Archbald Pothole State Park
| Archbald Pothole State Park | |
| Pennsylvania State Park | |
 The pothole
|
|
| Named for: Archbald Pothole | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lackawanna |
| Borough | Archbald |
| Elevation | 1,211 ft (369.1 m) |
| Coordinates | 41°31′24″N 75°33′59″W / 41.52333°N 75.56639°WCoordinates: 41°31′24″N 75°33′59″W / 41.52333°N 75.56639°W |
| Area | 149.16 acres (60 ha) |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Management | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| IUCN category | III - Natural Monument |
 Location of Archbald Pothole State Park in Pennsylvania
|
|
|
Website: www |
|
Archbald Pothole State Park is a 149.16-acre (60.36 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Archbald, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The focal point of the park is Archbald Pothole. The pothole is a remnant of the Wisconsin Glacial Period, 38 feet (11.6 m) deep with a largest diameter of 42 feet (12.8 m) by 24 feet (7.3 m). It has drawn tourists since just after it was discovered in 1884. Archbald Pothole State Park is on U.S. Route 6 Business in the borough of Archbald.
A coal miner, Patrick Mahon, discovered Archbald Pothole in 1884. Mahon was extending a mine shaft. When he set off a blast of explosives, water and stones came pouring into the mine shaft. He and the other miners fled the scene fearing for their lives. The manager of the mining company, Edward Jones, came to investigate. Jones ordered that the area be cleared of the fallen debris. Almost 1,000 tons of small rounded stones were removed and Jones soon realized that the vertical tunnel discovered by the coal miners, was a large pothole.
After serving as a ventilation shaft for the mine, the pothole was fenced in by the owner of the land, Colonel Hackley, for tourists to look at it. The pothole soon became a renowned tourist attraction. Edward Jones led the tours for the locals and famous geologists. Archbald Pothole was turned over to public ownership in 1914, when the widow of Colonel Hackley deeded 1-acre (4,000 m2) surrounding the pothole to the Lackawanna Historical Society. Lackawanna County gained ownership of the pothole and the surrounding 150 acres (61 ha) in 1940. Archbald Pothole was a county park until 1961 when the property was transferred to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Archbald Pothole State Park was formally opened in 1964.
...
Wikipedia