In 1800 Colonel Edward Cook laid out the town of Freeport, Pennsylvania, on the banks of the Monongahela River in the northwestern corner of what was to become Fayette County. The town changed its name to Cookstown to honor its founder in 1825 and then to Fayette City in 1854. For the better part of the first half of the 1800s, Fayette City was known for building boats, manufacturing glass, and farming. In the latter half of the century, coal mining became the predominant occupation. Coal production in and around Fayette City exploded during the last decade of the 1800s. The abundance of jobs in the mines generated an influx of immigrants, primarily from central and eastern Europe, causing Fayette City’s population to double from just under one thousand in 1890 to just over two thousand by 1910. Coal production reached a peak around 1915 and then decreased well into the 1920s as many of the large mines became mined out. The closure of the mines and the onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s had a devasting effect on Fayette City as well as on numerous other small towns in the Monongahela River Valley. The 1940s, however, would show a resurgence in the community and prove to be, with the benefit of hindsight, the last gasp of a small industrial town. From World War II to the town’s extraordinary Sesquicentennial celebration in 1950, the 1940s offered devasting lows and exhilarating highs.This book is based largely on interviews with more than thirty men and women who lived in Fayette City during the 1940s. Their recollections, both good and bad, of this exceptional period offer insight into what made Fayette City a place that evoked such strong, fond, and enduring memories in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have experienced the town then. It truly was an era the likes of which we may never be seen again.
✔ Author(s): Eric J. Moskala,Joe Sorah,Vanessa Pugh
✔ Title: Voices of Fayette City, Pennsylvania: Recollections from the 1940s
✔ Rating : 5 out of 5 base on (14 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: B0B553D1D5
✔ ISBN-13: 978B0B553D1D8
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about Voices of Fayette City, Pennsylvania by Eric J. Moskala
Thea Bell
I'm still in awe of the intricate plot and the way everything seamlessly came together. The twists kept me guessing until the very end. It's one of those rare books that leave a lasting impact.
Kara Snyder
The world-building in this book was simply phenomenal. I was transported to a different realm and felt like I was part of the characters' journey. The attention to detail made it all so immersive.
Iris Watts
This book is a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom. The insights offered by the characters and their experiences have left a lasting impression on me.
