Welcome to the Coal Region
Located in northeastern and east-central Pennsylvania, the anthracite coal region powered America’s industrial revolution in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Immigrants from northern, central, southern, and eastern Europe settled there in hopes of making better lives for themselves and their families. Their traditions led to the development of coalcracker culture, a unique blend of foodways, holiday traditions, and speech patterns. Although the mines closed, people stayed in or near the region to enjoy the area’s vibrant culture.