On Jan. 18 at 1 p.m., the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum will host historian Martha Capwell Fox for a lecture and book signing.

She will speak about her new book telling of the transformations brought by transportation routes that carried anthracite coal and iron from Wilkes-Barre to Philadelphia.

“The Lehigh Valley has a rich and expansive industrial history,” said Joseph Garrera, executive director of the Museum. “Martha Capwell Fox captures a powerful story of immigration, iron, labor, and war.”

Using maps and historical photographs, Fox’s talk will document what happened when the region’s geography and geology encountered human genius.

Together these forces created transportation routes and industries like iron and steel that helped build modern America.

Fox’s book, “Geography, Geology, and Genius: How Coal and Canals Ignited the American Industrial Revolution,” will be available for purchase, and the author will sign copies.

Admission to the event is free to members, $8 for adult nonmembers, and $3 for nonmember children.

A native of Catasauqua, Fox has written or co-written several other books on historical topics. She serves as the Historian and Archives Coordinator for the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.

The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is located at 432 W. Walnut St. in Allentown.

For more information, contact Garrera at 610-435-1074, visit www.lehighvalleyheritagemuseum.org or visit the museum on Facebook.