Though the area had been settled for generations, it was the coal demands of the 19th century that turned Nanticoke from a little village into a hub of industry.

In June 1748, 80 members Nentego tribe, from whom the name "Nanticoke" is derived, grounded their canoes in the wilderness along the Susquehanna River in the area that would later be named the Wyoming Valley. While it was first a farming area, towns sprouted alongside the nearby Nanticoke Creek, but when coal was discovered, the first coal mine was in operation by 1825, and thus a new industry was born for this tiny town. Nanticoke owes its chief growth to the anthracite coal industry, which provided employment opportunities for thousands of European immigrants. Through their labor and strong work ethic, they established a superb city in which to live a full life, and left behind a magnificent history of their times.