Mining History Resources

  • The importance of coal mining to the culture and economy of Western Pennsylvania means that the history of mining is intimately intertwined with the history of the region itself.

    The resources below discuss mining and labor during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a crucial period in the history of the industry and local culture.

  • History Lectures by Dr. Irwin Marcus
    Collected lectures on business, industrial, and labor history by Dr. Irwin Marcus, Professor Emeritus, History Department, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
    Spraggers and Sunshine Lamps
    Mining techniques and technology from the days before sophisticated mining machinery.
    History of Coke
    Learn about the growth of coke plants as a major industry in Jefferson and Indiana counties.
  • Special Collections and University Archives
  • Stapleton Library, Room 302
    431 South Eleventh Street
    Indiana, PA 15705
  • Phone: 724-357-3039
  • Fax: 724-357-4891
  • Office Hours
  • Monday–Friday: By Appointment
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed