Thanks in large part to the hard work of Michael C. Korb, the The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission will dedicate a historical marker for the American Institute of Mining Engineers (AIME) at 3 p.m. Monday, May 16 in honor of the 145th anniversary of the organization’s founding. The ceremony will be held at 16 S. River St. in Wilkes-Barre, near West Market Street.

“We want the public to be there,” said Korb a member of AIME and SME, who helped spearhead the drive to get the marker. “I feel it’s something people should be proud of.”

Korb has been a member of the AIME, since 1961, and its member society, the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.

The first meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers was held May 16, 1871 in the Wyoming Valley Hotel — the Guard Center now stands at the site. There were 22 people in attendance, 16 of whom were from Northeastern Pennsylvania, Korb said.

Today the organization has about 150,000 members worldwide, including a strong presence in Asia, South America and Europe, he said.

The Citizensvoice.com published an excellent article on the efforts to have the marker put it up. See the entire article here.