Mauch Chunk Mountain facts for kids

Mauch Chunk Ridge in a contour map.

Relief map of eastern Pennsylvania.

Mauch Chunk Ridge is a mountain ridge in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is also known as Mauch Chunk Mountain. This ridge is part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. It is located near the Poconos and the Lehigh River.

This area is famous for its rich anthracite coal. Anthracite is a type of hard, black coal. The first coal mines in America were near Mauch Chunk Ridge. Coal was found on Pisgah Mountain, which is close by.

A very important railway was built here. It was called the Mauch Chunk and Summit Hill Switchback Railroad. This was the second railway ever built in North America. It was also known as the world's first roller coaster! People loved riding it for fun. It inspired many roller coasters in amusement parks today. The railway became a tourist attraction in the 1890s. It closed down in the 1930s because of the Great Depression.

The Mountain and Its Surroundings

Mauch Chunk Ridge is a long line of peaks. These peaks are about 1,501 feet (457 meters) high. They rise above the small towns in the Mauch Chunk Creek valley. The ridge helps form the edge of the Mauch Chunk Creek valley. This creek flows into the Lehigh River.

Long ago, pack mules used trails along the north side of the ridge. They carried coal from the mines at Summit Hill, Pennsylvania. This coal was taken to the Lehigh River for transport. Later, the railway helped move even more coal.

Geology of Mauch Chunk Ridge

Mauch Chunk Ridge is a typical folded mountain. It is one of many parallel ridges in this region. This type of landscape stretches from New Jersey to Virginia. It forms a big natural barrier.

The ridge is located in the Southern Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania. This area is known for having some of the richest anthracite coal seams. It is part of the Southern Pennsylvania Anthracite Field. The ridge runs parallel to the Blue Mountain region.