Check out a rare early-20th-century snapshot of the Kehley Run Colliery UMWA band in Shenandoah, where future Big Band legends Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey first learn to play. This remarkable union band photo captures a fascinating moment in labor and musical history. Read the full story
Step back to September 1900, when Mother Jones took the podium in Shenandoah, PA to ignite a fledgling anthracite strike. This rare image from the Philadelphia Inquirer shows Mary Harris “Mother” Jones rallying miners for the United Mine Workers of America cause - an important moment in Coal Region labor history. Read the full story.
In 1910, artist Joseph Pennell sketched a dark, foreboding view of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, capturing the stark industrial landscape dominated by coal breakers and immigrant communities. His illustration, now in the Library of Congress, reflects the hidden world of America’s coal towns, largely unseen by the broader public. Read the full story.
In 1926, Italian immigrants in Schuylkill County, PA, united to protest racial discrimination and biased media coverage. Amidst rising anti-Italian sentiment, the Sons of Italy organized to demand fair treatment and highlight their community's contributions and law-abiding values. Discover their powerful response to injustice. Read the Full Story.
Step back into the tense streets of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, during the 1900 Coal Strike with this gripping illustration from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Violent clashes erupted between striking mineworkers, non-union laborers, and law enforcement, leaving one man dead and many wounded. Discover how this pivotal moment played out against the backdrop of one of the Coal Region's lesser-known but important historical events. Read the full story.
These 1938 images show dancers on the floor at Shenandoah's Maher's Dance Hall during the Great Depression.
Explore 1938 photographs of a coal miners' beer party in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, captured by photographer Sheldon Dick. Delve into the social life of miners like Joe Gladski, a Maple Hill Colliery worker and United Mine Workers leader, highlighting the Coal Region's culture during the Great Depression. Read the full story.
The Shenandoah Evening Herald ran a moving editorial on Christmas Eve 1945 about the meaning of the holiday after World War II.
This image from Schuylkill County is among the new additions to the Wynning History image collection.
On Thanksgiving Day 1902, Reverend John Hensyl addressed a congregation in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, just weeks after the end of the historic 1902 Coal Strike. His sermon focused on the harsh realities faced by the region’s mineworkers and called attention to the systemic poverty that plagued working families. Hensyl’s message reflected the growing Progressive Era call for institutional reform to address the inequities created by powerful corporations. Explore how this pivotal moment in labor history was echoed in the pulpit. Read the full story.