Frank Israel left his home in Pennsylvania and didn't look back for 15 years. While he was away, he traveled the world.
“I am a traveler by nature” – A long-lost son of Lykens writes home from the West
“Incidents of a by-gone age” – A description of life in the Coal Region before the Civil War
Uncover rare firsthand accounts of 19th-century life in Pennsylvania's coal region before the Civil War. In this exclusive interview, Catherine Myers shares her experiences growing up in Williams Valley, offering unique insights into daily life, culture, and the early days of coal mining history. Read the full story.
The dramatic aftermath of the Lincoln assassination in Schuylkill County
In Pennsylvania's anthracite coal field, reactions to the dramatic events of April 1865 were shockingly mixed.
“Cheering, shouting and rejoicing” | A Pennsylvanian’s experience at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865
Sergeant Henry Keiser's diary reveals a soldier's perspective of the Civil War's dramatic final moments.
“This seems like madness” – An editorial from the aftermath of the 1860 election hits close to home
"We are quarreling with our own prosperity, and about to fly from imaginary evils to greater evils, the extent of which cannot be imagined."