Historic Districts in Pennsylvania: An Evolving Sense of Place

Jim Thorpe, originally named Mauch Chunk, is a small and picturesque borough of well-preserved 19th-century buildings perched on the side of a mountain along the Lehigh River in Carbon County. It once served as an important railroad and coal shipping center. As these industries waned in the 20th century, the town sought new economic purpose by marketing its scenic appeal as the “Switzerland of...
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Adams County: Tranquility Regained

One of Pennsylvania’s smaller counties, both in size and population, Adams County developed much the same as similar settlements along the Atlantic Seaboard. Its growth during the past two and a half centu­ries has been governed by its own particular circumstances, including location, terrain, soil, climate, vegetation, min­eral resources and the accom­plishments of the immigrants and...
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Pennsylvania Gridiron: Washington and Jefferson College’s First Century of Football

Gentlemen, you are now going to play football against Harvard. Never again in your whole life will you do anything so important. Yale’s noted football coach T.A.D. Jones delivered his message just as his team was going out to defend Yale Bowl against its ancient rival. But it’s not only coaches whose pas­sion for football is ardent­ – millions play the game on high school,...
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John Frederick Hartranft Papers

Although little recognized today, John Frederick Hartranft (1830-1889) did make his mark in the history of the Commonwealth and the nation as governor and as general. Born near Norristown, Montgomery County, he attended college, practiced law, and in 1861 entered the Union army at the outbreak of the Civil War. His dedication to the military was unswerving. He was commissioned colonel of the...
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Eddie Plank

Gettysburg conjures up images of the greatest battle of the American Civil War. Shortly after guns were silenced, the same rural community played an important role in producing one of baseball’s greatest pitchers. Edward Stewart “Eddie ” Plank, born August 31, 1875, played baseball for Gettysburg College, while attending Gettysburg Academy from 1900 to 1901. He went directly...
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Bookshelf

The Hospital on Seminary Ridge at the Battle of Gettysburg By Michael A. Dreese McFarland and Company, 2002 (200 pages, illustrated case binding, $45.00) “Old Dorm,” which served as the first classroom and dormitory of Gettysburg’s Lutheran Theological Seminary, is a popular attraction for visitors to the site of the bloody three-day Civil War battle in Adams County. Few...
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Black Settlement on Yellow Hill

Anyone who has ever read about the Battle of Gettysburg or visited the historic American Civil War battlefield undoubtedly learned about the generals, the courageous soldiers who fought in the grisly three-day encounter, and the thousands that lost their lives on that hallowed ground in Adams County. The stories of the famous engagements that took place at Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, and the...
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Pennsylvania Heritage Society Newsletter

Topics in the Spring 2010 Newsletter: Buy-a-Bone Preview Penn National Insurance Supports In-depth State Museum School Visits Calendar for April – June 2010 Wind Titans: A Pennsylvania Photo Essay Signature Series PHS Annual Appeal Membership Benefit Reminder Welcome New PHS Members Please Share Your Email Address With Us  ...
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African Americans and Civil Rights in Pennsylvania

Summer and swimming go hand in hand – or so thought the Creative Steps Day Care Camp. The camp’s leaders had signed a contract to use the pool at a private swim club, but when the children – 46 African Americans and ten Hispanics ranging from kindergarten through seventh grade – arrived for their summer swim, they were subjected to harsh criticism by some club members....
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Marking Pennsylvania’s African American History

Charged with collecting, preserving, and interpreting more than three centuries of the Keystone State’s history and culture — as well as millions of years of its prehistory — the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) has launched a number of widely acclaimed, innovative, and popular public history programs over the years. One of its most popular is the state historical marker...
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