The Coal Mining Room

Although the mining trade was not the largest profession in Southwestern Pennsylvania from 1760-1860 (Boat Building & Glass Making).  It is the most enduring. When shipbuilding reigned supreme, it took coal to forge iron to build and then run them. Before Pittsburgh became the “steel city” it took coal and coke to run the furnaces.

The coal mining room covers the progression of the coal trade, its process and expansion west.