Aug 29, 2008 By Rebekah Sungala 4 min read

People whose ancestral roots are buried in Fayette County should be proud of their heritage, which is as rich and deep as the coal their ancestors once mined. Preserving that heritage is a priority for several local residents who recently participated in the state’s 10th annual Abandoned Mine Reclamation & Coal Mining Heritage Conference in State College.

Evelyn A. Hovanec, co-founder of the Coal and Coke Heritage Center at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus, said people don’t realize that their personal histories are intertwined with the rise and fall of the coal mining industry.

“We are the descendants of proud people. The problem is that we don’t realize that,” she said.

Hovanec, whose presentation focused on the development and decline of the coal/coke industries, discussed the effects that both powerful industries had upon the region and its people.

“We must learn from the past if we are to improve our future,” the Penn State Fayette professor emeritus said, noting that the economy declined when the mines closed and the coke ovens stopped burning.

Hovanec said the people of southwestern Pennsylvania, particularly Fayette County, were once known as hard-nosed people with unrivaled work ethic, a direct consequence of growing up in homes where coal was king.

“Our ancestors were not afraid of hard work. They believed in a good day’s work for a fair wage,” she said, noting that people must regain that mentality and realize that being from Fayette County is something to be proud of.

Hovanec said it’s unfortunate that many people believe Fayette County always has been, and always will be economically disadvantaged.

“We are rich in resources,” she said.

Hovanec said the Connellsville Coke Region, located in Fayette and Westmoreland counties, was famous, known throughout the world for the high-quality coal it produced.

People came from across the Atlantic Ocean to work in the mines, hundreds of which were located in southwestern Pennsylvania, so that they could support their families. The influx of immigrants resulted in ethically diverse communities.

“Although some in the area bemoan the lack of culture, many will tell you that we are rich in culture, the diverse cultures of the diverse people who came to the area to work in the coal and coke industries. We are the heirs to various ethnic foods, customs, music, art and value systems,” Hovanec said.

In addition to Hovanec, Pamela Seighman and Elaine H. DeFrank, both of the Coal and Coke Heritage Center, presented information at the recent seminar regarding the center and the oral history collection at the center.

Retired teacher Jim Tobal, who taught American history in the Laurel Highlands School District for 36 years, also presented information regarding strategies teachers can use to incorporate local history into the social studies curriculum in rural southwestern Pennsylvania school districts.

“My goal is to make people aware of our local history and to get teachers teaching it in the classroom,” he said.

Tobal said younger generations, people born after the rise and fall of the coal industry, must be taught that history to successfully move forward.

“In Fayette County, coal and coke is our history,” he said. “Our students need to know their history before they can go out and discover the world. It’s hard to know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.”

Hovanec said the county’s history is fascinating but that not enough has been done to preserve it.

“To me, that’s the tragedy,” she said.

Hovanec said the country is entering a new energy era and that coal and oil products will be replaced with natural gas and energy from renewable resources such as wind and solar power.

Fayette County will be affected, she said, noting that companies are drilling new gas wells every day and that businesses are now talking about building wind turbines in the mountains.

Hovanec said people must learn from the past and make sure the region receives its fair share of the profits in the future so that the area and its people benefit.

“Study the past and learn from it. It is the basis of the present and can give valuable insight into how to build a future,” she said, noting that Fayette County’s ancestors provided today’s generation with the means to solve future problems.

“Be proud of your heritage,” she said.