Major Joseph Anthony, an Irish immigrant and revered Civil War veteran, survived grievous wounds at Chancellorsville only to succumb to their effects in 1885. After the war, he helped shape anthracite mining in Williamstown, Pennsylvania, earning lasting admiration for his bravery and leadership. Read the full story and a moving obituary for this Civil War veteran.
In February 1832, an Irish newcomer named Patt Gildea sat down in Pottsville, Pennsylvania and tried to explain this strange new country to his brother back in County Mayo. Fresh from Quebec, Montreal, New York, and finally the booming Coal Region, he laid out wages, work, land prices, and daily life in blunt, practical detail — good prospects for single young men, hard choices for families. His letter, later published in an Irish newspaper, offers one of the earliest on-the-ground views of Pottsville’s “Coal Rush” from the eyes of an immigrant still figuring out if he’d made the right move. Read the full story.
In January 1865, Welsh immigrant and Scranton resident Henry F. Evans wrote home after fighting ashore at Fort Fisher with the U.S. Navy. His letter captures the chaos, fear, and brutality of sailors turned infantry in one of the Civil War’s decisive battles. Read the full story.
An anonymous 'Molly Maguire' boldly warned Shenandoah newspaper editor Tom Foster in 1875: with the union broken, robbed by the companies, "we intend it to cost them..." With "nothing to defind ourselves with But our Revolvers" they demanded "a fare Days wages for a fare Days work." 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.
Two days after ten alleged Molly Maguires were hanged in Pottsville and Mauch Chunk, a letter signed “Fiat Lux” appeared in the New York Sun—and it turned the headlines of the day on their head. Instead of cheering the executions as many contemporary newspapers did, the writer blamed the Reading Railroad, coal operators, and a rigged system that kept immigrant mineworkers in brutal poverty, arguing that not all the guilt lay with the men on the gallows. It’s a sharp, early indictment of corporate power in the Coal Region. Read the full story.
In 1862, controversial politician and former War Secretary Simon Cameron turned his attention to a major coal project in northern Dauphin County. Using his political clout, he briefly joined the Summit Branch Railroad Company’s board, helping broker a lucrative sale that shaped this anthracite-rich region’s future. Read the full story.
In the summer of 1865, victory won in the Civil War, Pennsylvania’s soldiers expected to go home—except the 202nd. Sent instead to the Coal Region to guard mine operators and intimidate striking workers, they called it “disgraceful duty.” A fiery letter from Tamaqua revealed disgust, defiance, and weariness. Read the full story.
In October 1952, President Harry S. Truman rolled into Pottsville on a campaign stop for Adlai Stevenson. It was the first time a sitting U.S. president visited Schuylkill County, and thousands packed the streets and stadium to hear him speak. His words touched directly on the Coal Region’s struggles with unemployment, the decline of anthracite, and the promise of new industry. It was a moment of history in Pottsville, even if the county ultimately swung for Eisenhower that November. Read the full story and listen to the speech.
Discover a poignant recollection from Dr. Charles H. Miller, who mourned a young schoolmate taken by disease in the Coal Region. His emotional tribute highlights the fragility of life in 19th century mining towns, where epidemics often claimed children far too soon. Read the full story.