1997

The Eagle Hotel was built by Andrew McCabe in 1842. When this photo was taken, Patrick J. McMahon owned the building, He was born in County Cavan, Ireland on October 10, 1861. His family moved to Nesquehoning in 1863. At the age of nine year, Patrick began life as a slate picker in the Nesquehoning breaker. At the age of eighteen, he went to Providence Rhode Island, where he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he pursued until 1896 when he purchased one of the town's best known landmarks - the Eagle Hotel. He refitted and modernized the hotel, making it one of the most homelike and popular hostelries in the area. He also built many of the homes in Nesquehoning, including the Sacred Heart Parish rectory. On the second floor veranda are Alice McDermott and Nesquehoning school teacher Sally Cadden. Men standing on the porch are Frank Duffy, Patty Dolan and Patrick McMahon. The building was destroyed by a fire on May 8, 1977. This is the present site of Turkey Hill Mini Mart.

The first discovery of coal was at Nesquehoning in 1786. This photo shows room Run Tunnel #1. It was the first true tunnel at Nesquehoning, driven by Charles Ashley on contract to Packer and Harlan in 1843. The first mines at Nesquehoning were called drifts, driven along the thrust of the coal seams. In a manager's report dated Dec. 30, 1830, Josiah White estimated that "allowing our demand to be one million tons each year from these mines, one mile would last more than fifty-five years. The same report included remarks by Dr. Silliman who stated that the coal "appears to be of the first quality, and in the high lustre and perfection of its fracture, exceeds anything I have elsewhere seen." Dr. Silliman also did not hesitate to call the new mines "entirely inexhaustible."

Nesquehoning bottler does high flying advertising. Lettering on tail wing reads - Drink McFadden Beverages. McFadden's Quality Beverage Co. was located at the corner of Catawissa and Almond Sts. They made, bottled and sold soda in a variety of flavors. Their lemon soda was put in special green bottles and was called Sally Ann. The business was later sold to the Vaiana family, and they made soda into the 1960's. The date of this photo is August 14, 1932. Jack McFadden is second from the left.

On October 10, 1868 the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company advertised for proposals to erect a new breaker at Nesquehoning. Less that a year later, on August 6, 1869, this new double breaker "with all the modern improvements for screening and preparing coal" was in service. this photo was taken on May 31, 1885. In 1886, a year after this picture was taken it started on fire and burned to the ground. On September 11, 1869 monthly wages were - slate pickers $4.00 - door boys $6.00 - drivers $12.50 - laborers $14.00 - bottom men $15.00. Married men paid 75 cents monthly to the resident surgeon, who supplied all medicines and supplies during any case of illness.

This 1948 photo of the Nesquehoning athletic field was taken from the roof of the high school. The building on the left was the field house where players would get dressed and take showers. In the 1930's the government started various programs to give jobs to the unemployed. One was N.Y.A. - National Youth Administration. People would work forty hours a month and get paid fourteen dollars. The Nesquehoning athletic field was built under this program. They built the field house, planted trees and hedges, and made a running track around the field using red cinders. The field was resodded three layers thick, two layers of sod were laced upside down and the third layer was right side up.

This photo is of a parade held on September 26, 1953. Nesquehoning residents were asked to bring out flags and bunting and other ornaments of festive array for the mammoth parade and dedicatory program. This was the biggest celebration ever held in the Panther Valley. It was for the dedication of the Green plant in Nesquehoning. The new industry will employ 375 workers in the manufacture of stainless steel equipment for use in hospitals. Governor John S. Fine and other high national, state and county officials were present ass well as famous TV vocalist Teresa Brewer. The governor lauded the initiative of the Nesquehoning Improvement Association in bringing the new industry to the area. "This new plant is an economic boom to the direly distressed area. Nesquehoning is the progressive hub of Carbon County dedicated to advancement, a small mining town which in recent years has made tremendous steps forward in the direction of community betterment, establishing a commendable record of achievement which is without parallel for a town its size in Pennsylvania." Joseph Greco, Esquire was the prime mover in bringing the Green plant to Nesquehoning. Lengyel's service station is at the left. The building on the right contained a hardware store owned by John Kunzweiler and his wife Elizabeth operated a grocery store. The gas station was run by Bob Taney.

