I made a visit to the historic Rockville Bridge in March 2023 - still a vital rail link across the Susquehanna River since 1902. In under half an hour, three freight trains thundered past. Beneath the span: a builders’ plaque and spray-paint flood marks from 1972 and 1996. Read the full story.
Step back to 1870s Millersburg, PA with a rare photograph of the Summit Branch Hotel and railroad depot at the junction of the Northern Central and Lykens Valley lines. Read the full story.
Discover the dramatic story of teenage Henry Keiser, who hauled explosive powder through rugged terrain - and survived a life-threatening cattle stampede. Get a firsthand look at the dangers behind building this crucial rail line along the Susquehanna. Read the full story.
In 1976, Williamstown, PA, faced its 150th anniversary with mixed emotions, remembering both the prosperity of its coal-mining heyday and the struggles following the mine closures. Residents shared memories of a town once defined by coal, now left to rebuild its identity in a fading industry’s shadow. Read the Full Story.
Meet Henry Maurer, who grew up near Gratz< PA and fought in Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” At 99, he welcomed home grandsons from World War II, connecting nearly a century of American service. A moving slice of Coal Region history. Read the full story.
A 1940 newspaper article details the efforts in Central Pennsylvania to prevent and put out forest fires in the region.
An 1860s photograph shows the inclined plane at Wiconsico that carried loaded coal cars down to the main line of the Lykens Valley Railroad.
The Zimmerman brothers from Wiconisco, Pennsylvania all served in the US Army during the First World War.
Harry Elmer James wrote a letter to the editor of the Harrisburg Telegraph pleading for Black equality following World War I.
This newly acquired postcard shows Millersburg, Pennsylvania and the wide Susquehanna River as it winds through the mountains.