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Directions to Driving Tour Stop #6
Return to the intersection with PA Route 601 and
turn left onto PA 601 South. Proceed 4.1 miles
(crossing the Shade Creek Bridge) to Foustwell and
look for parking areas on either side of the
bridge after crossing the Stonycreek River.
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Latitude: 40.2378
Longitude: -78.8342
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Driving Tour Stop #5
The Berwind-White Coal Company of Philadelphia was one of
the nation's leading bituminous coal producers during the
first half of the 20th century, providing fuel for
steamships and New York City's subway system. Upon
acquiring 30,000 acres within The Stonycreek Corridor in
the 1890s, Berwind developed 13 mines (Eureka mines 30 to
42) and established its regional headquarters in Windber.
By 1962, 150 million tons of coal had been taken from
Windber area mines.
While each mine complex was its own little community with
worker housing and a company store, Windber provided
facilities for company operations and resources for the
regional area, including a hospital, theater,
company-owned department store, other shops, churches,
social clubs, restaurants, hotels and ancillary services.
Berwind planned and developed Windber (its name came from
reversing the syllables in "Berwind") as a model company
town with wide, paved streets, sanitary sewers, graceful
architecture and better worker housing than was found in
the coal patches.
A total of 945 structures date from that period and
contribute to the historic district, which is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places. Within the
district today can be found Berwind's regional
headquarters, now the Windber Borough Building; a Classic
Revival style bank building, the former Eureka Department
Store, the former post office that once housed
the Windber Coal Heritage Center and Arcadia Theater.
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