The Molly Maguire Historical Park at West Centre Street
The historical sign
The inside of the park
The History of the Molly Maguires in Mahanoy City:
(from the Mahanoy Area Historical Society website: (Terry Rang/Paul Coombe):
The Mahanoy City area’s first anthracite mine opened in 1861. As mining flourished in the area, so did the population, as many Irish families and other immigrants came to find work. Mahanoy City was incorporated as a borough in 1863, and by 1870, its population had grown to 5,500. The borough’s population hit its peak of about 16,000 in 1910. While the burgeoning anthracite industry made the coal barons rich, the workers toiled for low wages and in dangerous conditions. In the 1870s, tensions mounted between mine bosses and the labor force. Violence erupted between the Irish Catholics and the Protestant English. Mahanoy City became one of Schuylkill County’s sites of alleged Molly Maguire activity.
The Molly Maguires were considered an off-shoot of violent Irish secret societies, such as the Ribbonmen, who rebelled against landlords who treated them harshly and kept them in poverty. In Schuylkill County, Irish miners faced similar hardships. They eventually joined the Workingmen’s Benevolent Association, which had some success in winning better wages and working conditions.
But Franklin B. Gowen, president of Philadelphia & Reading Railroad and its coal land subsidiary, feared the power the union held and believed the Irish controlled it through the secret Molly Maguire society. Determined to break the union, he began accusing Irish miners, who he claimed were Molly Maguires, of murdering mine bosses and other violence.
In 1873, Gowen, a former Schuylkill County district attorney, hired Pinkerton undercover detective James McParlan, using the alias James McKenna, to destroy the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Gowen claimed the AOH was a cover for the Molly Maguires. In 1875, Gowen cut county miners’ wages by 20 percent, triggering “The Long Strike” that lasted five months, devastating the miners and their families. Gowen won that battle as he did his war against the AOH. Gowen and McParlan’s efforts sent 20 men accused of murder as Mollies to the gallows in Schuylkill and Carbon counties. Many of the convictions came on little evidence and McParlan’s testimony.
Alleged Molly events in Mahanoy City included the assassination of Chief Burgess George Major, a St. Patrick’s Day parade led by Kehoe against the Catholic Church’s orders, and the alleged plotting to kill “Bully Bill” Thomas and the Major brothers at Mickey Clarke’s saloon. A monument memorializing the tragic era stands at Centre and Catawissa streets. More than 150 years later, the debate continues whether the men considered Mollies were murderers or martyred heroes. While an incomplete history of the Molly Maguire era in Schuylkill County, this presentation highlights the people, places and events in the Mahanoy City area. We extend a special thank you to Mark T. Major, who granted the Mahanoy Area Historical Society permission to use content from “A Guide to the Molly Maguires,” which he co-wrote with H.T. Crown.
The inside of this quiet park tells the timeline of happenings in Mahanoy City at the time.
The historic plaques tell the story of who the Molly Maguire were and their lasting effects on the changing of mining conditions.
The park story
Who they were
The story and time line
The fate of these men in the end
The park is a reminder for the freedoms that were fought to make things better for future generations and for the stop of oppression in society. There will be different ways to interpret the story in the future but this is a reminder of a better way of life that we now enjoy.
The porch sitting area as you wait for your hosts to greet you
We were warmly greeted by our hosts and owners of the home. I had not realized that this is a private home and less of a museum. The only way to see the inside of the mansions by private arranged tour or when the owners have an open house either at Halloween or Christmas.
The History of the family and their fortunes:
(from WordPress.com article by Kubek: Project)
By the turn of the century, John Žinčak Smith had become the most accomplished Carpatho-Rusyn businessman and community leader in Mahanoy City, and in 1908, Smith moved his family from their modest West Centre Street home to this monumental mansion at the corner of South Main and East Spruce Street. Built at a cost of $40,000, the mansion included fourteen rooms, four chandeliers, wooden cabinets, and a number of stained glass windows (Mahanoy Area 2004, 15).
