Scott Herring, known as “The Last Anthracite Photographer,” will return to the Minersville area on Thursday, August 20, for a presentation highlighting the railroad history of Pennsylvania’s Anthracite region.
Herring will present “Trains of the Anthracite” at 7 p.m. at the Valley Road Venue, 1332 Valley Road, Pottsville, as part of the Minersville Area Historical Society’s America250 Speaker Series.
The free program will feature Herring’s photography and his extensive documentation of the people, railroads and mining history of the Anthracite region.
Among the photographs Herring will introduce during the program is his image of Union Pacific No. 4104 “Big Boy,” taken July 2, 2026, as the locomotive traveled to Philadelphia for the America250 Fourth of July celebration.
Posters featuring the Big Boy photograph will be available for purchase during the event, along with other posters featuring Herring’s railroad photography. License plates highlighting various ethnic groups represented throughout the Anthracite region will also be available.
All proceeds from the sales, which will be cash or check only, will benefit the Minersville Area Historical Society.
A Tamaqua native and fifth-generation underground miner, Herring began learning deep-mining skills and the art of coal train and mining photography by the age of 13.
He later studied geology, geography, cartography and economics at Ohio Wesleyan University and completed postgraduate coursework in transportation logistics at The Ohio State University.
Herring spent 28 years working as a capacity expansion planner in the bituminous coal industry while continuing to photograph and document Pennsylvania’s Anthracite region.
His extensive collection includes 288,546 images documenting Anthracite railroad and mining companies, communities and families throughout the region.
His “Hardcoal Chronicles 1973-2023 Fiftieth Anniversary Show” recently concluded an extended run at the Anthracite Heritage Museum in Scranton. The exhibition, which opened in May 2024, included 1,270 images covering more than 50 regional topics displayed on 66 panels, along with a timeline documenting the evolution of photography and archival processes.
According to information provided by the historical society, Herring does not sell his images for personal profit. Instead, his photography is made available to support cultural heritage and historic restoration efforts throughout the Anthracite region.
Herring has also been involved in efforts to revitalize two of the region’s four mine tours and served as chairman of Anthracite 250th, a region-wide celebration commemorating 250 years of Anthracite history from 1768 to 2018.
Doors for the August 20 program will open at 6:30 p.m. Complimentary refreshments, displays and giveaways will be available while supplies last.
The Valley Road Venue offers ample parking and is handicapped-accessible.
