A Passion for Wood: The Life and Legacy of Wharton Esherick

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on A Passion for Wood: The Life and Legacy of Wharton Esherick When Wharton Esherick (1887-1970) left Philadelphia for the countryside and heavily wooded hills near Valley Forge in 1913, he was a disillusioned painter struggling to find his artistic identity. By the time of his death nearly six decades later, he had not only discovered his identity but had become renowned for his sculptural furniture which earned for him the title “the dean of...
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A Step Back In Time: Graeme Park, Colonial Country Estate

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on A Step Back In Time: Graeme Park, Colonial Country Estate Some call it a time capsule from the eighteenth century, others, a place hallmarked by beauty and tranquility, ambition and greed, deceit and scan­dal, joy and happiness, sadness and sorrow – all of which have left an indelible spiritual imprint. But mostly, Graeme Park, a country estate less than twenty miles north of Philadelphia in Horsham, Montgomery County, is a place of pure paradox....
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A Kentucky Frontiersman’s Pennsylvania Roots: The Daniel Boone Homestead

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on A Kentucky Frontiersman’s Pennsylvania Roots: The Daniel Boone Homestead Mere mention of the name Daniel Boone conjures images of an American icon: trailblazer of the Wilderness Road, preeminent Kentucky frontiersman, defender of early settlements, a crack shot with a long rifle. Boone’s real and folkloric exploits are so well-known that his character is often overlooked, as is the fact that his personality took shape during a boyhood not spent in...
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A Blast from the Past: Cornwall Iron Furnace

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on A Blast from the Past: Cornwall Iron Furnace Driving on narrow sinuous back roads through lush, verdant forests – just a half dozen miles north of the busy Pennsylvania Turnpike – unsuspecting travelers can’t help being struck by an odd-looking complex of Gothic Revival-style buildings and structures. This place, this curious collection of buildings, both large and small, appears to have been literally plucked from a far...
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New Sweden and The New World – History Lessons From the Morton Homestead

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on New Sweden and The New World – History Lessons From the Morton Homestead Years before William Penn and his Quaker followers set foot on America’s shores, Swedish settlers had established a settlement along the Delaware River and Bay. On this land, now part of both Pennsylvania and Delaware, stands the Morton Homestead, an emissary from a past, an emissary that tells the story of a powerful Swedish king, a white, sandy shore and primeval forest, peaceful fur...
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Joseph Priestley, Catalyst of the Enlightenment

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on Joseph Priestley, Catalyst of the Enlightenment When Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) is remembered today, it’s usually for his 1774 discovery, in England, of oxygen. Few know he was a noted theologian, political progressive, and prolific author whose scientific contributions include the development of the carbonation process, the identification of carbon monoxide, and early experiments in electricity. He counted Benjamin Franklin, Thomas...
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The Boat Ride that Changed America: Washington Crossing Historic Park

Posted by on Nov 26, 2013 in | Comments Off on The Boat Ride that Changed America: Washington Crossing Historic Park The characters a seem straight out of a big screen military blockbuster: the protagonist, a distinguished squire turned military commander, appearing outwardly controlled, yet besieged by internal doubts; his antagonist, a general whose redeeming qualities are negated by his arrogance and complacency; a comely widow; heroes, cads, and a supporting cast of thousands. The plot is also...
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Preserving The Past, Protecting The Future: The State Museum Of Pennsylvania

Posted by on Nov 25, 2013 in | Comments Off on Preserving The Past, Protecting The Future: The State Museum Of Pennsylvania Part of a museum’s mission is to collect, safeguard, exhibit, and interpret relevant objects and artifacts, and The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg fulfills this goal with singular distinction. Since 1905, the institution has preserved vast collections that chronicle the Commonwealth’s history and natural heritage from earth’s beginning to the present (see...
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A Treasure Trove of Historical Records: The Pennsylvania State Archives

Posted by on Nov 25, 2013 in | Comments Off on A Treasure Trove of Historical Records: The Pennsylvania State Archives The challenges of keeping up with life’s paperwork are overwhelming. There are so many documents: receipts, tax forms, deeds, wills, insurance policies and claims, pay stubs, check registers, warranties…a neverending stream of information that has to be handled. And for each slip of paper, there’s a set of questions that must be answered. What to keep? How to file? Where to...
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