Walmart Construction Rt. 61  

The Wal-Mart Superstore opened on April 18, 2001.   The store is the 2nd largest in Pennsylvania.  If you shop there on a weekday you will still be able to see coal mining in operation.  Reading Anthracite is still trying to get as much coal out of this site.  In the picture below, notice the heavy equipment parked several hundred feet from the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Construction

 The people of John's Patch were subjected to round the clock bulldozers, ukes, and bright lights as the Rich's squeeze out the last of the coal in that area before construction starts.  Coal dirt is flying and when it rains all the run off is washing down into their garages, driveways, and walkways.  The shopping complex will be 116 acres and will include a multi-theater center, restaurants, and other stores.  Many of the trees that were behind the homes in the Patch have been cut down, along with trees running along Rt. 61 in that area.    Below are pictures from 1999.

patch01.gif (68502 bytes)

 This picture is looking north (towards Darkwater Gap) with Rt. 61 running along the left.  You can see the lumber from the trees that were cut.  The ukes are seen in the far right.

Nov. 1999
patch02.gif (92358 bytes) This is looking back at Saint Clair with Rt. 61 bypass running on the right.

Nov. 1999
patch04.gif (74777 bytes) See the ukes and other heavy equipment operating on the land that was the former Saint Clair Coal Co.

Note the sign, "free firewood"

Nov. 1999
patch07.gif (116752 bytes) Here is the Schuylkill River and what is left of the train bridge going back to the coal company.  This extended to the arch that was once part of Rt. 61 at the north end of St. Clair.

Nov. 1999
patch06.gif (69425 bytes) The removal home on the far left is planned for this complex also.   The picture is north on Rt. 61

Nov. 1999
1935rt61n.jpg (100229 bytes) 1935 picture of Rt. 61 North arch - one from north side

 

 
Arch north side of Saint Clair and one from south side.  See St. Clair Coal Co. on right side.

overpass.jpg (86411 bytes)

 Arch over Rt. 61 north end of 2nd Street
overpassdwn.jpg (87748 bytes) Removing the overpass for re-routing Rt. 61 and the St. Clair Bypass in the late 1980's.
traffic.jpg (99872 bytes) Reason for Rt. 61 bypass.  This bridge was removed. This was the southern entrance to St. Clair on Russell St.

Notice the sign for Tommy's M&S
bypass.jpg (65501 bytes) Construction work for the St. Clair bypass in the late 1980's/