Sail On, O Ship of State: An Interview with Capt. Walter Rybka of the U.S. Brig Niagara

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Sail On, O Ship of State: An Interview with Capt. Walter Rybka of the U.S. Brig Niagara Summer 1992 marked the longest and most ambitious voyage of the historic United States Brig Niagara. Originally built for the fleet of Commo­dore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819), the ship carried the twenty eight year old commandant to a decisive victory over the British during the bitter War of 1812 on September 10, 1813 (see “The Battle of Lake Erie: A Victory for Commodore Perry”...
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Letters to the Editor

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Letters to the Editor Up and Away! Pennsylvania Heritage is one of the finest magazines I have ever had. The composition, literary quality, and selection of illustrations are second to none! As a historic aircraft enthusiast, I was absorbed by the rise and decline of C. G. Taylor and Bill Piper, Sr., and Bill Piper, Jr. (see “The Little Cub That Roared” by Theodore K. Thomas in the winter 1993 issue). I...
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Introducing… Team Heritage

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Introducing… Team Heritage Behind every successful maga­zine, there’s a hard-working, dedicated staff – a team, really. All good publications demand teamwork, and Pennsylvania Heritage is no exception. There’s a deadline on every horizon, editorial calendars that seem to project endlessly into the future, and production schedules that resemble a multi-dimensional Rube Goldberg device. The individuals who...
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Bookshelf

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Bookshelf Deep Water Sailors, Shallow Water Soldiers by Gerald T. Altoff The Perry Group, 1993 (203 pages, paper, $7.95) Subtitled Manning the United States Fleet on Lake Erie – 1813, this book exam­ines the composition of the crews of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s fleet that took part in one of the most signifi­cant naval encounters during the War of 1812. According to the author, these...
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Currents

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Currents Hello, History! The former Chautauqua Lake Ice Company warehouse in Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District will come to life on Sunday, April 28 [1996], when it officially opens to the public as the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center. Renovated by the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, which has been protecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of the...
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Currents

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Currents Setting Sail One of Pennsylvania’s most exciting museums-and certainly its newest-will open its doors during the Memorial Day weekend (see “Executive Director’s Message” in the spring 1998 edition). The Erie Maritime Museum, with the U.S. Brig Niagara as its centerpiece, will join more than two dozen historic sites and museums along the well-traveled Pennsylvania Trail of...
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Erie Maritime Museum: A New Museum Opens a Window to History

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Erie Maritime Museum: A New Museum Opens a Window to History Nearly two centuries ago, a newly built squadron of United States Navy warships set sail from the shores of Lake Erie to battle a contingent of the British Navy, the most formidable naval force in the world. The ensuing battle of the War of 1812 shocked the British admiralty and boosted the morale of the U.S. Navy and the entire nation. The legacy of this battle is graphically chronicled by the...
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PHMC Highlights

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on PHMC Highlights Aweekend historical sewing workshop at the Somerset Historical Center in February taught participants how to create hand-sewn, eighteenth-century pockets for period clothing. Gail Smith, assistant curator, and volunteer Robin Cordek, helped plan the event and assisted participants. Curator Carrie Blough and her mother, local seamstress Giselle Blough, served as workshop instructors.   Louis...
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From the Editor

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on From the Editor With this edition we conclude the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s annual theme for 2012, “The Land of Penn and Plenty: Bringing History to the Table.” Our observance allowed us to explore the Commonwealth’s traditional and regional foodways, highlight recipes from historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History, and even showcase snack...
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Executive Director’s Letter

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Executive Director’s Letter In several months we will celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), organized in Philadelphia as the Pennsylvania Historical Commission on March 21, 1914. As I reviewed selected PHMC highlights of the timeline appearing in this edition (“PHMC Celebrates A Century of Service”), I was immediately struck by two themes. The first is the...
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