This turn of the century photo was taken at the intersection of Railroad, Center and School Sts., also known as the Five Points. The building on the left had numerous owners. Bill Branch had a store there, Lou Bechtel ran a restaurant in the place, then Joe Logan opened up a poolroom and then the Ukrainian Club took over. At the present time it is Nalesnik's Funeral Home. When the Nesquehoning schools became overcrowded, buildings at the Five Points were used as classrooms. The building on the left was used by Bill Thomas to teach industrial arts. The fifth grade class used the basement in the building on the right and other classes were held at the Nesquehoning Hose Co. #1.

Buss's Hotel in the late 1800's. Jacob Buss, earned his fame as landlord of Lausanne's Landing Tavern, at the mouth of the Nesquehoning Creek. In April of 1872 Buss closed up shop at the landing and relieved James Carrol as landlord of Nesquehoning's Miner's Hotel, located at the spot now inhabited by the Post Office. This corner quickly became known as "Buss's Corner". Across Catawissa St. From Buss's Hotel was G. L. Watson's clothing store, one of the oldest stands in town. In 1898 Watson's store was taken over by Marks and Bechtold. In addition to his fame as landlord, Buss was a famous butcher and rattlesnake killer. He became tax collector of Mauch Chunk Township in 1878, and was one of the first directors of the Nesquehoning Building and Loan Association when it was chartered in 1889. One of his sons Martin G. Buss, was postmaster of Nesquehoning, and took over as landlord of the Miners Hotel in 1906. Jacob Buss died sometime in 1909 after suffering two paralytic strokes. By 1914 the Miner's Hotel passed into the hanks of Fritz Ferko, and was no longer known as the Miner's Hotel. In that year, Ferko constructed a "Nickolette" building adjacent to the west side of the old hotel.

In the early days of our country, the American Indian keeps records of important individual and tribal events on dried buffalo skins. These yearly records were known as their Winter Count. Since we in Nesquehoning are proud of our Indian traditions and background, we, too, have our own Winter Count. As we glance over this revered record, we find one name is outstanding - Anthony J. Mezza. For twenty-nine years Mr. Mezza was the astute head football coach of Nesquehoning High School. This highly-respected coach came to Nesquehoning from Bucknell University, where he had received statewide acclaim and recognition in New York State during his high school career at Rome Free Academy, Rome, New York, where he was a 4-letter man in athletics and was named to the All-State football team for three straight years. Mr. Mezza also gained New York All-State recognition in throwing the shot put. An advocate of the single-wing formation, Mr. Mezza's teams have an impressive record of victories. He knew football rules and regulations down to the smallest detail. When he argued a point with an official, he knew what he was talking about. He believed in long, rugged practice session to whip his boys into shape, and as a result his team injuries were remarkably few. Mr. Mezza was strict and precise in his guidance and demanded obedience from all. His precise and well-drilled teams looked good even in defeat. He never coached a team that quit or relaxed on the field. He encouraged a fierce, competitive spirit; above all, his boys respected and admired him. We will always remember those hard-fought, exciting games. No one will ever forget his famous and always popular "offside play," when his entire line shifted before the ball was passed to draw his opponents offsides to gain that much needed five yards. The crowds loved this, but many opposing players down the years will remember how frustrated they felt as five yard penalty was paced off against them. To win a hard-fought victory against a Mezza coached team was considered an achievement. Mr. Mezza also coached the highly rated Nesquehoning Hurricanes, a semi-professional team of 1946-47-48, which won 32 games against a single loss. Yes, the Winter Count revives many memories - a memory of those famous half-time pep talks - a memory of Mr. Mezza, resplendent in a well-tailored suit and startling cravat, elegant from his broad shoulders right down to his well-shined shoes striding out on the field to fight for his players. The Winter Count, has duly recorded our own respect for his ability and integrity. It has also recorded the warm place he has won in our hearts