eebles wobble but they don't fall down, according to a 1970s commercial for a bobble toy.

Historians are the same way.Case in point, slick and icy roads along with the coldest temperatures of the winter couldn't keep 15 historical organizations from their recent annual gathering."Every group who said they were coming is here," said Jennifer Bowen, organizer of the 14th Annual Schuylkill History Fair.The event was held in East Norwegian Township at Fairlane Village Mall on the snowy morning of Feb. 13.Attendance was strong despite the weather and the event was declared a success.CamaraderieAbout 15 years ago, Bowen, president of the Orwigsburg Historical Society, came up with the idea of the Schuylkill County Coalition of Historical Societies and Museums as a way to make sure the groups keep in touch.The coalition's annual gathering provides a large-scale showcase for each society. It also honors American History Month.The event features educational, historical and cultural displays, along with information on local efforts in various areas of the sprawling county, 783 square miles."Among the things for sale are local books, photos, maps, videos and many other items," said Dale Freudenberger, president of Tamaqua Historical Society. He refers to the event as "your one-stop shopping" for anything having to do with Schuylkill County history and culture."It's a great place to visit on a cold, wintry day, snuggled inside the Fairlane Village Mall."Freudenberger represented the Tamaqua contingent and its museum, the official repository of eastern Schuylkill County. On display were historic Bailey images of early Tamaqua.ResearchOn this day, Frank Crepack, 77, of Shenandoah, turned up with a shadow box filled with ribbons and pins from milestones in local history."I picked them up at antique shops," said Crepack, who was hoping to find someone who can read Ukrainian.Crepack said his name is a variation of a Ukrainian name known in the Tamaqua area as Krepak."It comes from the name Hripok," he said.A highlight of the event was a large display presented not by an organization or society, but an individual.Richard Nagle of Cressona has spent the past 30 years amassing a collection of all things Schuylkill Haven."I started with a couple of postcards and now have 1,900 pieces," Nagle said.One of the most valuable and irreplaceable items in his collection is an 1897 marble block. It was routinely hammered by gavel to start Haven's meetings of the Patriotic Order, Sons of America, a fraternal group founded in 1847. The group is recognized as one of America's oldest patriotic and fraternal societies still in existence.Personal touchOne common denominator about history is that it's personal. Every attendee, it seemed, had a story to tell."My father worked in the Number 6 Mine for a while," said Bill Harleman, president of Lansford Historical Society.Harleman displayed a wide array of artifacts from the early days of coal mining. Most were from his private collection.Both Harleman and Freudenberger serve on the board of Lansford's Number 9 Mine and were on hand to answer questions about the local tourist attraction.The dedication of the volunteer historians drew praise from all corners."Give every community credit that's here," said George Halcovage, Schuylkill County Commissioner and businessman.Like many county residents, Halcovage has strong ties to various Schuylkill communities. For instance, he's a native of Pottsville and his business is located in Minersville. Naturally, items from those areas are of special interest to him, but Halcovage is high on every Schuylkill town and township."This event gets people to talk to other people," he said. "The pride that people have … they love to know their heritage."Attendees picked up membership information from the various groups and some even gathered genealogical research information.Bowen commented that some participating groups are relatively new.For instance, the Auburn Historical Society was formed only a few years ago. Their display included Auburn-related items never before seen.The Schuylkill County Historical Society displayed Prohibition liquor license applications and made them available for sale, items quickly bought up by local societies for their collections.All areasThe event included societies and museums from Ashland, Auburn, Girardville, Pottsville, Shenandoah, Orwigsburg, Tamaqua, Lansford-Coaldale, Minersville, St. Clair and Tremont, along with the Schuylkill County Agricultural Museum.The coalition of societies and museums was founded by Bowen to provide an opportunity for local historical societies to network and pool their resources.The annual event, held at the mall because of its central location in the county, continues to be popular.Bowen expects to continue in her volunteer role of uniting the societies."It's one of those jobs you have to die to get out of," she says, smiling.Bowen is up to the task because she's a historian.And like a Weeble, you just can't keep a good historian down.