Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and comedian Jim Gaffigan explored Gaffigan's family connection to the Coal Region on "Finding Your Roots"
Jim Gaffigan’s Coal Region connections featured on “Finding Your Roots” on PBS
Two additions to the Wynning History collection show Pottsville in the early 20th century
The images show a general view of Pottsville from Lawton's Hill and a look at the city's Philadelphia and Reading Railroad depot.
Letters from War – “Our Battle for Aachen,” 1944
Irvin Schwartz's vivid description in a letter home to Schuylkill County describes the horror of the Battle of Aachen in October 1944.
The First Defenders – 160th anniversary live event from Pottsville
On April 18, 2021, John Hoptak and Jake Wynn will present a series of live videos on Facebook commemorating the 160th anniversary of the First Defenders.
Letters from War – Holiday greetings from the front lines in Nazi Germany, November 1944
Desperate to share Christmas cheer and hopes for a happy New Year, Pfc. Irvin Schwartz wished holiday greetings to friends and family through the newspaper.
When Schuylkill County soldiers raced to defend the Capitol in April 1861… and unfortunate modern parallels
In April 1861, soldiers from Pennsylvania's Coal Region raced to defend the US Capitol. 160 years later, some of those scenes repeated themselves.
Letters from War – The first letter from inside Hitler’s crumbling “Third Reich,” October 1944
In his first letter from inside Germany, Pfc. Irvin Schwartz describes interactions with residents of newly occupied Nazi territory.
“Sever all connection” – A group of Civil War veterans boycotted a Coal Region newspaper in 1883
Civil War veterans in Tower City, PA were infuriated by an insulting story about them in a local newspaper. So they took action.
Letters from War – Checking in with the staff of the Press-Herald from Belgium, September 1944
The young soldier from Pine Grove, PA checked in with his former boss at the West Schuylkill Press-Herald in early fall 1944.
Grudge Match: Lykens and Williamstown football teams dueled for championship in remarkable 1904 game
The game ended in a scoreless tie. But that doesn't mean the circumstances surrounding this game aren't fascinating.