In June 1867, a thunderstorm passed through Wiconisco, Pennsylvania and electrocuted miners deep within one of the town's coal mines.
“A vivid flash of light” – An 1867 lightning strike electrocuted Wiconisco miners 1,000 feet below ground
“Overhauling is going on vigorously” – An 1860s photograph reveals work at coal breaker in Wiconisco
A photograph taken shortly after the Civil War shows mining operations in Wiconisco Township in Dauphin County in the 1860s.
“We gave them hell” – Company G, 96th Pennsylvania in the Battle of South Mountain
Soldiers from a company in the 96th Pennsylvania describe their experiences in the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862.
“Strike among the coal miners”- Labor unrest in Wiconisco Township during the Civil War
In the spring of 1863, a series of strikes among miners stopped all work in the anthracite coal mines of Wiconisco Township.
Honoring Civil War Veterans: Memorial Day 1889
A writer in Lykens, PA describes the town's Memorial Day ceremonies in May 1889.
“A frightful scene” – A Wiconisco boy’s narrow escape from death in a mine accident in 1859
A young boy faced death in the mines of the Lykens Valley Coal Company in March 1859. And against all odds, he came out victorious.
“In my late excursion” – A visit to Wiconisco in 1835
A traveler describes his visit to the small mining village of Wiconisco, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1835.
Life of a Coal Mine Superintendent – The Diary of Gilliard Dock, 1867
Gilliard Dock served as superintendent at several Pennsylvania coal mines between 1865 and 1870. His journal tells the story.
Killed Aboard the USS Arizona – Seaman First Class Paul Shiley and the Attack on Pearl Harbor
19-year-old Paul Eugene Shiley was the first service-member from Wiconisco, Pennsylvania killed in the Second World War.
"The Boys All Seem to Like Camp Life So Far" – Company G Joins the 96th Pennsylvania
Corporal Keiser's misadventures had caught up with him.
Wynning History 