Front:
Philip Ginder Monument, Ludlow Park, Summit Hill, Pa.
PHILIP GINDER
DISCOVERED COAL NEAR HERE IN 1791
ERECTED 1941
Back:
75
SUMMIT HILL, CARBON COUNTY, PA.
Anthracite coal, first discovered near Sum-
mit Hill, by Philip Ginder, a veteran hunter,
who uncovered the first coal seam in 1791.
The Switchback Railroad graded in 1818-19
began transportation of coal from Summit Hill
to Mauch Chunk in 1827. Two planes, Mt.
Pisgah and Mt. Jefferson, were built in 1844
to hoist coal cars by steam to the top of
these planes, from where the remaining dis-
tance of nine miles was by force of gravity.
In about 1870 the Switchback Railroad was
given over to pleasure purposes, as coal was
then transported from Summit Hill, over steam
railroads via Lansford, Nesquehoning and
Mauch Chunk. While anthracite coal was first
discovered near Summit Hill, Wilkes-Barre
claims the honor of having been the first to
burn the new found fuel.
7875-N
"c. T. AMERICAN ART,” REG. U.S. PAT. OFF
