I spent my first 55 years in Tamaqua PA. Back when I was born in 1948 - it was a bustling town of 12,000 - a railroad hub in the Anthracite Coal Regions of Pennsylvania. One could catch a train to Philadelphia - 90 miles away - to see the Phillies play. A 100 mile weekend ride to New York City could include a Broadway play. My Dad worked down in a deep mine in Coaldale PA for 25 years - filling the coal hoppers of the Industrial Revolution and filling his chest with the Black Lung. I was a school teacher for 33 years about 5 miles east of this old train station.
Today in the town of 6000 - the Tamaqua Train Station stands sentinel as a witness of that past. It took a lot of effort by the townspeople - to restore the building to its original glory. It houses a restaurant and hosts many outdoor concerts - bring your own chair.
Today - the Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad runs excursion trains from Reading on the former lines of the old Reading Railroad.
The USPS has announced they are releasing a series of 5 railroad station stamps in 2023. Of all the stations - little Tamaqua Pennsylvania has made the cut.
Whenever we return home - we make sure to have supper at the station. We get to meet long lost friends and get a little peek at the past.
When I was a kid - we used to hang out there. It was warm inside and there was a phone booth that was still only 5 cents. We could pester our female classmates for half the price of a bottle of Coke. Back then I could remember phone numbers.
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