The Pike County Historical Society will host a free documentary screening on Saturday, November 28th, at 4 p.m. in the Museum’s Foundation Room.

Join us to explore the life and work of Frank E. Schoonover.

An accomplished artist of the “golden age of illustration,” Schoonover spent much of his time on his family farm in nearby Bushkill, Pennsylvania.

Frank Schoonover: The Authentic Artist is a one-hour documentary exploring the innovative Delaware illustrator’s visionary social commentary on two contrasting landscapes in northeastern Pennsylvania: the bleak industrial region of the 1900s and the pristine Delaware River vistas of the 1930s. His somber monochromatic sketches of boys in coal mines and girls in textile mills contrast with vibrant oil paintings of sweeping river views in the Pocono Mountains. These forward-looking works address human rights and environmental concerns while capturing the character of the region, its people, and the artist himself.

Schoonover found solace in frontier subjects. His iconic depictions of adventure in fantasy settings, the Canadian North, and the American West continue to shape American popular culture. Each month, more than five million readers saw his illustrations accompanying fiction by Jack London, Zane Grey, and other writers with whom he collaborated.

Alongside the screening, the museum will exhibit several of Schoonover’s photographs, including images documenting the lives of Pennsylvania coal miners and factory workers in the early 1900s.

Enjoy light refreshments and free admission. Donations are welcome!