Taken in the late 1860s or early 1870s, this rare photograph looks across Pottsville at a city in transition—before its skyline fully took shape. From Coal Street, familiar landmarks reveal how power, industry, and ambition shaped the town we know today. Read the full story.
Discover mid-19th century Pottsville as Schuylkill County’s industrial heart: surrounded by anthracite mines, its iron works churned out pumps and engines fueling the coal trade and railroads. Illustrated maps and photos bring these bygone factories to life. Step back into Pottsville’s smoky past. Read the full story.
A photograph by Isaac Kunkel shows the mining community of Lykens, Pennsylvania in the years after the Civil War. The image is among the earliest taken of this northern Dauphin County community. Read the full story.
John Hale’s firsthand account plunges you into 1860s Bellevue Colliery, where miners cut props by hand, hoisted cars with mules, and battled gas in dark chambers. Discover the grit and ingenuity that defined early anthracite mining in the vicinity of Scranton. Read the full story.
By the Civil War’s end, the Summit Branch Railroad Company built these simple miners’ houses, transforming remote forest land into a bustling coal town called Williamstown. At its peak, thousands relied on the Williamstown Colliery for work. A few of these early homes still stand, silent witnesses to the region’s industrial heritage. Read the full story.
On December 9, 1873, the Williamstown Tunnel in northern Dauphin County was completed as tunneling teams from both sides of Big Lick Mountain finally met. This engineering feat, begun in 1870, opened new coal reserves for the Summit Branch Railroad Company and transformed the Williamstown Colliery into one of the most productive anthracite mines in the region. Learn how this pivotal moment in Pennsylvania’s coal mining history unfolded. Read the full story.
In part two of this interview from 1927, Charles Kershner reveals his experiences on the western frontier with the 5th United States Cavalry.
Pottsville photograph A.M. Allen made a trip to northern Schuylkill County to capture an image of the Shenandoah City Colliery.