Coaldale Number 8 Mine This Morning

Entrance to Number 8 Deep Anthracite
 Mine in Coaldale PA

My Dad - Harry (Happy)  Everhart - spent 25 years working in this mine in Coaldale PA. The entrance is remarkably close to Route 209 - the highway I commuted to work for 33 years. Today it is off limits to the public. They are still taking Anthracite out of that area - but they use big machinery to just remove the overburden.

Bob Ciavaglia heard that I wanted a picture of the old mine entrance so he got this beauty today.

My father lived in the company town of Seek as a boy. He did graduate from Coaldale High School in 1934 - and went right into the mine to work. He stayed there until it closed in 1959. He took a job at an assembly plant near Philly for 15 years. He died of Black Lung in 1982 at age 66.

Dad also played the piccolo in the Coaldale High School Band and the Coaldale Victory Band. Although Dad lived many years in Tamaqua - he always listed his hometown as "Seek - the capital of Coaldale PA."

In 1952 - he paraded in Harry Truman's Inaugural Parade with the Victory Band.

Thanks Bob for the great picture!