On April 21 in Millersburg, I’ll be sharing the story of the Short Mountain and Williamstown collieries and the rise of anthracite in northern Dauphin County. From Bear Gap in 1825 to Depression-era closures, this program explores boom, disaster, labor, and lasting legacy. Learn more.
Step back to 1870s Millersburg, PA with a rare photograph of the Summit Branch Hotel and railroad depot at the junction of the Northern Central and Lykens Valley lines. Read the full story.
Discover the dramatic story of teenage Henry Keiser, who hauled explosive powder through rugged terrain - and survived a life-threatening cattle stampede. Get a firsthand look at the dangers behind building this crucial rail line along the Susquehanna. Read the full story.
Discover a rare photograph capturing locomotive “George P. Upton” hauling anthracite along the Lykens Valley Railroad. Explore Bear Gap’s bustling mines, the route to Millersburg, and how Lykens Valley coal powered East Coast cities. Read the full story.
A correspondent of the Luzerne Union newspaper provides an account of a fatal train wreck in June 1863.
This newly acquired postcard shows Millersburg, Pennsylvania and the wide Susquehanna River as it winds through the mountains.
In 1834 and 1835, a scientist named Constantine Samuel Rafinesque traveled widely through Pennsylvania in order to document the geology and biology of the Keystone State. In the spring of 1835, the Turkish-born polymath traveled north from Harrisburg aboard canal boats alongside the Susquehanna River to Millersburg. In his book, A Life of Travels, Rafinesque details … Continue reading An 1835 visit to the mines at Wiconisco Township
Founded in 1851, the Short Mountain Coal Company grew rapidly during the Civil War in association with the Pennsylvania Railroad.
On a sunny Saturday in August 1918, more than 150 young men prepared for entry into the U.S. Army at the town park in Elizabethville, PA.
"None can tell what a busy scene will be presented near these mines."