Star Junction:
A Town of Immigrants
Photo
courtesy of Ann Thompson via Nick Benyo |
| The drummer at right is Nicholas
Buchina, grandfather of Ann Thompson, who identified him and who
kindly gave us permission to use this photo. English, German, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Slovak -- they came to work in the mines and to farm. No African Americans, though; the coal companies and the miners themselves were blatantly racist, and they got away with it. Although some mines employed African Americans, they were forced to live in segregated communities. As it was, the companies had their hands full keeping peace among the various European ethnic groups. This photo was taken in Star Junction in about 1910. It shows a group of Slovaks and Ruthenians (sometimes also called Carpatho-Rusyns), including some musicians and possibly dancers in the festive costume of their native lands. The Ruthenians of Star Junction attended St. Stephen's Byzantine Catholic church in Leisenring until St. Nicholas church was built in Perryopolis in 1912. Elmer Matto notes that Hungarians were also well represented in Star Junction. Until the late 20’s or early 30’s there was a building known as the Hungarian Church on the hill behind White Row. |
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