James Fuller Queen sketched Shamokin at a key moment in the history of the Northumberland County community.
An artist’s view of the village of Shamokin in 1851
An August 1962 report warned of escalating disaster in Centralia, Pennsylvania
An August 1962 news report documents the early efforts to squelch an escalating mine fire at Centralia, Pennsylvania.
“Due for a comeback?” – An address on the Coal Region on eve of Great Depression
On the eve of the Great Depression, mining official Max Fredericks delivered an optimistic speech in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, predicting a bright future for the anthracite coal industry. Discover the irony and lasting impact of his words as the Coal Region faced unprecedented economic devastation after Black Tuesday in October 1929. Read the full story.
“Don’t Congregate” – Police enforced social distancing in Mt. Carmel in 1918
The full force of the law was used in Mount Carmel to enforce social distancing during 1918 influenza pandemic.
Oil-wick miner’s lamp – Patent model from 1879 at the Smithsonian
In 1879, John H. Gable of Shamokin, PA patented this oil-wick miner's cap lamp.
The Shamokin Uprising – July 25, 1877
On July 25, 1877, more than 1,000 workers marched in Shamokin. They were shot down by a local militia.
The Coal Region on D-Day | June 6, 1944
On this anniversary of D-Day, we are remembering how the Pennsylvania home front marked the historic moment.
Captain Alexander Frazer – Civil War hero and Coal Region mine foreman
Explore the remarkable life of Captain Alexander B. Frazer, a Scottish immigrant who rose to Civil War heroism and later became a respected Coal Region mine foreman in Schuylkill County. From battlefield bravery to leading immigrant mining communities, Frazer’s story is a fascinating American tale from the 19th century. Read the Full Story.
In April 1917, a loose floorboard revealed a letter written in the days after the Battle of Antietam
The letter was written by a soldier from Shamokin, Pennsylvania in September 1862.