Discovery of the Pothole

Discovery of the Pothole (HM26KH)

Location: Archbald, PA 18403 Lackawanna County
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Country: United States of America
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N 41° 30.712', W 75° 34.441'

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Discovery & Preservation

"The miner fired a blast, and when the outpouring of stones and water from the hole came rushing through, the miners...called out a cry of alarm and ran from the mine..."
Edward S. Jones, Mine Manager
They thought the earth had collapsed. Miners working a seam of coal 45 feet underground had unknowingly uncorked the 800 to 1,000 tons of smooth, round and oval stones that filled this pothole.
Since that day of discovery in 1884, the "Archbald Pothole" has received considerable attention. Landowner Colonel C.B. Hackley spent $500 to build a wall and fence around the pothole; geologists competed to explain how it had formed.
Over the years, the Lackawanna Historical Society, Lackawanna County and, since 1961, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have helped with preservation.
[Photo captions, from top to bottom, read]
· 1887 Dedication Ceremony
In 1887, the Lackawanna Historical Society invited local citizens and geologic scholars to visit and learn about the now emptied and enclosed pothole.
· Protection from senseless vandalism has been difficult, despite the pothole's geological significance.
Details
HM NumberHM26KH
Tags
Placed ByPennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, April 3rd, 2018 at 7:02pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18T E 452099 N 4595740
Decimal Degrees41.51186667, -75.57401667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 41° 30.712', W 75° 34.441'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds41° 30' 42.72" N, 75° 34' 26.46" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)570
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 801-859 US-6 BUS, Archbald PA 18403, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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