The Maple Hill Colliery was located about one half mile north of the village of St. Nicholas along the Waste House Run Creek in Mahanoy Township, Schuylkill County.
The colliery was opened by sinking the no.1 shaft 754 ft. by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. In 1888-90, cutting the veins from the spohn to the top split mammoth vein and was extensively developed on both north and south dips of the maple hill basin.
The first shipment of 113,887 tons was made in 1892 and in 1893 the shipment was 307,246 tons of coal.
In 1901, three air locamotives were installed to speed up the trans- portation of coal and eliminate mule haulage. Prior to 1901, the entire production of the mine was handled by 82 mules.
By 1938, there were 19 air locomotives and 27 mules handling the trans- portation and that same year electricification of the haulage system was started. The last 8 mules in service were disposed of in September 1948.
In 1903, the no.2 shaft was sunk 1050 ft. cutting the same veins as the no.1 shaft. The dimensions were 12 ft. x 31 ft. with six compartments, four for coal and two for hoisting water.
In 1906, the underground slope was sunk 1050 ft. on the buck mountain vein and in 1911 the old wooden head frames on the shafts were replaced by ones of steel.
The colliery was one of the largest producers in the region. There were 17 veins at this colliery with the thickness ranging from 12 ft. on the buck mountain to 43 ft. on the mammoth vein.
Total shipments of coal to 1928 was 16,091,438 tons and as of Jan. 1, 1949 the shipments were 27,676,556 tons.
The colliery ceased mining June 25, 1954.