Coal and Iron Extraction in the United States (1820-1914)

1. Early anthracite mining begins in Pennsylvania

   Jan 1, 1820Labels: Anthracite coal, Pennsylvania

   • LC N Co
   • Anthracite

2. Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company is consolidated

   Apr 21, 1820Labels: Lehigh Coal, Vertical integration

   • LC N Co
   • Beyond Steel

3. Schuylkill Navigation links coal fields to Philadelphia

   May 20, 1825Labels: Schuylkill Navigation, Philadelphia

   • Water History
   • Schuylkill Nav

4. Two-way Lehigh Navigation opens for coal transport

   Jun 26, 1829Labels: Lehigh Navigation, Anthracite transport

   • Beyond Steel
   • LC N Co

5. Prizes spur breakthroughs in anthracite iron smelting

   Jan 1, 1830Labels: Franklin Institute, Iron smelting

   • Anthracite iron

6. Philadelphia and Reading Railroad is incorporated

   Apr 4, 1833Labels: Philadelphia &, Railroad

   • Smithsonian
   • Reading history

7. Hot-blast technology accelerates iron production

   Jan 1, 1835Labels: Hot blast, Iron furnaces

   • ASME Landmark
   • Anthracite iron

8. Reading Railroad main line opens to strengthen coal flows

   Dec 9, 1839Labels: Reading Railroad, Schuylkill Corridor

   • Reading history
   • Smithsonian

9. Reading’s line to Pottsville opens, expanding coal markets

   Jan 1, 1842Labels: Pottsville line, Reading Railroad

   • Smithsonian
   • Reading history

10. Bessemer process era begins, reshaping iron demand

    Oct 17, 1856Labels: Bessemer process, Steelmaking

    • Britannica
    • Bessemer rails

11. Mesabi Range mining begins, shifting iron supply westward

    Jan 1, 1892Labels: Mesabi Range, Iron ore

    • MNopedia
    • Mountain Iron

12. Homestead Strike highlights tensions in steel production

    Jul 6, 1892Labels: Homestead Strike, Carnegie Steel

    • Britannica
    • Homestead

13. U.S. Steel forms, consolidating coal-iron-steel networks

    Feb 25, 1901Labels: U S, Corporate merger

    • Britannica
    • U S Steel

14. Anthracite Coal Strike ends through federal arbitration

    Oct 23, 1902Labels: Anthracite Strike, Federal arbitration

    • 1902 strike

15. U.S. Bureau of Mines is created after deadly mine disasters

    May 16, 1910Labels: U S, Mine safety

    • MSHA
    • Fed Act 1910

16. World War I demand caps the 1820–1914 extraction boom

    Jul 28, 1914Labels: World War, Extraction boom

    • Britannica
    • Mesabi