennsylvania and as far as I am aware it is the only miners village left in Pennsylvania.

Windmills

These windmills are part of the largest wind generation facility in Pennsylvania and is the second largest wind farm east of Mississippi.

There are 43 windmills here on Moosic Mountain in Waymart, Pa. on Route 6. The energy generated from these windmills is used wherever the closest demand exists.

The 43 windmills here generate enough energy to power 15,000 to 19,000 homes. They are massive with a height of 329 feet and the length of the blades is 111 feet.

Pennsylvania produces more megawatts by windmill than any state east of the Mississippi. More than half of the wind turbines in Pennsylvania are in the northeast region of the state.

This farm is located Northeast of Scranton. There is also a wind farm just southeast of Wilkes Barre, Pa. in Bear Creek with 13 windmills and there are 2 windmills in the Humboldt Industrial Park loacated in Hazleton, Pa.

Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct

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(Aqueduct=An artificial channel or canal for conducting water from one place to another). This aqueduct is also located in Lackawaxen Pennsylvania less than a quarter mile from the Zane Grey Museum.

Now known as the Roebling bridge this is the oldest wire suspension bridge in the U.S. Begun in 1847 as one of 4 suspension aqueducts on the Delaware and Hudson Canal. It was designed and it's construction was supervised by John A. Roebling, who was also the engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, among many other bridges. This aqueduct was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968, and is also designated a National Civil Engineering Landmark. This is part of the Delaware and Hudson (D&H) canal and gravity railroad system. It was used as a transportation system between the coal fields of Northeastern Pennsylvania and markets on the Hudson river.

This is only one of 4 suspension aqueducts designed by John Roebling for the D&H Canal. There was once a ferry that crossed the Delaware here and caused many problems with timber that was being floated down the Delaware to Trenton and Philadelphia. One problem is it was a major bottleneck and there were also collisions with timber rafts so this aqueduct and three others were built to alleviate this problem.

It operated for 50 years and then was converted to a private toll bridge between Pennsylvania and New York.

In 1980 the National Park Service purchased the aqueduct and preserved it as part of the Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. The protrusions on the upper side of the bridge are ice breakers. You can either walk or drive across the bridge.

All of these photos are taken on the Pennsylvania side of the aqueduct, the opposite side is New York.

Zane Grey Museum

This museum is located in Lackawaxen, Pa. alongside the Delaware River. For information on driving directions and operating hours call 570-685-4871.

Zane Grey was born on January 31, 1872 in Zanesville, Ohio. He recieved a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania earning a degree in Dentistry in 1896. He had his own Dental practice in New York City. Later he left Dentistry to persue writing full-time. Most people know Zane Grey for his western novels but he also published many other articles and books. This museum was once Zane Grey and his wife's house. It is now owned and operated by the National Park Service. Just down the road is the Roebling Delaware Aqueduct which I will highlight in my next posting. This area is very scenic and it is located in the far Northeastern region of Pennsylvania. In fact if you cross the Delaware river you are in New York State.

Tunkannock Viaduct

This bridge is known locally as the Nicholson Bridge because it located in Nicholson, Pa. on Routes 11 and 92.

It was built from 1912 to 1915 as part of a major improvement to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. It is 2,375 feet long, 34 feet wide and 240 feet at it's highest point above Tunkhannock Creek.

At the time it was built it was the largest reinforced structure of it's kind and is the world's largest concrete railroad bridge.

Novelist Theodore Dreiser called this viaduct "One of the true wonders of the World."

To truly appreciate the size of this structure you really should see it other than in photographs.

The Famous Houdini Museum

This is the only building in the world devoted to the most famous magician of all time. There are guided tours of the fabulous collection in the 100 year old historic building, and the rarest film footage of Houdini doing escapes. They have a magic show which includes floating an audience member up in the air, passing a hoop around them, and float them back down. Featuring Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brooks.
School field trips are available by reservation @ 570-383-9297.
For general information call 570-342-5555. Located at 1433 N. Main St. in Scranton, Pa.
This is a very interesting museum for all ages.

Nay Aug Park

This is the David Wenzel tree house located in Nay Aug Park in Scranton, Pa. which overlooks a creek and waterfall seen in the adjoining photo. Nay Aug Park is Scranton's largest park. This park offers walking trails, picnic areas, kid-friendly rides, two olympic size swimming pools, and a waterslide-complex. They also have an animal sanctuary which is free for visitors to enjoy. They have some monkeys, a tiger, birds and other animals. Located in the park is the Everhart museum. Also there is the Holiday Light Show displayed every Christmas season.

This park is a great place to spend a day. Besides the tree house there is a walking trail which takes you down to the creek and waterfall.

You can call 570-348-4186 or 348-4165 for directions and more information about the park.