SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — January is Anthracite Mining Heritage Month.
A variety of programs will be featured throughout the month in several counties in NEPA to focus on the history and culture of the anthracite region of northeastern Pennsylvania.
Saturday in Lackawanna County, guided tours of the newly restored Brooks Mine in Scranton were offered to the public from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Anyone and everyone is invited to attend the events, free of charge except for two programs taking place on January 18 and 22.
Tour guides say Saturday’s event was to provide education on a disaster that happened more than half a century ago.
“We are basically just showing and talking about the history of this mine as well as the events and the reasons why the Knox Mine disaster happened back on January 22. This is the perfect excuse to come out if it’s raining or whatever. It’s windy it’s bad weather outside,” explained Nick Bonk the tour guide at Lackawanna Coal Mine.
List of day-to-day events taking place:
Jan. 6 — Penn State University-Scranton; Anthracite Heritage Foundation, Public Program: Studies in Anthracite Region History.
• Speakers: Richard Healey, University of Portsmouth, UK; “The Scranton 1870 City Directory;” Philip Mosely, Penn State University-Scranton, “The Telling of the Anthracite;” Bryan Glahn, Independent Scholar, “Mining Disasters in Northeastern Pennsylvania;” Mitch Troutman, Independent Scholar, “Bootleg Coal Mining in the 1920s and 1930s.”
• Moderator: Chester Kulesa, retired administrator, Anthracite Heritage Museum.
• Venue: Penn State University-Scranton [tentative].
• Time: 5:30 – 7:30 pm; refreshments.
Jan. 7 — EPCAMR and Earth Conservancy, Public Program: Coal Breakers, Glen Alden Company Records, and EPCAMR’s New Website.
• Speakers: Eric Bella, Mining Engineer, “Studying Northeastern PA Coal Breakers;” Sue Hand, Artist, “Artistic Representations of Northeastern PA Coal Breakers;” Nicholas Zmijewski, Industrial Archives & Library, “Curating the Glen Alden Coal Company Records
• Moderator and Speaker: Robert Hughes, EPCMR, “EPCAMR’s Release of New Environmental Education Resources.”
• Venue: Earth Conservancy, 101 South Main St., Ashley.
• Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.; refreshments.
Jan. 11 — Anthracite Heritage Museum and Lackawanna Historical Society, Public Program: Five Regional Documentary Filmmakers — A Panel Discussion.
• Speakers: Robert Savakinus (“Scranton’s Championship Season”), Dave Brocca (“The Knox Mine Disaster”), David Heineman (“NEPADOC”), John Welsh and Alana Mauger, (“Beyond the Huber Breaker”).
• Moderator: Mary Ann Savakinus, LHS.
• Venue: Albright Memorial Library, 500 Vine St., Scranton.
• Time: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.; refreshments.
Jan. 12 — Nanticoke Historical Society, Public Program: A Documentary Film Screening of “Beyond the Huber Breaker” (2019).
• Presenters: John Welsh and Alana Mauger, documentary filmmakers.
• Moderator: Chester Zaremba, Vice President, NHS; Venue: Cultural Centre of St. Faustina, 38 West Church St., Nanticoke.
• Time: 6 p.m.-7:30 pm; refreshments.
Jan. 13 — Underground Miners, Public Program: Guided tours of the (newly restored) Brooks Mine in Scranton.
• Guides: Chris Murley, Banks Ries, Dan Shurtleff, Bill Best, Mark Izak, Gerry Babinski, Scott Kerkowski, Isaac Walker, Adam Zuroski, Greg Bock, Justin Ballard, Devin Purcell, Nick Bonk and Mike Borzell.
• Venue: Brooks Mine, Nay Aug Park, Scranton.
• Time: Tours start on the half-hour between 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Theme: In addition to highlighting the mine’s restoration, the tour will focus on how the Knox Mine Disaster of 1959 occurred.
Jan. 14 — Underground Miners, Public Program: Guided tours of the (newly restored) Brooks Mine in Scranton.
• Guides: Chris Murley, Banks Ries, Dan Shurtleff, Bill Best, Mark Izak, Gerry Babinski, Scott Kerkowski, Isaac Walker, Adam Zuroski, Greg Bock, Justin Ballard, Devin Purcell, Nick Bonk and Mike Borzell.
• Venue: Brooks Mine, Nay Aug Park, Scranton.
• Time: Tours start on the half-hour between 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Theme: In addition to highlighting the mine’s restoration, the tour will focus on how the Knox Mine Disaster of 1959 occurred.
Jan. 14 — Susquehanna Brewing Company, Public Program: An Afternoon of Anthracite Region Music.
• Musicians: Don Shappelle and the Pick-ups; Jim Waltich and Doug Smith; John Stankey, Frank Westowski, Mark Steinkirshner, and the Coal…