Homeward Bound: An Interview with David McCullough

David McCullough is a familiar name – and face. Known to millions as the author of bestselling books, including The Great Bridge, The Path Between the Seas, Truman, Mornings on Horseback, and Brave Companions, and as host of the popular PBS television series “Smithsonian World” and “The American Experience,” he is noted for his remarkable gift of writing richly...
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George W. G. Ferris (1859-1896)

Around the world, Ferris wheels often symbolize the carefree days of summer. Yet, the engineer who “re-invented the wheel” is less remembered. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. was born in Galesburg, Illinois, on February 14, 1859, one of ten children of George W. G. and Martha Edgerton (Hyde) Ferris. In 1864, the senior Ferris sold the family’s 1,200-acre dairy farm for the...
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Pennsylvania History Goes Green

Sustainable, or “green” design is beginning to make its way into daily lives in ways that are both obvious and subtle. For the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), “going green” has become part of the philosophy of preserving and protecting treasured historic sites and museums, as well as conserving resources and improving sustainability. On December 15,...
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