Just as he changed his name from Ioann Žinčak to John Smith nearly 30 years earlier, his move from the predominantly Slavic, Catholic West End to the Anglo-Saxon, Protestant East End symbolized his meteoric rise from his humble origins to the economic elite of the region.
However, not all Carpathian-Rusyn Americans viewed Smith’s prosperity favorably. One parishioner penned an anonymous letter to the Carpathian-Rusyn newspaper Postup (The Progress) that sharply criticizes Smith as “a former nobody who wants to stand on the brow of the Rusyn people in America.” The author implies that Smith is embarrassed by being Carpathian-Rusyn, for “he doesn’t speak Rusyn with his children at home” and “is ashamed of his father’s last name” (“From Mahanoy City, PA: Our Chairman” 1908: 3).
We started our tour of the house in the main Living Room and foyer. This is one of the most welcoming houses and you can tell it was designed for entertaining and for a large family to live and enjoy.
The foyer of the house as you enter the home
On the first floor of the home was the formal Living Room and Dining Room of the home. The very energetic small dogs of the owners welcomed us as well.
The formal Living Room
The house still has all its beautiful and ornate moldings and fixtures. The owners told us when the family moved out, robbers had come in and stole the mansions elaborate fixtures and chandeliers so they had to replace them.
The green couch is the only thing outside some family portraits and pictures still original to the house
The portrait of Mr. Smith in the Living Room
The portrait of Mrs. Smith in the Living Room
The owners had collected the most beautiful antique and period furniture over the years which decorates all the rooms. Every piece of furniture and decoration fits each room perfectly. From the elaborate window treatments to the beautifully maintained fireplace, the room may be formal but it is still very comfortable and cosy. The house from the time you walk in has a very welcoming feel to it.
The formal Dining Room
The formal Dining Room is set for formal tour and at the holidays. For today, the owners tiny dog greeted us and wanted to play. The details on these chairs were just spectacular. What a design.
All the moldings are original to the house and all the furniture is beautifully carved and elaborate. The owners told us said the chandelier they picked fit perfectly in the room.
The Dining Room chandelier and the original wood moldings
The window seat of the Dining Room lets in lots of light
The Dining Room may be formal but with all the windows the room lets in lots of natural light and with seating around the room it still feels welcoming and less formal.
We moved from the first floor to the second floor where the library and some of the bedrooms were located.
The staircase to the second floor with the elegant carved staircase
The family portrait of Mr. Smith’s mother greets you up the stairs
In the hallway of the second floor were photos and portraits of the family members which the third generation of the family did not want and sold to the current owners. It is amazing what family will not want of their own past.
Photos of the third generation of Smith’s who moved out of the area. These are of the children and grandchildren of the Smith’s
The Smith family photo in the late 1890’s
The Smith family again in the 1930’s
Our next room of the tour was the library where the owners books, paperwork and more art was located.
The second floor library
The work space, book shelves and the alcoves give the room that homey touch
The Alcove in the library looks over the City
The Library with the music boxes
The owners opened this music box and played for us
The video of the music:
The Library is such a great room just to sit and read, think and relax. I could see why they love it so much.
We then walked to the third floor and we toured the Tower Room, which really has an amazing view of the city. You could see all over town from here. The inside garden in the Tower Room is so beautiful and receives so much sun.
The Tower Room is one of the sunniest rooms of the house.
This room on the third floor of the mansion has the best views of Mahanoy City and looked like Mr. Smith’s message to the town that he had arrived. You could see all over town from this window. Now the room is used as a type of greenhouse for beautiful potted plants and flowers perfect with all the sunlight. This is one of the nicest room in the house.
The Curio Room where the owners keep their collections of knick-knacks and decorative items that line the shelves and tables of the house, there was another music box. One of the owners collected these treasures over the years and the house has lots of examples of these beautiful antiques that were created before radio and records.
