“It seemed as if the scenes and characters of the Bible were living again now, before our eyes.” Before he became the Coal Region’s most important folklorist, George Korson served in the Middle East during World War I. His letters and reflections capture a world in transition and a remarkable journey from Pennsylvania to Palestine. Read the Full Story.
On October 2, 1918, Lt. Ivan L. Lautenbacher of Schuylkill Haven, PA fell in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive with the 316th Infantry, 79th Division. His own letter home before the battle foreshadowed the danger. A community mourned; a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross honored his resolve despite suffering from pandemic influenza while in combat. Read the full story.
From Shenandoah, PA to a rain-soaked military hospital in France, Bugler Joseph A. Nicholas writes of a shattered leg, ether, exhaustion, and pride at going “over the top” in the Meuse-Argonne during WW1. He survived to come home, but his letter holds the war’s ache and grit in every line. Read the full story.
On November 11, 1918, news of the armistice ending World War I reached Pennsylvania’s Coal Region, sparking joyous celebrations. As peace finally arrived after four brutal years, local headlines announced the end of the conflict, and parades filled the streets. Explore these historic Coal Region newspaper stories marking the conclusion of the Great War. Read the full story and the headlines.
Caralunas became one of the first soldiers from Schuylkill County to be killed-in-action during World War I.
The aging veterans who were the first to arrive at the US Capitol in April 1861 pledged their loyalty to the Union once more as America entered World War I.
A filmmaker recorded silent moving images of a strip mine in operation in Schuylkill County in December 1917.
A caustic letter by a Schuylkill County native in Seattle complained of mask requirement in the city. But their letter missed the mark.
Victor Neiman penned a letter home to Lykens, PA from his training camp near San Antonio on December 26, 1917.
Central Pennsylvania celebrated war-time Christmas in 1917 by welcoming soldiers on leave, big turkey dinners, and plenty of snow.