Calling to Account: History and Accessibility with the Eckley Miners’ Village Cell-Phone Tour

abstract:Established to document, preserve, and share the rich heritage of the miners and mining families that once populated Eckley Miners’ Village in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Eckley Miners’ Village Museum plays a pivotal role in the commemoration of anthracite mining heritage. A cell-phone tour is one method the museum uses to educate the public about anthracite mining and Eckley’s former residents. A 2021 research effort in collaboration with the museum administration decided that the cell-phone tour inadequately contributed to this effort. The project determined the tour failed to adequately address the histories of marginalized communities at Eckley and required greater attention to visitor disability and engagement. Led by the author, the research project discussed in this article sought to rectify these issues through an overhaul of the existing cell-phone tour to ensure a more complete history is told in a more accurate and accessible manner.