On this day in local history, September 6th 1869 - The Avondale Mine disaster. 111 workers, mostly welsh, were killed. Later investigation showed it was caused by a design flaw in the mine shaft, but early on, the Molly Maguires were blamed. Read more about the disaster at Wynning History: https://wynninghistory.com/2019/03/04/avondale/
In 2026 I read the book Centennial by Fergus M. Bordewich, "about the great fair of 1876". I found it to be much more about the politics of the nation around the time of the Worlds Fair than all that much about the actual fair, but it was interesting, nonetheless. There's a chapter on the Molly Maguires, and the author connects that saga to the railroad riots (unions). It was interesting, something I had never thought through before, and I need to make a time line to look more at the correlation between the two. On Amazon https://amzn.to/4wYVBQS ( I did disagree with the authors statement that there had been no real record of murders before the Pinkertons got involved... there was an astounding number of unsolved murders in that time frame.
One hundred years after Kehoe's execution, in January 1979, Pennsylvania Governor Milton J. Shapp signed a letter memorializing Kehoe's posthumous pardon. https://kehoefoundation.org/john-kehoe/
In The North Central Susquehanna Valley Region of Pennsylvania
And in The Nation As A Whole
An Index
In 1976 the United States Of America celebrated it's Bicentennial - The 200 year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration Of Independence. This page is meant to be an index of photos, stories, and videos from our local towns celebrations that year, in addition to articles on the American Freedom Train, The Wagon Train, Dress Patterns, the origin of Legionnaires disease, and more.
"FOR SEVERAL years it looked as if the Bicentennial celebration would be some kind of a flop. Many ridiculed the early federal planners as they groped and struggled—and failed to come up with One Great Big Show, like the great Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876.
As of right now, however, one can be delighted not only with the way the Bi-centennial is starting to come off, but also because there Is not One Great Big Show, People everywhere are putting on their own 200th Anniversary celebrations. Local, state and federal arms of government are sponsoring separate projects and helping to coordinate them with private Bicentennial events. By now, everyone has sensed this. What is not so obvious is the enormous extent of it.
The celebration isn't as visible as One Great Big Show, but it is already far bigger than any Exposition could be, while it also lacks most of the evils, follies, parasites, distractions, disturbances, cheap hoopla and huckstering of One Great Big Show. ..."- American Legion Magazine, September 1975
In 1975, Lorne Greene, best known for his role on the TV show “Bonanza,” came to Northumberland to record documentary on the history of Pennsylvania. Produced locally, the music and cast were from Northumberland and Snyder Counties.
The Milton Bicentennial committee agreed to hold a festival July 26-31. It was to be held at the center street playground and have a "carnival atmosphere".
Other events included:
- Bicentennial Banquet at the Masonic Temple
- Sights and Sonds Of America concert by the agape Singers at the High school
-A Bicentennial Band Concert at the Senior High school
A grove of trees, to be known as the Presidential Grove, was to be planted, with one tree for every President, and every tree properly marked. The trees were to be planted along a walkway along Limestone Run.
A bicentennial plate was designed, with the boroughs sesquicentennial seal (Straub's mill at the mouth of Limestone Run) the date 1817, 1776-1976 depicting the 200th anniversary of the US, and the phrase "In God We Trust"
The committee had a headquarters at Bound Avenue and Broadway.
In 1976, Scooby Doo arrived by Helicopter, as part of Youth Day during the bicentennial celebration. Edward Helfrick was the pilot.
The American Bicentennial In Sunbury Pa, 1976
Tom Diehl was the chairman of the Sunbury Area Spirit of '76 Bicentennial Committee
There was a Bicentennial Store located at 15A N. 3r street.
Four different balls were held on July 3rd, at the Edison Inn, The Sunbury Social Club, American Legion Post 201, and the Elks Club. They were scheduled from 9pm to 1am, and approximately 650 people attended.
On July 4th there were sky diving exhibitions, and fireworks, at Shikellamy stadium. The fireworks were delayed due to difficulties in grounding the display - they went off at 10:30pm and lasted for an hour and a half.
Other Bicentennial Activities in Sunbury Included:
Talent Show
Bicentennial Carnival on Market Street
Spirit of 76 Boat Regatta
Dutch Fair Days At Market House
Square Dance on Market Street
The Parade was held
It formed at the Rescue Hose Co, Packer Street and Edison avenue, and traveled two miles - South To Reagan, East on Regan to Second, South on Second to Market, east on Market to 10th.
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Watsontown Pa
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White Deer, Pa
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Lumberjack Competition at White Deer Park
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Williamsport, PA
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The American Freedom Train stopped in Williamsport in 1976
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Pennsylvania's Official Bicentennial Plate was designed by an artist from Hegins Pa - George Malick.
There are so many photo albums on my fb page that I can have difficulty finding the right album myself. This page is an index - hopefully each link will take you directly to the correct album. However, that doesn't always work with facebook - it just depends on the device, and how facebook is working that week.
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