Eckley’s iron man
He volunteered for years at historic site
By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter

FOSTER TWP. – Brian Dunnigan is a blacksmith by trade who dwells in an old mining patch town with no street lights.

Breakfast is eggs scooped from the chicken coop out back, and he’s thinking of acquiring two goats for milking.

Dunnigan doesn’t just love history. He lives it.

And the 64-year-old West Hazleton native and Vietnam veteran wouldn’t want to spend his retirement any other way.

After years of volunteering as a tour guide and lecturer at the state-owned Eckley Miners’ Village near Freeland, Dunnigan decided to immerse himself in the place.

He moved out of his family home into one of the museum’s old miner houses last year and has set up a blacksmith shop in the nearby garage to teach visitors about the trade and display the antique tools he’s been collecting since he was young.

Several other mining homes are rented by private citizens for roughly $100 per month, with the agreement that inhabitants will respect the historical character and park their vehicles elsewhere when visitors are around.

“It’s just a little place where time stood still. It suits me just fine,â€

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Scott K
"Watch Your Top"

It's good too see a real blacksmith at one of these mining attractions!

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"We don't look for any money all we look for is a little help and the only help we get is for the government to shut us down and if you go to the gas station and buy the gas you'll see why..........................you'll see why"

hahahaha yeaaaa

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Come over to the Dark Side....... We have Cookies!

I know were there is one thats trying to masqeraid as a blacksmith, and not doing a very good job of it.

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"We don't look for any money all we look for is a little help and the only help we get is for the government to shut us down and if you go to the gas station and buy the gas you'll see why..........................you'll see why"

mike, i think you spelled it wrong..... masqeraid is spelled masqueeraid in that case!

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Come over to the Dark Side....... We have Cookies!

BINK!

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running a dragline is like fishing for salmon - according to E.Bella

I stand corrected!

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"We don't look for any money all we look for is a little help and the only help we get is for the government to shut us down and if you go to the gas station and buy the gas you'll see why..........................you'll see why"

BONK!!

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running a dragline is like fishing for salmon - according to E.Bella