Jul 3, 2019 1 min read

The Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village outside Avella will host a special program on the Cliftonville Mine Riot July 13 from noon to 2 p.m.

In the early morning of July 17, 1922, hundreds of striking miners crossed the border from Avella into nearby Cliftonville, W.Va., intent on stopping non-unionized miners from working at the Saledka Mine. By 7 a.m., at least 13 were dead, including the local sheriff, many were wounded, and the mine’s tipple, which was used to transport coal, was destroyed.

Due to conflicting accounts, the exact events of that morning remain a mystery. Meadowcroft’s program will have a series of presentations that will help separate the facts from the myths and address unanswered questions surrounding this significant, yet obscure, event in Western Pennsylvania history. Speakers will include Louis Martin, an associate professor of history at Chatham University, and Richard Ferguson, the police chief in Wellsburg, W.Va.

For additional information, visit heinzhistorycenter.org/meadowcroft.