Pottsville's anthracite coal history began in 1790 with the discovery of coal made by the hunter Necho Allen. Legend has it that Allen fell asleep at the base of the Broad Mountain and woke to the sight of a large fire. His campfire had ignited an outcropping of coal. By 1795, an anthracite fired iron furnace was established on the Schuylkill River. In 1806, John Pott purchased the furnace and then founded the city of Pottsville. Construction of the Schuylkill Canal, which ran a distance of 108 miles along the Upper Schuylkill River, was completed to Port Carbon by 1828 to transport the coal to larger markets. The canal spurred the development of more anthracite mines, and before long, the anthracite production in and around Pottsville was largely impacting America's Industrial Revolution. The growth of mine-related industries produced a population surge as immigrants came to work in the mines. The population doubled between 1820 and 1840. This led to the development of businesses, churches, and schools and stirred the "Boom Town" atmosphere that swept the region. By1842 rail transportation competed with the canal for shipments of coal. Pottsville expanded, and in December, 1851 became the County Seat and the economic center of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. In 1855, the prominent citizens of the county erected an iron statue in honor of Henry Clay, a Kentucky senator who supported protective tariffs on manufactured imports. Clay's likeness stands today above South Centre Street. At the start of the Civil War, two companies of Pottsville soldiers were among the "First Defenders", the first troops to arrive in Washington D.C. Along the way, Nicholas Biddle, an African-American from Pottsville who accompanied the troops, was struck in the head by a brick thrown by rioting "southern sympathizers". This incident gave Biddle the notoriety as the first to shed blood in the Civil War. Hundreds from the Pottsville area served, including men of the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry and Colonel Henry Pleasants. Pleasants led the construction of an underground mine which resulted in the "Battle of the Crater" at Petersburg, Va. in July, 1864. A reduced demand for anthracite coal accompanied the close of the Civil War, and Pottsville endured recession as miners argued for improved working conditions and better pay. The local mining industry faced competition with operations in Scranton, Hazleton and the Mahanoy Valley. A wave of crime followed, and many blamed the Irish. Pottsville became the setting for the Molly Maguire murder trials, which resulted in the hanging of 9 men at the Schuylkill County jail. During the 1870s, Pottsville's landscape changed dramatically as mansions were constructed along Mahantongo Street and across the city. The veterans of the Civil War erected the Soldier's Monument at Garfield Square and the railroad yards bustled with energy. Also during this time, attractions like the Tumbling Run Dam, with boating, swimming, dining and picnicking, drew thousands each summer, and the trolley made its appearance as the primary means of transportation. In April, 1898, the first automobile purchased for commercial use made its debut in Pottsville when it was unloaded at the Reading Station. The works of John O'Hara, whom many consider the greatest short story writer of the 20th Century, brought Pottsville further into the national spotlight through accounts of 1920s Pottsville socialites. His "Gibbsville" stories paint a vivid picture of the town he once called home. The Depression Era came as Pottsville's population peaked. The region survived the Depression because of the demand for coal and the Works Project Administration that created jobs through the construction of City Hall and the old Post Office. After World War II, however, recession in the mines struck the region hard. Hundreds moved as mines shut down and construction of a bypass routed traffic away from the downtown. Railroad yards were converted into parking lots and urban renewal changed neighborhoods. But Pottsville has survived and remains a center for business, government, and finance. Today Pottsville showcases its Industrial Revolution history and fascinating anthracite heritage which is so unique to the area.