The Streets of Coaldale

ThemeWeek: Pennsylvania Coal Country. For the third year now, on Father's Day, I go for a ride somewhere, spend the day taking pictures and soaking in the area. By myself. This year I chose to return to the Coal Region of Schuylkill and Carbon Counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. An area I sort of grew up in. An area I haven't seen in nearly 13 years. Today it is Coaldale, my mother's hometown. This place was depressed when I was a kid and it seems to have lost some of the life it had back then. The streets all still looked the same. The same potholes still need filled, the streets that needed paved 15 years ago still need paved. Very little was new, for the most part what once was is now gone. All the Catholic churches in Coaldale had be shuttered, all but one in Lansford have closed up. Along with several Protestant churches. I can remember all the ethnic churches. Now it's all one. And that one is in the next town down the road. I found these to be the real focus of my day.

Stop back for more as the week goes by.