Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
The past and present of Schuylkill County are starkly different. What was once a bustling area, leading the nation in anthracite coal mining in the early 1900s and then in textile and apparel production from the early to mid-1900s, is now a county where the population is aging; young people are leaving to find work; and the hope to regain prosperity like that of the past has deteriorated (McGuigan & Migliore, 2008; Miller & Pencak, 2002).
Purposes of Study
There are three purposes to this study:
- To determine how and why the garment industry of Schuylkill County ascended and then plummeted. I approach this by looking at the county’s history from several perspectives: a macroeconomic level, comparing it to the economies of the state and nation (Chapter 2); a factory level, delving into the microeconomics of production and business decisions (Chapter 4); and a personal level, through interviewing citizens that lived in the county and worked in the garment factories (Chapter 5).
- Using the data, to determine whether or not it would be beneficial and feasible to bring the garment industry back to Schuylkill County (Chapter 7).
- To raise awareness of Schuylkill County’s rich past, its contribution to the nation, and its need for help in boosting the economy.
Tamaqua: An Example of Contrasting Times
Tamaqua, Pennsylvania is one of many small towns in Schuylkill County and is situated in the northeastern region of the county. Tamaqua, like other Schuylkill towns, was involved in the anthracite, railroad and garment manufacturing industries. The town’s garment industry was special, however, because it was led by what was once the largest underwear manufacturer in the world, J. E. Morgan Knitting Mills.
A drive through the streets of Tamaqua would be quite different in the mid-20th century than it would be today. During the 1940s and 1950s, one would have noticed several garment factories lining the streets; an abundance of shops— from delis and bakeries to retail stores and shoemakers; hotels for tourists that came to enjoy the town and the scenic, mountainous terrain; a train often whistling in the background; and families with young children dressed up in their Sunday church attire (Detterline Jr., 1968).
While the economy was dynamic and prosperous, daily life remained tough. The majority of people worked either in the mines or in factories that produced textiles and apparel, both of which had poor working conditions and low wages—but the citizens of Tamaqua coped so that they could support their families. Leisure time was often spent at community gatherings, such as picnics, block parties, bingo games and bowling leagues (Interviewees from Tamaqua; McGuigan & Migliore, 2008). (See Figures 1.1-1.4.)
1.1 Reading Railroad Station (Berner, 2014). An iconic view of Tamaqua, circa 1950.
1.2 Betty’s Luncheonette (Horton, 2014). On High Street, circa 1950. Over the years, the building was transformed into an apartment, a church, a home building business and a garage.
1.3 Bright’s Department Store (Suzadell, 2013). The store bustled with customers on Friday nights and was known for its variety of merchandise and nice sales clerks, circa 1950.
1.4 A Street View (Serfass, 2013d). Some stores and restaurants, circa 1960.
In contrast, a drive through Tamaqua today would draw a picture of less favorable conditions: the lack of any major industry; shops and buildings where businesses have vanished leaving empty storefronts or chain-stores like Rite-Aid and Burger King; a single motel where two of three Google reviewers explain they only stayed there because they were snow-trapped (A Google User, 2011; A Google User, 2008); and high school students, that if asked, would probably say that they do not plan to live in their hometown as an adult (Marchiano, 2013). Community leisure activities still occur, but attendees are becoming older due to the flight of the younger generations.
Those that remain and participate in the labor force in Tamaqua work at auto shops, retail and convenience stores, local schools, restaurants and in others’ homes babysitting. Current job listings looking to hire in Tamaqua are considerably low-skilled, low-paying jobs, such as sales associates and managers at general stores, lab assistants and research technicians at St. Luke’s in nearby Coaldale, assistant managers at auto repair and car rental shops, labor-intensive positions in warehouses and construction, babysitters, home care workers, salon assistants and truck drivers (Find Jobs, 2014).
Adding to the decline, Tamaqua has more than once faced conflict with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, which seems to view the area as a place fit for dumping toxic waste from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York (Sturgis, 2008; Tamaqua Borough, n.d.). In the mid-2000s, the department decided to fill fly ash into the Springdale Pit, a large hole that was once the center of mining operations. This coal combustion waste has the ability to contaminate the surface, air and groundwater of the surrounding towns of Tamaqua, Coaldale and Summit Hill (Sturgis, 2008). Fortunately, local residents united and ceased filling the pit any further. In addition to fly ash, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has also chosen the Tamaqua area to dispose of the state’s sewage sludge, giving farmers sludge for free to use as fertilizer. While the Department has deemed the sludge safe, there have been cases of sickness and death as a result of citizens’ exposure. Tamaqua continues to fight against such dumping practices (The benefits, 2006).
While the town of Tamaqua is not as scenic as it once was, there have been some improvements. In 1992, for instance, the nonprofit organization Tamaqua Save Our Station, also known as Tamaqua SOS, purchased the town’s abandoned railroad station for $25,000. After twelve years, the organization collected $1.5 million of public donations and funding from local politicians. On August 1, 2004, the Tamaqua railroad station was restored, looking like it did a century before, and opened to the public (Kneller, 2013; Leskin, 2013). (See Figure 1.5.) Since then it has served as a heritage center equipped with a restaurant and gift shop (Tamaqua Railroad, 2014). In December of 2012, the Restaurant at the Station closed because it was too much work to keep up. One of the owners listed the economy as a reason for closure (Leskin, 2013). Happily, a new chef from Lancaster and her husband re-opened the restaurant in the spring of 2013, renaming it Vonz Restaurant, and added a new dining room (Kneller, 2013). The Tamaqua Railroad Station represents the town’s rich history, the fickleness of the county’s economy, and an inkling of hope for future growth.
1.5 Tamaqua Railroad Station (Tamaqua Railroad Station, 2014). August 1, 2004. Train station re-opened to the public.
Tamaqua is a prime example of how the economy and morale have declined within Schuylkill County. The town’s community has been strongly influenced by its industries in the first half of the 1900s and lack thereof in more recent years. Tamaqua is home to several founding industries of the United States, which have aided our nation’s economy immensely and include the railroad, the coal industry and J.E. Morgan Knitting Mill. Tamaqua’s industries and acceptance of cultures helped to integrate new immigrants and ethnicities. Despite Tamaqua’s contributions to our country’s prosperity, interest of the town and awareness of its bleak state is lacking.