An editorial from a newspaper in Pottsville during the 1918 pandemic reminds us to be thankful for life amid a time of death.
A bit of Thanksgiving perspective from the pandemic of 1918
A Scottish immigrant’s remarkable working history in 1850s Schuylkill County (Part 2)
This is a piece continued from last week. You can read Part 1 of our brief series on the remembrances of Robert Weir from 1914 HERE. After describing his arrival in the Coal Region in 1852, Robert Weir turned to discussing his work in Schuylkill County as a hoisting engineer in various collieries in the … Continue reading A Scottish immigrant’s remarkable working history in 1850s Schuylkill County (Part 2)
“My brains and my wits” – A Scottish immigrant recalls his arrival in Schuylkill County in 1852
An 84-year-old sat down with a Pottsville Republican reporter in October 1914 for a discussion about what it was like to live and work in Schuylkill County in the mid-19th century. Robert Weir came to the Coal Region from Scotland in 1852 and found work in the coal mines in the vicinity of Branchdale, Forestville, and Heckscherville. … Continue reading “My brains and my wits” – A Scottish immigrant recalls his arrival in Schuylkill County in 1852
“The Mine Mule Affected by the European War” – 1914
In October 1914, war raged on the European continent. In what was then called the "Great War," industrial-scale war was waged on a massive scale for the first time. Americans were paying attention. A commentator for the Pottsville Republican noted a curious thing about the suddenly mechanized armies smashing each other to pulp on the battlefields … Continue reading “The Mine Mule Affected by the European War” – 1914
“The mask epidemic” – A native of Schuylkill County in Seattle during the 1918 influenza pandemic
A caustic letter by a Schuylkill County native in Seattle complained of mask requirement in the city. But their letter missed the mark.
The day beer returned to Schuylkill County – 1933
At midnight on April 7, 1933, whistles blew to celebrate the return of legalized beer in the heart of the Coal Region.
“Heroic Work” – The incredible effort of Schuylkill County residents to fight the 1918 influenza pandemic
As influenza killed hundreds in Schuylkill County in 1918, volunteers stepped up to save lives.
“LIQUOR SCARCE” – The quiet end of Prohibition in Pottsville and Schuylkill County
"Pottsville celebrated the advent of the new wet era with one of the driest evenings in its history."
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.
“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.
