This year will mark the sesquicentennial anniversary of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical & Petroleum Engineers which will be recognized in a special ceremony in Wilkes-Barre on May 16. 

On May 16, 1871, twenty-three men opened a three-day meeting, which quickly grew to  69 forward thinking mining and metallurgical engineers who established the American Institute of Mining Engineers at the old Wyoming Valley Hotel on River Street in Wilkes Barre.

Leadership from AIME, now grown to nearly 200,000 members.

On May 16, Wilkes-Barre Mayor George C. Brown and Wilkes Barre City will unveil a plaque that observes the 150th Anniversary of the founding of AIME in Wilkes Barre’s Public Square at 1:00 p.m. 

Directors from AIME’s mining society headquartered in Denver, the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, and the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section of SME; and civic leaders from Northeastern Pennsylvania are expected to attend.

Wilkes-Barre and Northeastern Pennsylvania have strong AIME ties-- 43 of the 69 Founders were from the Northeast.  The semicentennial, centennial, and dozens of other annual meetings have been held there. 

Plaques commemorating the 100th and 125th anniversaries and a PA Historical and Museum Commission historical marker about the AIME are in the city.

The public is invited to join AIME and Wilke-Barre in our celebration of 150 years.  The 30-minute ceremony will be outdoors, following the latest Pennsylvania and CDC COVID-19 guidelines.

Questions should be directed to Mike Korb at 570-233-2191 or send email to: mikekorbllc@gmail.com. 

[Posted: May 1, 2021]

5/3/2021