News

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on News Rare Discovery After their September 11, 1777, victory in the Battle of Brandywine, British General Sir William Howe and his troops captured and occupied Philadelphia. It was not long, however, before General Howe realized he faced a challenging supply problem. He was surrounded by General George Washington’s Continental Army and, more importantly, the Royal British Navy could not bring...
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Meet Our Readers

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Meet Our Readers Pennsylvania Heritage is a unique benefit for the members of the Pennsylvania Heritage Society (PHS). The magazine has won prestigious design and editorial awards and is widely read throughout the Keystone State in libraries, schools, historical societies, and, of course, by PHS members. Many, after enjoying each issue, pass it on to relatives, friends, and neighbors. In addition to enjoying the...
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PHMC Highlights

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on PHMC Highlights Pennsylvania State Archivist David A. Haury, Ph.D., director of PHMC’s Bureau of Archives and History, assisted President Barack Obama’s transition team as it relates to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Haury, president of the Council of State Archivists, Frank Boles, president of the Society of American Archivists, and Tracey Berezansky, president of the National...
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Exploring the Pennsylvania Energy Trail of History

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Exploring the Pennsylvania Energy Trail of History Pennsylvania’s vast natural resources helped fuel the growth and development of both state and nation, spawning innumerable advances in transportation, industry, technology, and science. These resources propelled an economy that supported generations of men and women. The Pennsylvania Trails of History, a network of historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and...
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“With a Woman’s Instinct”: Mira Lloyd Dock, The Mother of Forestry in Pennsylvania

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on “With a Woman’s Instinct”: Mira Lloyd Dock, The Mother of Forestry in Pennsylvania On a frosty December night in 1900, Mira Lloyd Dock (1853–1945) presented an illustrated lecture to the Harrisburg Board of Trade entitled “The City Beautiful.” Using vivid descriptions and dramatic images, Dock contrasted the “roughness, slime and filth” of the state capital and the Susquehanna River with the well-kept cities and rivers of other American states and European nations. She...
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Executive Director’s Letter

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Executive Director’s Letter Beginning with special programs at our historic sites and museums in March to celebrate the anniversary of Penn’s Charter establishing Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) has been preparing for the busy summer season. With greatly reduced staff — the result of severe budget cuts to PHMC and its programs — we have been strengthening relationships with existing...
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Wood on Glass: The Lumber Industry Photographs of William T. Clarke

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Wood on Glass: The Lumber Industry Photographs of William T. Clarke William Townsend Clarke (1859–1930) photographed the forests of northcentral Pennsylvania during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, producing stunning images that tell the story of the logging industry in the vast stands of old-growth white pine and hemlock trees which Henry W. Shoemaker (1880–1958) called the “Black Forest” of Pennsylvania. Shoemaker was a prolific writer,...
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Spring Mix

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Spring Mix In the last installment of Trailheads, we took a look at how Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster prepares for winter. As a rule, historic sites and museums on the Pennsylvania Trails of History – especially those with outdoor exhibits – are quieter during the winter. Some sites close for a month or two, others are open fewer days during the week. It’s a time to plan...
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Saving Documents Today for Future Generations

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Saving Documents Today for Future Generations For three years, from 2008 through part of 2011, the archival staff of the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg, administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), has been involved in an initiative to improve the management of the Commonwealth’s historical records maintained by its sixty-seven county governments. Known as the Itinerant Archivist Project, the program...
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Sampling a Taste of the Past Along the Pennsylvania Trails of History

Posted by on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Sampling a Taste of the Past Along the Pennsylvania Trails of History One of the best ways to experience the Keystone State’s history and heritage is to travel the Pennsylvania Trails of History®, a network of two dozen exciting historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), the Commonwealth’s official history agency. PHMC has organized its popular destinations into four main trails – Military...
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