In 1834 and 1835, a scientist named Constantine Samuel Rafinesque traveled widely through Pennsylvania in order to document the geology and biology of the Keystone State. In the spring of 1835, the Turkish-born polymath traveled north from Harrisburg aboard canal boats alongside the Susquehanna River to Millersburg. In his book, A Life of Travels, Rafinesque details … Continue reading An 1835 visit to the mines at Wiconisco Township
In 1831, a land sale took place at a coffee house in Philadelphia that launched coal mining operations in northern Dauphin County.
In 1910, an epidemic of scarlet fever spun out of control in the Coal Region community of Lykens and left a trail of bodies in its wake.
On the eve of the 1902 Coal Strike, the communities of Lykens and Wiconisco were ripped by tension as residents awaited news.
An introduction to a Wynning History series about the 1902 Coal Strike in the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania.
Missing baseball? Take a trip back to the insane 1906 season in Pennsylvania's Williams Valley League.
Founded in 1851, the Short Mountain Coal Company grew rapidly during the Civil War in association with the Pennsylvania Railroad.
In May 1927, Henry Keiser described the Coal Region towns where he grew up as they looked in the 1850s.
In July 1906, engineers from rival coal mines played for bragging rights in northern Dauphin County.
In the early hours of November 11, 1918, news of the armistice ending World War I swept through Williams Valley, Pennsylvania. Communities like Tower City and Lykens erupted in spontaneous celebrations, with bells, whistles, and parades marking the end of the Great War. Residents rejoiced in a hard-won victory, though the seeds of another conflict had already been planted. Read the full story.