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WVIA’s Emmy Award-winning production team is proud to present its latest original documentary film, “The Secrets Beneath Hazleton: Digging Deeper.” To bring this expanded story to life, WVIA has launched a Kickstarter campaign inviting public support.
Building on the viral success of the original VIA Short Take, “The Secret Beneath Hazleton” — which garnered over 2 million views and ignited widespread engagement across social media — this 30-minute documentary will unearth the astonishing, long-buried stories of Hazleton’s mysterious underground world.
Beneath the quiet streets of Hazleton lies a hidden network of tunnels, sealed mine shafts and secret passageways — remnants of a city shaped by coal, immigration and industrial might. WVIA’s new documentary will venture into previously unexplored territory, including private home tunnels, underground banking corridors and a mysterious speakeasy said to have been sealed for over 75 years.
“This is more than just a story about Hazleton,” said Carla McCabe, president and CEO of WVIA. “It’s a story about the history Hazleton has buried — literally. It’s about the people of Hazleton that worked underground, and the people that have been living above this underground city, some unknowingly, for decades. This film will bring history to light before it’s lost forever.”
The Kickstarter campaign seeks to fund the next phase of this groundbreaking project, allowing filmmakers, historians and urban explorers to:
This is not just a documentary — it's a rescue mission for Hazleton’s hidden past.
Many of the underground structures identified in the first film are already at risk of permanent collapse or demolition. As interest grows and new leads surface, the WVIA team believes this is a critical window of opportunity to preserve these stories for future generations through a new full-length documentary.
“There are places under Hazleton no one has entered in decades,” said the film’s producer, Tim Novotney. “And once they’re gone, they’re gone. This film is our chance to capture that lost world so the masses can see it.”
WVIA invites the public to become part of this journey by contributing to the Kickstarter campaign, which will fund equipment, research, expert interviews and post-production for the full-length documentary.
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform for creative projects. Everything from films, games and music to art, design and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative and imaginative ideas that are brought to life through the direct support of others.
To learn more and support “The Secrets Beneath Hazleton: Digging Deeper,” visit the Kickstarter page here.
About WVIA:
WVIA is the PBS and NPR member station serving over 22 counties in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. For over 50 years WVIA has been committed to serving the people by offering informational, educational and entertaining content that enriches and expands viewpoints and serves as a catalyst for positive change. WVIA television channels include WVIA TV, WVIA PBS Kids 24/7 and WVIA Create. WVIA’s radio channels include WVIA Radio, WVIA Arts and the Chiaroscuro Channel. WVIA’s programs can also be found streaming live and on-demand on wvia.org and the WVIA app.
WVIA mission:
WVIA educates, inspires, entertains and fosters citizenship, diverse cultures and perspectives to nurture community.
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