On November 2, 1920, the women of Williams Valley cast their first ballots under the 19th Amendment.
“All honor to the ladies” – The women of Williams Valley cast their first vote
When the Klan came to Williams Valley | 1924
A recent visit to a cemetery in Schuylkill County inspired an examination of a dark chapter of local history.
“Incidents of a by-gone age” – A description of life in the Coal Region before the Civil War
Uncover rare firsthand accounts of 19th-century life in Pennsylvania's coal region before the Civil War. In this exclusive interview, Catherine Myers shares her experiences growing up in Williams Valley, offering unique insights into daily life, culture, and the early days of coal mining history. Read the full story.
“Baseball fever” – Williams Valley’s 1906 season featured pro players, violent fans
In 1906, a small valley in Pennsylvania's Coal Region caught a case of baseball fever. The towns were never the same again.
“Stick to the Union” – Factory girls supported union miners during Coal Strike of 1902
Coal miners across Pennsylvania went on strike in 1902. They couldn't have succeeded without the ladies.
Spanish Flu wreaked havoc in Tower City in October 1918, killed more than 110 people in three weeks
In the communities of western Schuylkill County, influenza caused terror and grief as it claimed dozens of lives in 1918.
Parade to raise money for World War I brought deadly influenza to Williams Valley in 1918
"Good music always has an appeal to most people," wrote a reporter accompanying a Liberty Loan Drive parade through Central Pennsylvania in the early fall of 1918. And in the coal towns of Dauphin County's Williams Valley, the bands and singers were particularly successful in attracting a crowd. On the evening of October 2, 1918, … Continue reading Parade to raise money for World War I brought deadly influenza to Williams Valley in 1918
“And where’s Williams Valley?” – An 1877 travel guide pointed visitors to western Schuylkill County
A writer and his friends rode the Reading Railroad to write a travel guide. They reached the end of the line in Williams Valley.
Fire On the Mountain – The Brookside Colliery Fire of November 1869
On November 20, 1869, a massive fire swept through the Brookside Colliery above the growing village of Tower City, Pennsylvania.