This section contains information about Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. Its population is 6,949, and the median household income is $35,741. The census also provides information about the city's poverty rate. Although the town was once a regional shipping point, today Tamaqua is a small community with a relatively low poverty rate. Read on to learn more about the people, businesses, and economics of Tamaqua.
The city had a thriving commercial district during the heyday of coal production. Certain sections had a reputation for toughness, and were heavily populated with immigrants from southern and eastern Europe. After the 1950s, however, the population declined, as the coal mines began to wind down. Tamaqua's decline coincided with that of many other anthracite communities. In the 1960s, Hurricane Diane devastated the town's railroad yards, and the town had to annexe neighboring Rahn Township. Today, Tamaqua is home to the world's first fish hatchery.
The town was a railroad hub until the late 1960s. The Reading Company and the Lehigh & New England railroads both operated in Tamaqua. The railroad had a large rail yard in the south part of the town. The passenger station was located there, and eight tracks passed by the town's downtown. The railroad's engine house was in the parking lot of St. Luke's Medical Center. After the collapse of the anthracite coal industry, the railroad was no longer in business in Tamaqua. Today, the Reading and Northern Railroad runs a single track through the town.
The town was named for Molly Maguire, a fugitive from Ireland. In the 1840s, Irish, Welsh, and German immigrants moved to Tamaqua. The population of Tamaqua increased dramatically after the mid-1850s. After that, factories and foundries began to flourish in the city. The Anthracite Bank was founded in 1850. The town also had several hotels and warehouses, which tended to cluster near five points of intersection.