The discovery of anthracite coal in the region in the early 19th century led to the town's rise as a coal-producing community. The town was incorporated as a borough in 1832. The first coal breaker, called "The Greenwood" was built as noted in the quotation, at the site of the first mine at the lower end of the Panther Creek Valley. Details about construction and development in Rahn Township, Pennsylvania and Coaldale on the county-line with sister-town Lansford from the same source history, illustrate it was definitely not the first breaker in the valley. LC&N Co., with 10,000 acres in between Mauch Chunk and Tamaqua was known to have mine tailings accumulating in their lands within Coaldale. The Greenwood breaker in 1874, as noted in the above quote, was burned by the Molly Maguires in the labor troubles of that era.