Smithsonian Institution Archives - Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine

Pennsylvania Polymath: Samuel Stehman Haldeman

Posted by Iren Snavely on Jun 8, 2020 in | Comments Off Samuel Stehman Haldeman was a pioneer in American science with an uncompromising empirical bent who made definitive contributions in geology, metallurgy, zoology and the scientific study of language. His groundbreaking lifework touched nearly seven decades of science and included identification of one of the oldest fossils in Pennsylvania, elucidation of a plan for an anthracite coal furnace for...
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Editor’s Letter

Posted by Kyle Weaver on Mar 9, 2020 in | Comments Off Football, fine art, and festivals. Throughout the years, Pennsylvanians have received national acclaim in all three fields. Each has become a vital part of our shared heritage, engaging residents and representing the commonwealth’s rich and diverse culture. In this edition, you’ll find three outstanding features on prominent examples of these activities in the Keystone State. Football has been...
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The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania: Smithsonian Affiliation and New Museum History Book

Posted by Sean Adkins on Dec 13, 2016 in | Comments Off Smithsonian Affiliations has accepted the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania as one of its newest members, clearing the way for the eventual exhibition of Smithsonian artifacts at the site in Strasburg, Lancaster County. “This type of association with the Smithsonian gives you instant credibility” said Jeffrey Bliemeister, director of the Railroad Museum. “It’s a good marketing tool that I hope...
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Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation Newsletter

Posted by PA Heritage Staff on Sep 9, 2016 in | Comments Off Topics in the Fall 2016 Newsletter: Naturalist Scott Weidensaul and Working Together for Wildlife The Giving Circle Artist’s Conversation with Pennsylvania First Lady Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Day Historian Brent D. Glass to Speak at The State Museum Join the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation ...
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Baird of the Smithsonian

Posted by Marcia Bonta on Nov 30, 2013 in | Comments Off “You see sir, I have taken (after much hesitation) the liberty of writing to you. I am but a boy, and very inexperienced, as you no doubt will observe from my description of the Flycatcher.” In this way, young Spencer Fullerton Baird, seventeen years of age, introduced himself by letter to John James Audubon. His accurate description and measurements of the flycatcher enabled Audubon...
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Susquehanna County: A Touch of New England, 1869-1927

Posted by Garford Williams on Nov 30, 2013 in | Comments Off Susquehanna County, one of several counties formed from territory originally claimed by both Connecticut and Pennsylvania, reflects a blend of New England and Pennsylvania traditions. Although the land would remain part of Pennsylvania, the majority of pioneer settlers to this northern tier region were actually from Connecticut and other New England states. It was not until 1787, however, that...
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The Road to Resorts: Transportation and Tourism in Monroe County

Posted by Frederick Beaver on Nov 30, 2013 in | Comments Off Monroe County flourishes today as a lush, verdant resort and popular recreational area on the periphery of metropolitan centers. Tourism is supplemented by light industry which has left the largely rural setting relatively intact. Essentially, the county offers open countryside through which travelers make good time on interstate highways on their way to or from major cities and in which they...
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Stewart Culin, “Museum Magician”

Posted by Simon Bronner on Nov 29, 2013 in | Comments Off A temple had given up its treasure – ornately carved columns infused with supernatural beliefs – to the man with an imposing air and an eye for danger. He tells the tale: “Then we found ourselves with the column in the moonlight. We knew we must get it away without loss of time. The snoring continued, and the dogs were quiet, but at any moment they might raise an alarm. I...
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The Merry-Go-Round Kings

Posted by Linda Kowall-Woal on Nov 29, 2013 in | Comments Off Murmuring voices and laughter, mingling with the strains of band organ music and the rustling of long white skirts and crisply starched shirts, filled the summer air of 1904 at Philadelphia’s Woodside Park. A new carousel, one of the finest in America, had just introduced a kaleidoscope of festive color and design to the familiar old amusement grounds. It was, especially, the onset of...
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Currents

Posted by PA Heritage Staff on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off Fancy That! “Capricious Fancy: Draping and Curtaining, 1790-1930,” an exhibition tracing the history of design sources for draping and curtaining American and European interiors during the span of nearly one hundred and fifty years, will open at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia on Monday, December 6 [1993]. On view will be a selection of rare books, prints, and trade catalogues drawn...
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