Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Coal Region

Southwestern Pennsylvania has a strong history in the coal, coke, and steel industries that helped shape the region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Existing communities expanded, and new towns were built by mining companies.  The available jobs attracted people from around the United States and the world, creating a melting pot of different cultures, ethnicities, and beliefs.  Marion Piccolomini was born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania.  She has designed a book around past and present-day images to bring to life the story of the region and its transformation through time.