Gravity Slope Facelift Planned

The problem: The deteriorating state of the Gravity Slope colliery above Archbald. The colliery opened in 1913, and closed in 1955. Thress structures remain at the site, including the 654-square-foot oil house, so named because bulk oil shipments were stored.

Since 2005, as a non-profit organization, the Gravity Slope Committee has been working to preserve and restore the buildings in cooperation with the Borough of Archbald. The ultimate goal is to restore all three buildings at the site as a museum and historical center, preserving and teaching the history of coal mining to future generations of visitors and local residents.

Funding and manpower, however, have been lacking.

Enter Leadership Lackawanna. Created in 1982 under the sponsorship of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, every year a Leadership Lackawanna "class" of working professionals takes on a special project for the betterment of Lackawanna County and its residents. The Leadership Lackawanna Class of 2012 has taken on the Gravity Slope colliery, specifically the oil house, as the focus of its efforts this year.

The project, entitled "Restore the Slope," is aimed at completing restoration of the oil house. The team includes Hemal P. Desai of Proctor & Gamble, Susan A. Micka of Prudential Retirement, Lisa A. Deal of Geisinger Health Systems, Lisa A. Konzelman of Baptist Bible College & Seminary, Becky J. Snyder of Allied Services, Gerard M. Hetman and Michael C. Baumhardt of The University of Scranton.

"The Gravity Slope Authority is delighted to have attracted the help of Leadership Lackawanna," said David Lamereaux, chairman of the Gravity Slope Colliery Authority. "The oil house represented an important part of Anthracite mining history in Lackawanna County. At one point, nearly 1,700 local miners depended on it for oil to lubricate mining cars, gears, and to light their lamps. Without the assistance of Leadership Lackawanna, restoration of the oil house may have seen a long delay."

Restoration work at the oil house site is set to include (but is not limited to) roof repair/replacement, ceiling construction, door and window replacement, brickwork/masonry repair, graffiti removal, painting, construction of new entryway stairs, exterior site cleanup, and landscaping.

The team is seeking monetary donations in any amount, as well as in-kind donations of labor and construction material. The group is planning to hold a series of fundraising events in and around Archbald and the greater Valley View area, with a goal of completing restoration of the oil house by June.

Kicking things off late last year was a Lackawanna County Arts and Culture project grant of $3,000. Maureen McGuigan, Deputy Director of Arts and Culture said the grant review panel "felt it was a project highlighting the unique cultural history of Lackawanna County, and one that will allow the public to experience history in an accessible, hands-on way."

Parties interested in making a donation to the Restore the Slope project can contact the group via email at restoretheslopell@gmail.com, or by writing Restore the Slope, c/o Leadership Lackawanna, 222 Mulberry St., Scranton, PA 18501.

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