Located in the Heckscherville Valley north of the Thomaston Railroad Station. The workings of this colliery were very extensive embracing paynes water level tunnel, two slopes and two tunnels below water level. the original opening was a slope sunk 260 ft. on the "lelar" middle split of the mammoth vein by E. Borda in 1852 from which gangways were driven 1200 ft. west and 1500 ft. east in about 1854.
In
1854 the colliery was operated by Richard Heckscher, Borda & Co. who sunk the
paynes shaft and extended the paynes slope to a lower level. The shaft was 120
ft. deep and was equipped with a powerful cornish bull- pump designed to lift
326 gallons of water per stroke.
In 1859, Heckscher & Co. sunk a 4 track slope to the first level on the "crosby" top split of the mammoth vein 125 yards west of the old slope and drove a tunnel north from the foot of the slope to the "jugular" basin.
In 1864 the New York & Schuylkill Coal Co., Charles Heckscher, President, took possession of the colliery and operated until 1868 when sheriffed.
In 1867 the jugular basin being exhausted it was decided to construct a dam in the jugular tunnel to prevent water from the jugular workings draining into the lower workings of the heckscherville slope. The dam was located 270 ft. north of the "daniel" bottom split of the mammoth vein gangway in the first lift tunnel from the heckscherville basin to the jugular basin.
In 1868, O'Donnel Von Der Hyden & Co. succeeded in the operation of the colliery but a fire made them quit mining. They were succeeded by John Wadlinger. The great heckscherville fire was discovered sep. 20, 1869.
In 1869, John Wadlinger began mining the third lift with the knowledge of the fire still burning in the upper levels and mining was continued to 1875.
In 1875, the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. succeeded Wadlinger and they continued mining the third level. But, in 1877, the fire was drawn down to the lower workings and the mine was flooded and the colliery abandoned. The fire continued and in 1896 a rock slope was sunk to explore the old workings and it found the fire was extinguished. However in 1901, as a precautionary measure, the Dyer's Creek was turned into the old workings and in 1906 an examination of the rock slope showed no evidence of the fire.
The total shipments from Heckscherville (Anchor) Colliery were 1,057,342 tons.