1866 Daddow Coal and Geological Map of Northeastern Pennsylvania

This is Samuel Harries Daddow and Benjamin Bannan's lavishly produced 1866 geological map of Pennsylvania's Anthracite Coalfields. Anthracite Coal, a high carbon clean burning coal somewhat unique to Northeastern Pennsylvania, fueled the American Industrial Revolution.

A Closer Look

In full original hand color, this is loosely centered on Pottsville, the center of Pennsylvania's Anthracite region, and covers parts of Luzerne, Columbia, Carbon, Northumberland, Schuylkill, and Dauphin Counties. It identifies four distinct anthracite zones: the Southern Anthracite Coal Fields, the Middle Anthracite Field, the Leigh Coal Basin, and the Wyoming or Northern Anthracite Coal Field. Specific coal mines are numbers and keyed to a table in the lower left. To the left and right of the map are fascinating vertical sections illustrating the ground composition and various depths, as well as the locations of anthracite (left) and bituminous (right) coal deposits. Other transverse sections illustrate the rippling terrain around Pottsville and the Wyoming Valley. The map further notes towns, large and small, and multiple important railroad lines connecting the mines to Philadelphia and New York.

Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Boom

The Pennsylvania anthracite coal boom in the 19th century marked a transformative period in the state's economic, social, and environmental history. Anthracite, a hard coal known for its high energy content and low impurities, became highly sought after as a fuel source during the Industrial Revolution. This coal, found primarily in northeastern Pennsylvania, was uniquely suited for industrial processes and home heating, as it did not produce the heavy smoke common to other coal types. As demand skyrocketed, towns sprang up around mines, drawing thousands in search of employment. The industry catalyzed the construction of extensive rail networks, facilitating the transport of coal to major cities and ports. However, with the boom came significant challenges: mining led to environmental degradation, miners worked in dangerous conditions for meager wages, and tensions between labor and management frequently erupted in strikes and violence. Despite its challenges, the anthracite coal boom was a linchpin in America's industrial ascent.

Publication History and Census

This map was compiled by the mining engineer Samuel Harries Daddow and published by Benjamin Bannan in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. It was printed in Philadelphia by W. Boell. The map was intended to illustrate Daddow and Bannan's 1866 Coal, Iron, and Oil or, The Practical American Miner. At the time, pricing in at $7.50, it was considered one of the most lavish and expensive single-volume works published in the United States, a reflection of the wealth and prosperity that grew out of the Pennsylvania Anthracite Boom. We see six separate examples of the map in OCLC, as well as a holding at the Boston Public Library.