Historic
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Pennsylvania’s 1776 Constitution: A Parallel Celebration
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but it also marks the semi-quincentennial of another seminal text: the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776. While the Declaration remains a foundational pillar of American history, the Pennsylvania Constitution represents an equally significant, highly progressive milestone in democratic governance that deserves its own distinct…
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Valley Forge Hosts Free July 4 Celebration for America’s 250th Anniversary
When George Washington’s Continental Army camped at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777, the survival of the American experiment was far from certain. This July 4, the ground where that story unfolded becomes the setting for a celebration of how far the nation has come. Valley Forge Park Alliance, the official philanthropic partner of…
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Gone but Not Forgotten: 10 Vanished Montgomery County Hangouts
You’ve probably driven past one of these without knowing it. The Aldi off Route 309 in Montgomeryville sits where carloads once swapped a driver’s license for an in-car heater on cold nights. The food court at Plymouth Meeting Mall covers the ground where moviegoers once sat near a fountain that never worked. And the office…
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The Norristown Zoo That Almost Closed Is Now Building for Its Next 100 Years
As the nation prepares to mark 250 years of American history, a Norristown institution that has been part of Montgomery County life for more than a century is hitting its stride, writes Kim Hudson for CBS News Philadelphia. Elmwood Park Zoo celebrated its 100th birthday in 2024, opening a $41 million welcome center, outdoor plaza,…
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Historic Chester County Wedding Venue Loch Aerie Mansion Sells for More Than $4 Million
John Serock has had his eye on Loch Aerie Mansion for two decades. He first saw the historic Malvern estate in 2006 and wanted to buy it, but the price wasn’t right. When it went to auction in 2016, he had to pass again. In May, he finally got his chance, writes Emma Dooling for…
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The Philadelphia Fort That Bought Washington’s Army Precious Time: The Heroic Stand at Fort Mifflin
If you’ve ever flown into Philadelphia from the New Jersey side, you’ve passed right over one of the most dramatic and least-known battles of the American Revolution. Fort Mifflin, now sitting directly beneath the landing pattern of jets heading into Philadelphia International Airport, looks quiet today. But in the fall of 1777, this muddy island…
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How Levittown’s Home Construction Method Transformed Homeownership After World War II
A simple slab of concrete helped reshape the American Dream, and its origins trace back to Bucks County, writes staff for PhillyBurbs. After World War II, millions of veterans came home to a country without enough housing. Levittown planner and builder Bill Levitt had a solution, and it started from the ground up. Rather than…
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How New Hope Became, and Stayed, One of America’s Greatest Art Towns
Walk through New Hope on any weekend and you feel it before you can explain it. Something about the place hums. Galleries tucked into 18th-century storefronts. Live music spilling out of open doors. Theater companies, sculptors, photographers, and painters all sharing the same few walkable blocks along the Delaware. What most visitors do not know…
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Revolutionary War Landmark Rising Sun Inn Closes Its Doors for Good
The Rising Sun Inn, one of Montgomery County’s oldest and most storied taverns, has closed its doors after nearly three centuries in Franconia Township, writes Ian Fortey for Tasting Table. The historic inn, built in 1739 and first operated as a public tavern by Peter Gerhart and his wife Elizabeth, shut down suddenly in May,…
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This Montco Community Sits on Once-Hallowed Ground for Area Thrill-Seekers
As the Winter schleps along, thoughts are turning to summer and its warm temps, late sunsets, and outdoor appeal. The Jersey Shore becomes a prime destination for many Montgomery County residents, and its appeal of leisure, food, and rides is hard to resist. However, it’s worth noting that one local community was once a tourism…
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“Remember the Ladies”: 12 Philadelphia Women Who Shaped a Revolution
Everyone knows the story of Betsy Ross and the first American flag, sewn in a small upholstery shop on Arch Street in Old City Philadelphia. But Ross wasn’t the only woman whose work helped define the Revolutionary War and the American cause. Across Philadelphia, American women, including writers, fundraisers, spies, poets, and even soldiers, played…
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Rare Einstein Letter on Creation of the Universe on Sale in Ardmore
The Raab Collection in Ardmore is selling a personal letter written by Albert Einstein where he argues against the biblical version of the creation of the universe, writes Richa Karmarka for The Washington Post. The rare letter was written on April 11, 1950, to Martha Munk, the wife of a well-known German rabbi in answer…
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How Philadelphia’s John Fitch Launched America’s First Steamboat on the Delaware River in 1787
Long before Robert Fulton became a household name, a lesser-known inventor was already churning up the Delaware River. In 1787, John Fitch launched what is widely recognized as America’s first functioning passenger and freight steamboat right here in Philadelphia, writes Violet Comber-Wilen for Billy Penn at WHYY. His original 45-foot vessel was a radical idea…
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Archaeology Student Unearths Valley Forge Bayonet Stash, Writes Dissertation
When the Continental Army packed up Valley Forge and headed on toward victory, a stash of bayonets was left behind. Almost 250 years later, a group of archaeologists was also about to pack up and head out, but this time they didn’t leave the bayonets behind. The rare historical find almost three years ago near…
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“Make a Left at the Airplane”: The Story Behind Penndel’s Most Iconic Landmark
For decades, one phrase instantly told people they were in Lower Bucks County: “Make a left at the airplane.” Long before GPS, nearly everybody knew exactly what that meant. The Airplane Family Restaurant and Diner in Penndel was one of Bucks County’s most unforgettable landmarks. Sitting at the corner of Route 1 and Durham Road,…
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Inside the Forgotten Museum Where 11,000 Black Civil War Heroes Reclaim Their Place in History
The Camp William Penn Museum near Elkins Park preserves one of the most important but often overlooked chapters of Civil War history, writes Kim Hudson for CBS News Philadelphia. Inside the modest museum, visitors can explore the story of the thousands of Black Union soldiers who trained at Camp William Penn, the first and largest…
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Pennsylvania’s Other 250-Year-Old Document Deserves Its Own Celebration
As we reach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is natural to focus on that world-changing document. However, the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776, written in that same era, deserves just as much attention. While the U.S. Constitution is more famous, Pennsylvania’s original state constitution was actually older and, in several key ways,…
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Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition 1876: The World’s Fair That Changed Everything
Philadelphia played a defining role in the history of world fairs by hosting the Centennial Exposition, the first official world’s fair in the United States, writes Heidi Mitchell for The Wall Street Journal. Held in 1876 in Fairmount Park to celebrate the nation’s 100th anniversary, the exposition introduced millions of visitors to emerging technologies and…
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