Take a rare look at an 1863 illustration of the Oxford Colliery in Scranton, where “breaker boys” sorted anthracite by hand amid roaring machinery. Discover how these early breakers shaped Pennsylvania’s coal industry. Read the full story.
Meet a young mineworker who joined striking miners in the 1900 Coal Strike, stopping operations and rallying adults to his cause. Discover how these determined youth shaped a defining moment in Pennsylvania’s anthracite history. Read the full story.
On May 12, 1864, Henry Keiser and the 96th Pennsylvania stormed enemy earthworks in a downpour at the infamous “Bloody Angle,” firing over 160 rounds through mud and chaos. Learn how this Dauphin County soldier endured one of the Civil War’s most brutal encounters. Read the full story.
John Hale’s firsthand account plunges you into 1860s Bellevue Colliery, where miners cut props by hand, hoisted cars with mules, and battled gas in dark chambers. Discover the grit and ingenuity that defined early anthracite mining in the vicinity of Scranton. Read the full story.
On April 9, 1865, Sergeant Henry Keiser of Wiconisco Township, PA, recorded in his diary the moment he and his fellow soldiers learned of General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, marking the end of their service in the Civil War. After surviving brutal battles from Gettysburg to Cedar Creek, Keiser returned home to Pennsylvania, where he lived until 1933, remembered as a dedicated soldier and community member. Read the full story.
Explore Olivia Dunbar’s vivid account of the somber, determined leader who united the United Mine Workers of America. Witness how Mitchell’s quiet strength and sense of responsibility molded a pivotal chapter in American labor history. Read the full story.
A haunting interview from 1861 reveals Private John Lanahan’s remorse after fatally shooting Major Arnold Lewis in a whiskey-fueled rage. Discover how an Irish immigrant’s fleeting moment of violence led to a shocking public execution – and a cautionary tale for other Civil War soldiers. Read the full story.
In a vivid 1871 illustration, striking workers and families jeer non-union miners walking through the crowded streets of Mahanoy City. Explore the early days of labor organization in Pennsylvania’s anthracite region and the conflicts that shaped coal country’s future. Read the full story.
Meet the “Huckleberry Miners” of 1913 Discover how Coal Region women foraged berries to feed their families and even formed a union to demand fair prices. Read the full story.
While boys worked in the dust of coal breakers, young girls - some as young as ten - labored in knitting mills for meager pay to keep their households afloat. A 1903 McClure’s report exposes how this hidden workforce faced brutal hours and hazardous conditions, fueling broader calls for reform. Read the full story.