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Rostraver Township Historical Society is planning an exhibition of the 1907 Darr Mine Explosion in Van Meter, PA to be held on the week of December 14th - 19th from 2 to 6 p.m. at the old Fells Methodist Church.

The explosion happened at 11 a.m. the morning of December 19, 1907. The display consists of a series of paintings by local artist Steve Gluz and century-old antique mining tools, safety equipment and personal possessions used by the miners from the collection of Henry Indolf through the courtesy of his daughter, Arni Arrigo.

The mine disaster was the largest mine explosion in Pennsylvania history. There were over 239 men and boys killed that day. There is much controversy over why the coal company, owned by the Pittsburgh Coal Company, let the miners back into the mine, because the new exhaust fan needed one more shift to complete the connection in to the mine.

RTHS has a list of names of the men and boys killed and a replica of the postage stamp in memory of the miners.

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