Book excerpt: The first nonnative settlers arrived in Ragged Island, as Carbondale was then known, around 1802. Twenty years later, brothers William and Maurice Wurts were exploring the wilderness when they took note of several outcroppings of "curious black stones." These stones turned out to be anthracite coal, and the two Philadelphia businessmen became pioneers in America's Industrial Revolution. Carbondale's journey has taken many twists and turns during the past two centuries. The colorful and fascinating mosaic of images in Carbondale gives the reader a glimpse into the heart of small-town America and a clear picture of this historic city's past.