1780 – Schuylkill Haven, Pine Grove, Orwigsburg, McKeansburg are settled.

1790 – Necho Allen discovers coal in Pottsville area.

1800 – Iron furnaces established.

1811 – Establishment of Schuylkill County from Berks and Northampton. Population estimated at 6,000.

1815-1828 – Schuylkill Canal construction.

1820 – Population 11,300.

1829 – David G. Yuengling establishes Eagle Brewery.

1830 – Population 20,700.

1830-1840 – County booms with coal, canal.

1840 – Population 29,053.

1850 – Population doubles in 10 years. Now at 60,713.

1860 – Population 89,510.

1867-1877 – Railroad becomes major transportation.

1870 – Population 116,428

1877 – Ten alleged Molly Maguires hanged in Pottsville
and Mauch Chunk.

1880 – Population 129,974.

1890 – Population 154,163.

1898 – Robert Allison of Port Carbon buys first car in U.S.

1890-1910 – Shenandoah surpasses Pottsville in
population.

1900 – Population 172,927.

1910 – Population 207,894.

1920 – Population 217,754. Anthracite production peaks.

1924-1926 – Strikes accelerate anthracite’s decline.

1940 – Population 228,331.

1946-1960 – Mass exodus from Schuylkill as unemployment rate reaches 23 percent. Textiles surpass coal mining as top employer.

1950 – Population 200,066.

1960 – Population 172,586 (over 50,000 drop in 20-year period)

1956-1970 – Infrastructure improvements (including I-81 completion), school jointures.

1970 – Population 159,661.

1980 – Population 160,630 (first rise in population since the ’20s).

1982-1989 – Co-generation marks new era in anthracite.

1990 – Population 152,585.