SHAWMUT COALFIELD

This coalfield is named Shawmut Coalfield on the USGS map of PA coalfields. It is unclear if it was named after the Shawmut Railroad, the Shawmut Mining Company, or the coal mine named Shawmut. These were probably named for the Boston bank that financed the early coal and rail operations in the area. Anyway, it was a coalfield that generally focused on mining the Lower Kittanning seam of coal. Mining the Lower Kittanning in this area meant mining a low seam of coal that was only 36-40 inches in height. The people of Northwestern PA don't refer to their coal company towns as "patches." Some people just called them "new houses," but most people probably just referred to them as coal towns. I haven't determined when coal mining in this field began, but it continued into the 21st Centuary.

I would like to extend a special thanks to Harriet Moyer. Without her help this section on the Shawmut Coalfield would not have been possible.


Shown is Northwest Mining & Exchange Company's Granville company town near Brockway.


THE TOWNS:

BRANDY CAMP

COAL HOLLOW

DAGUS MINES

ELBON

TOBY


WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA COALFIELDS

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