Event set for June 13-14

ROCKHILL FURNACE — The East Broad Top Railroad will host a special Descendants Reunion Weekend on June 13 and 14, inviting the families of former railroad workers, coal company employees and others connected to the historic railroad to return and celebrate their shared heritage.

The gathering will take place in Rockhill Furnace and Robertsdale, communities deeply connected to the history of the East Broad Top Railroad and the coal industry that once fueled it. The weekend will provide descendants with the opportunity to reconnect with family history, explore the railroad’s preserved facilities and share stories of the people who built and operated one of America’s most remarkable industrial railroads.

Throughout the weekend, participants will enjoy train rides, special tours, historical presentations and informal gatherings designed to bring together multiple generations of East Broad Top families.

One of the most important goals of the event is to capture the personal memories of those who remember the East Broad Top when it was still operating as a working railroad serving the region’s coal mines and communities.

“Many of the people who remember the East Broad Top as a working railroad are now in their later years,” organizers said. “If we don’t capture their stories now, those memories could be lost forever. This reunion is an opportunity to preserve that living history while the people who experienced it firsthand are still able to share their stories.”

To help ensure those memories are not lost to time, the reunion will include opportunities for descendants to share their family history. Visitors are encouraged to bring photographs, documents and memorabilia connected to the East Broad Top.

Volunteers will assist with document scanning, photographing and the recording of oral histories, helping preserve these personal stories for future generations.

The East Broad Top Railroad played a central role in the region’s industrial and cultural life for decades, serving the coal mines of southern Huntingdon County and connecting communities throughout the area. Today, the railroad is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and is widely regarded as the most intact surviving narrow-gauge industrial railroad in the United States.

The Descendants Reunion Weekend offers a unique opportunity for families to reconnect with the places where their ancestors lived and worked while contributing to the ongoing effort to preserve the railroad’s history.

Registration is not required, but it is appreciated to help organizers plan for the weekend’s activities.

For additional details and event information, visit https://eastbroadtop.com/events/ebt-descendants-reunion/.