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THE ANTHRACITE FIELDS

 

Anthracite coal in Pennsylvania is found predominately in four areas, or "fields."  Nomenclature is not always uniform or consistent, but the four fields today are generally identified as Northern, Eastern Middle, Western Middle, and Southern.  The combined area of the four fields is approximately 490 square miles [Pagoda].

 

The Northern Field, 176 square miles in area [Pagoda, Bogen], lies in the Lackawanna and Wyoming valleys, primarily in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties and extending into very small areas of Susquehanna and Wayne counties.

 

The Eastern Middle Field, sometimes known as the Lehigh Field, lies in Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties and a very small area of Columbia County.  This field more or less centers on the City of Hazleton.  At 33 square miles in area [Bogen], it is the smallest of the four fields.

 

The Western Middle Field, 94 square miles in area [Bogen], occupies nearly equal areas of Columbia, Northumberland and Schuylkill counties.

 

The Southern Field, with an area of 181 square miles [Bogen], occupies much of Schuylkill County and relatively small areas of Carbon and Dauphin counties. {3}

 

The entire region containing the four fields might (quite arbitrarily) be considered to cover some 2,000 square miles comprising: the majority of Lackawanna, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties; much of Northumberland County; relatively small parts of Carbon, Columbia and Dauphin counties; and insignificantly minor parts of Susquehanna and Wayne counties. {4}

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​{3} Some maps show a very small area of the Southern Field in Lebanon County.

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{4} Small deposits of "semi-anthracite" are found in Sullivan and Wyoming counties ("Western Northern Field").  Railroads, if any, that served those areas are not addressed here.

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