Tipple Employees at Essen #2 Mine, Burdine, PA 1904.
Shovel #3 from Samuel Gamble Company in Carnegie.
Road Paving Project, two sections one of brick and one of concrete as a test, Presto, PA, circa 1914.
(Image courtesy Sharon Avbel.
Memories of Collier Township
Storytelling is the essence of building communities! Mine openings attracted miners and the families to Collier Township, and each family started creating their unique personal stories. Those stories were often passed on through the families and relayed to strangers who became friends at the local well, church, store, and Post Office. As technology progressed, photography began capturing a different type of story by freezing moments in time.
We had so many photographs from our five years of research that we were compelled to create a photographic story of the township and its residents. Each of the 700 photos is a story that we began piecing together by identifying names, places, and times. While we haven’t heard the oral history, we have collected information that tells of the tight-knit villages and evolving resilient families. We discovered relationships that started to complete the history puzzle piece by piece.
We hope that the photos help you relive fond memories, family experiences, and your childhood perceptions. Or, if you’re not old enough to remember, you can relate to stories that elders in your family talked about.
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Graphics by Ken Kuzia