“Great Titanic sinks with 1500 on board.” In the days after the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic, the news finally reached Pennsylvania's Coal Region in full force. This Scranton front page captures the moment when shock, scale, and tragedy came into focus for readers. Read the Story.
On April 14, 1872, volunteer firefighter and Civil War veteran Charles Ewing was racing to a fire on Sanderson Street in Pottsville when a tragic accident took his life before he reached the flames. His death stunned the town and drew a massive funeral procession. Read the Full Story.
In April 1931, as the Great Depression tightened its grip, hundreds of hungry, unemployed men - among them out-of-work Coal Region miners - marched on the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. They filled the streets, met with lawmakers and Governor Gifford Pinchot, and demanded millions in relief money, only to be turned away empty-handed. It’s a stark snapshot from the early years of the nation's worst economic crisis. Read the full story.
On April 9, 1865, Sergeant Henry Keiser of Wiconisco Township, PA, recorded in his diary the moment he and his fellow soldiers learned of General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, marking the end of their service in the Civil War. After surviving brutal battles from Gettysburg to Cedar Creek, Keiser returned home to Pennsylvania, where he lived until 1933, remembered as a dedicated soldier and community member. Read the full story.
On April 7, 1933, changes to the Volstead Act allowed the sale of beer with up to 3.2% alcohol, marking the beginning of the end for Prohibition. In Tower City, PA, Frank Mione’s Café celebrated the occasion with an enthusiastic newspaper advertisement welcoming beer back to their business. Read the full story.
In April 2023, I explored the historic city of Vienna and found some less-known revolutionary history.
In this episodes, we chat about Manhunt and its portrayal of Reconstruction.
"The rebellion of American slavery against American freedom has just been beaten and crushed..."
In our first podcast episode, we discuss the opening episodes of the new limited series "Manhunt."
Pottsville resident Nicholas Biddle became one of the first casualties of the Civil War in April 1861.