"We are men and all we ask is to be treated as such," wrote the miners in a public letter published during their 1886 strike.
Grievances of Williamstown miners against the Pennsylvania Railroad Company | 1886
A newspaper’s reflection on the death toll from Spanish Flu in Schuylkill County – 1918
The writers at the "Pottsville Republican" struggled to find words for the horrific death toll of Spanish flu in October 1918.
Some thoughts on “The Molly Maguires” on the 50th anniversary of its big screen debut
On January 28, 1970, The Molly Maguires appeared on the big screen for the first time. Here's Wynning History's takeaway.
“Thoughts for Tomorrow” – Remembering the sacrifice of Schuylkill County’s Civil War soldiers
And a plea to consider what the Confederate battle flag meant to the local soldiers who fought and died in the Civil War.
Article in ‘The Atlantic’ highlights opioid addiction and economic distress in the Coal Region
Olga Khazan's January 2020 article highlights how depression, economic peril, and stress ushered in the opioid crisis in Northeastern PA.
“1917” – A film experience that brings the horror of World War I to life
A scene from the film mirrors the experience of a Coal Region doctor who served with the British in WWI.
Henry Keiser’s ‘reminisicences’ of Lykens and Wiconisco before the Civil War
In May 1927, Henry Keiser described the Coal Region towns where he grew up as they looked in the 1850s.
A remembrance of a boyhood in Schuylkill County during the Civil War
A memoir from the 1930s describes the hard life of a breaker boy in Civil War-era Schuylkill County.
Schuylkill County’s first Thanksgiving – November 1845
On November 27, 1845, Pottsville, Pennsylvania observed its first official Thanksgiving, following a proclamation by Governor Francis Shunk. This New England tradition had slowly spread to other states, and by the 1840s, Pennsylvania embraced the holiday. Businesses closed, church services were well attended, and the quiet streets reflected a community in celebration. Explore how this first Thanksgiving in Schuylkill County set the stage for a tradition that would later be declared a national holiday during the Civil War. Read the full story.
“The Youth owned the town” – Celebrating Halloween in Pottsville in 1893
Halloween could get pretty rowdy in the City of Pottsville in the 19th century.