From Miners Hall Museum
FRANKLIN, Kan. – When Miners Hall Museum’s newest Trustee, Joshua McCloud, dressed as a coal miner for the Pittsburg Independence Day Parade, he wasn’t simply wearing a costume. He was paying tribute to Giuseppe Penacchio – his great-grandfater whose journey from Italy to Southeast Kansas helped shape both his family and the community.
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Joe Penachio (born Giuseppe Penacchio), arrived in the United States from Italy in 1911 at the age of 24. By about 1915, he had settled in Ringo, Kansas, where he worked as a coal miner. Around 1940, Joe and his wife, Katherine (originally Caterina Penacchio), proudly became United States citizens. Together they raised seven children—four sons and three daughters. Joe passed away in 1959.
Many local residents will remember the Penachio family through Penachio’s Service Station at the Ringo corner (Chicken Annie’s Girard) or Victor’s amazing annual Christmas decorations at his home in Pittsburg.
Joe’s great-grandson, Joshua McCloud, Miners Hall Museum’s newest Trustee, proudly carried on that family legacy during the Pittsburg Independence Day Parade. Dressed as a coal miner and carrying his great-grandfather’s vintage lunch bucket, Joshua wasn’t simply wearing a costume—he was paying tribute to the hardworking great-grandfather whose journey from Italy to Southeast Kansas helped shape both his family and our community.
The first photo shows Joshua preparing to participate in the parade. The second is a historic photograph of his great-grandfather, Joe. Although separated by nearly a century, the remarkable similarities in their clothing, posture, lunch buckets, and expressions create a powerful visual connection across generations. Seeing them side by side in an AI generated photo is a moving reminder that history is not just preserved in museums—it lives on through the people and families who choose to remember it.
The history of our nation and of Southeast Kansas is, in many ways, the story of families like the Penachios. Their determination, sacrifice, and hard work helped build our communities and create opportunities for future generations.
At Miners Hall Museum, these are the stories we strive to preserve and share. We are grateful that Joshua has joined our Board of Trustees and honored his great-grandfather in such a meaningful way. By keeping his family’s story alive, he reminds us all that the legacy of Southeast Kansas coal miners continues to inspire new generations.
Miners Hall Museum is located at 701 S. Broadway, Franklin Kansas on Business 69 Highway. Open Monday through Saturday 10am-4pm. Admission to the museum and all programs are free to the public.
Miners Hall Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing Southeast Kansas coal mining history and its diverse immigrant culture.
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