In the late 1930s, Jack Delano photographed the silent ruins of the Shenandoah City Colliery, a once-massive operation left to decay as the Great Depression and industrial change gutted the anthracite industry. This is what collapse looked like in real time across Schuylkill County. Read the Full Story.
In the winter of 1874, as the nation slid into what became known as the Long Depression, Harper’s Weekly published a sketch titled Hard Coal for the Poor. It showed families huddled in the snow outside a coal dealer, forced to buy fuel by the bucket or quart because they couldn’t afford a stockpile. Coal prices soared each winter, leaving the poorest to pay the most for the barest survival—choosing between food and warmth. It’s a reminder of the harsh realities faced in America’s industrial cities during one of the country’s darkest economic downturns. Read the full story.
Step inside America’s oldest brewery in Pottsville, founded by David G. Yuengling in 1829. Explore hand‑dug beer caves and learn more about Yuengling's brewery operations - past and present. Enjoy exclusive samples and pints in the tasting room while discovering nearly two centuries of brewing heritage and traditions. Read the full story.
Discover a heartfelt holiday message from 1839, shared by the Pottsville Miners' Journal editor during tough economic times. Amidst depression, he calls on readers to celebrate Christmas and New Year by uplifting spirits and helping those in need. Read the full story.
This photograph of Mount Carmel, PA in reveals the physical and economic gloom that hung over the anthracite coal fields during the 1930s.
On the eve of the Great Depression, mining official Max Fredericks delivered an optimistic speech in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, predicting a bright future for the anthracite coal industry. Discover the irony and lasting impact of his words as the Coal Region faced unprecedented economic devastation after Black Tuesday in October 1929. Read the full story.
"Pottsville celebrated the advent of the new wet era with one of the driest evenings in its history."
On a cold and snowy day in 1877, a fire began at the bottom of Short Mountain Colliery in Wiconisco, Pennsylvania. Two communities would be forever altered by its flames.