David Watkeys was pulled unconscious from the Williamstown Tunnel on May 25, 1904. He survived to tell his story.
Interview with a survivor of the 1904 Williamstown Colliery Disaster
The Williamstown Colliery Disaster of 1904
10 miners were killed when toxic gas from a locomotive filled Williamstown Tunnel on May 25, 1904
“147,000 ordered to strike” – The beginning of the 1902 anthracite coal strike
The leader of the United Mine Workers of America addressed the miners of the Coal Region on May 10, 1902.
U.S. Navy admiral: anthracite coal won the Civil War
In 1906, Admiral Robley D. Evans declared anthracite coal a vital strategic resource and used the Civil War as an example.
An author’s 1840 visit to Schuylkill County focused on natural beauty, growing coal industry
Elizabeth Ellet documented a trip to the Coal Region in her book, "Rambles about the country."
Fuel for Union victory – An 1861 U.S. Navy contract for anthracite coal
Pennsylvania anthracite became the exclusive fuel source for the U.S. Navy during the Civil War.
“Miners at work” – Harper’s Weekly illustrations of the Coal Region from 1869
A Harper's Weekly artist documented work in an anthracite mine in Pennsylvania in 1869.
“Slated to go” – The end of the mine mule in the Coal Region
As anthracite mines became increasingly electrified, mine mules began to disappear from the Coal Region.
Explore the George Bretz collection of Coal Region photography
A digital archive allows researchers to view hundreds of photographs taken in the Coal Region in the 19th century.
A visit to the former site of Kalmia Colliery | Schuylkill County
Explore the remnants of Kalmia Colliery in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, from a 2018 visit. Once a busy mining village, Kalmia’s abandoned foundations and scarred landscapes reflect a bygone era of Coal Region history, where anthracite mining shaped lives and left lasting marks on the landscape. Read the Full Story.