SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — A journey 300 feet underground takes visitors back to a time when anthracite coal powered a growing nation. At the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, history comes to life beneath the surface.
The Lackawanna Coal Mine began operations as a deep underground anthracite coal mine in 1860.
Opened by the Continental Coal Company, the mine, known as Slope #190, remained in operation for more than a century before closing in 1966.
The tour begins with “The Descent,” where visitors board a bright yellow mine car and travel 300 feet underground through Slope #190. Once below the surface, temperatures remain a cool 50F to 54F year-round.
Guests then embark on a guided underground walk-through winding tunnels and gangways, passing three anthracite coal veins and historic mining landmarks, including the Mule Boy, the Nipper, the Monkey Vein, and the Dead Chute. The hour-long experience offers a firsthand look at the conditions and history of Pennsylvania’s coal mining industry.
Mine Foreman at the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, Bill Neidlinger, shared more.
“This was the old Clark Vein that was started up around 1985. They redid the slope, where you can actually go back into one of the old tunnels. You go from The Clark to Dunmore #1 and Dunmore #2. So, you can actually access a good bit of the mine. It’s actually almost a half a mile walk,” said Neidlinger.
During the Industrial Revolution, coal miners at the Lackawanna Coal Mine endured long hours, dangerous conditions, and low wages. Many were working-class immigrants, and children as young as 10 or 12 often worked underground as “Mule Boys” or “Nippers” alongside adult miners.
Workers relied on tools such as picks, shovels, explosives, and oil lamps while facing hazards including cave-ins, toxic gases, and explosions. Neidlinger explained that their labor helped extract the coal that powered the factories, railroads, and innovations that drove the Industrial Revolution.
“It shows a lot of the tools, and especially throughout the years, how things changed from the lamps to the headpieces, to the drill bits. Pretty much anything you think of. Even here, they have the display of the old-style meters and the anemometer for checking the air movement,” said Neidlinger.
“Here in PA, if it wasn’t for the anthracite coal in this area, we wouldn’t have the Industrial Revolution. Coal is basically what fired the Industrial Revolution,” said Neidlinger.
Neidlinger, who spent 16 years in the mining industry, said few people remain in the profession today. As a mine foreman, he oversees daily operations and equipment maintenance, emphasizing that mining requires both physical endurance and mental resilience.
“I worked on the ground for like 16 years. I actually originate from Schuylkill County. We actually commute here every day because they need a Mine Foreman to keep this mine open, or they wouldn’t be able to have it going,” said Neidlinger.
Visitors come from all corners of the world to experience the mine’s historic 300-foot descent, Neidlinger said.
“They come from everywhere. They’ve been from China, Russia, Lithuania. You name it, they’ve come from,” said Neidlinger.
The Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour is open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.