Eckhart Mines, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eckhart Mines, Maryland
|
|
|---|---|
 Eckhart Mines, Maryland
Location in Maryland
Eckhart Mines, Maryland
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County |  Allegany |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.52 sq mi (3.94 km2) |
| • Land | 1.52 sq mi (3.94 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,873 ft (571 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 858 |
| • Density | 563.73/sq mi (217.70/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
21528
|
| FIPS code | 24-24825 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2629795 |
Eckhart Mines is a small community in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It's also a census-designated place (CDP), which is an area the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering population data. In 2020, about 858 people lived there.
Eckhart Mines is located near Frostburg and Clarysville. A stream called Braddock Run starts close to the community. This area was first settled because of its rich coal deposits.
Contents
A Town Built on Coal
Eckhart Mines was originally a "company town." This means a company built and owned most of the homes and stores for its workers. It was the very first coal company town in Maryland.
The town was named after George Eckhardt, an immigrant from Germany. He was an early owner of land in the area.
The "Big Vein" Coal
A special type of coal called the Pittsburgh coal seam is found here. People locally called it "the big vein" or "14-foot coal" because it was so thick. This was the first place where bituminous coal was mined for business in the Georges Creek Valley. It was easy to get to because the National Road (now U.S. Route 40 Alternate) crossed right over the coal.
The main company that operated here was the Maryland Mining Company. Over time, this company joined with others to form the Consolidation Coal Company, which is now known as Consol Energy. The Eckhart operation was actually the first commercial coal company in the entire United States!
History of Eckhart Mines
The history of Eckhart Mines goes back a long way.
Early Land Ownership
In 1780, George Eckhardt bought several pieces of land in Allegany County. He officially received the ownership papers for these lands in 1800. He also got another piece of land from John Stigler.
Growth of the Mining Village
According to a history book about Allegany County, Eckhart Mines was a "well laid out village" by July 12, 1789. It was described as a very scenic mining village, located about one and a half miles from Frostburg. It was also on the Eckhart Branch of the Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad.
In 1940, the community had ten stores, including general merchandise and grocery stores. There were also two churches: a Baptist church and a United Methodist church. At that time, the population was much larger, with about 2,300 people living there.
Population Data
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 858 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
See also
In Spanish: Eckhart Mines para niños