The Music box playing:
The music box was once in a hotel lobby
The owners explained that part of the third floor is used for storage and for their collections. There were all sorts of small sculptures and assorted Knick-knacks that decorate rooms lining the shelves. The owners had done and amazing job on the upkeep of this beautiful home.
The last part of the tour was we went outside on this sunny morning to see the outside gardens. They were impressive for such a small space. The flowers were just starting to bloom and the trees were starting to bud over this cold patch of the early Spring. This weekend was the first weekend where the weather had been nice and started to warm up.
The garden in front of the house just as Spring was starting
The back walled garden and fish pound
The owners own the two homes next door to the mansion and have combined the back gardens. So they had this small fish pond stacked with Japanese fish and walls covered with vines. There is a small gazebo so that you can sit and relax outside in the warmer months.
The other side of the backyard garden just as Spring started
Faces pop up between the vines of the walked garden
The views of the downtown from the house
The tour concluded in the gardens. The owners were explaining how much more beautiful the gardens are in the late Spring and Fall.
The tour was wonderful and the owners could have not been more gracious with their time. They also explained how they will be opening their home again to the public during the holidays during Christmas and hopefully Halloween and how I should come back to visit.
The formal tour of the Smith Mansion again is by private tour only except at holiday Open Houses and can be arranged through the owners of the home. It really is an interesting look at areas industrial past and what life in local society must have been like at that time. It also shows how things change over time and fortunes are made and lost and business and families move on.
It was a wonderful afternoon of stepping back into the past.
The front of the Mahanoy Area Historical Society at 1 West Centre Street#5 in Mahanoy City, PA
(from the museum website)
The museum is located on the first floor of the James J. Rhoades Downtown Center at the corner of Main and Centre Streets in Mahanoy City.
A representation of the Coal Mining Industry in Mahanoy City
The inside of this interesting museum
The Mission of the Museum:
(From the museum pamphlet):
To preserve and protect the history of the Mahanoy Area and to work toward the restoration, revitalization and future of the community.
A glimpse into the areas contributions to the Mining industry
I took time on my visit to Mahanoy City, PA to visit the Mahanoy Area Historical Society and discovered an interesting little museum that tells the story of this small city, whose roots and founding are around the local mines. The displays show a tight knit and proud community even in the changes in the economy and the status of the mines.
There is a lot of memorabilia on the contributions of local residents to our armed forces
The pride of the community to our country
The characters of the movers and shakers of the community in The Mahanoy City Social Club, who once dominated the business scene in town.
The display of the Kaier Brewery, once a dominate business in town until the late 1960’s
The other being Victor Schertzinger, who was a director and composer, who won the Academy Award for best original music for the film ‘One Night of Love’.
A big part of the museum is the collection from the Mahanoy City and the Mahanoy Township school systems. There is a big history of sports and with school pride in this area.
The display of school memorabilia at the museum
The high school memorabilia from Mahanoy City schools
High School memoribilia
High school pride
School uniforms and clothing
Awards, plaques and yearbooks
The school and local band equipment
The para-Military is prominent in the collection with many families donating their family items. Items from the Police and Fire departments are prominently on display.
Display cases of local items
Civic items in the collection
More historical items from around the community
Local artifacts from the community
There were many businesses that were created in the area when innovation and technology were changing between the wars.
The clothing and beauty industries were founded and thriving businesses in the community.
Items from the mining industry are prominently displayed in the front of the museum.
The front of the museum
The museum shows the creation, growth and pride in this and the surrounding communities. Innovation and creation were once prominent in Mahanoy City now waiting for another generation to discover it and keep this tradition alive.
The Church community
After the visit to the museum, I walked around the downtown to see the before and after effects of the mines and the industries that have closed down over the years.
While it does look depressed in some ways, you can still the spark of a community that needs to be discovered again. Somewhere buried in this community is the next new business or innovative idea that will once again showcase it again. There is a lot of pride still here and it shows in the history in this museum.
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 