On February 20, 1906, a cave-in over Scranton’s Bellevue mine swallowed a home at 322 S. 5th Avenue. The Shea family fled as rumbling began; their house sank eight feet. Next door, the Doughertys heard their home beginning to give way. One house was lost; the other survived. 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.
Llewelyn Evans emigrated from Wales to Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1871. He began working in the anthracite industry at age 9 and served as a Pennsylvania mine inspector for 40 years before retiring in 1942. His poignant memories of child labor as a breaker boy highlight the harsh realities faced by children in that era. Read the full story.