Historic
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Essays Written by Jenkintown High School Teens in 1976 Give Insights into Past
Earlier this week, officials from Jenkintown 150, Jenkintown School District, and the Jenkintown Library opened an envelope containing personal essays written in 1976 by students from Jenkintown High School’s Local History class, writes Ryan Genova for Glenside Local. The envelope was sealed 48 years ago by the history class’s teacher, Dan Chittik. He gave it…
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From Education to Diversity, This Is How Philadelphia Has Changed Over the Last 75 Years
Philadelphia is a significantly different city than it was 75 years ago, with a smarter and more diverse population but fewer residents overall, writes Meir Rinde for Billy Penn at WHYY. According to the Pew Charitable Trust’s annual look at the State of the City, in 1950, the city reached a high of almost 2.1…
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Longtime Art Curator, Historian, and Author Susan Gray Detweiler Remembered
Susan Gray Detweiler, longtime curator of the Robert L. McNeil Jr. Americana art collection in Wyndmoor, died at age 85 at her home in Chestnut Hill, writes Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Detweiler oversaw the Wyndmoor collection for more than three decades and she is the author of an award-winning book about George Washington’s…
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Gladwyne Congregation on Mission to Preserve Historic Final Resting Place
The Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery is the final resting place for hundreds of European immigrants. Joe Ferrannini is committed to preserving the crumbling gravestones, writes Paul Jablow for Main Line Today. The cemetery is located just off Conshohocken State Road in Gladwyne. No one has been buried there since 1945. In the 1890s, two burial…
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Netflix’s ‘Rustin’ Stars Bayard Rustin, But It Also Spotlights Another Hero With Same Last Name: His Grandmother
In addition to the civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, Netflix’s new movie Rustin spotlights another West Chester hero: his grandmother Julia “Ma” Rustin, writes Rosa Cartagena for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Bayard Rustin was the architect of the 1963 March on Washington but due to being gay, he never got the recognition he deserved. This new…
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A Travelers United Plus Writer Relearns History at Valley Forge
Karen Cummings, a Travelers United Plus writer, recently visited Valley Forge National Historical Park and was surprised by how much she didn’t remember from her history lessons at school. “I realized I must have been sleeping or not paying attention when the Valley Forge, part of the Revolutionary War, was covered in whatever grade we…
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Valley Forge National Historical Park Commemorates the Anniversary of Continental Army March-in
Come out and enjoy family-friendly programming and hands-on activities at Valley Forge National Historical Park on Tuesday, December 19 for the 246th Anniversary of the March-in of the Continental Army. On that date in 1777, the Continental Army arrived in Valley Forge, according to the National Park Service. When you arrive at the park for…
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Nativity Scenes on Display at Bryn Athyn Cathedral and Glencairn Museum
Bryn Athyn Cathedral is showcasing three Nativity scenes in the choir hall for the holidays, according to a staff report from Glenside Local. All three scenes were created during the 1920s by Bryn Athyn artist Winfred S. Hyatt for the Raymond Pitcairn family. Each December, the nativity scenes were displayed in front of the family’s…
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Abington Township Was a Critical Part of the Underground Railroad
Abington Township played a critical role in the Underground Railroad, a secret network of freedom that helped more than 50,000 escaped slaves seek liberty in the North, writes Keystone Local Guide for NewsBreak. Homes throughout Abington, including the Quaker estate “Vernon” in Rydal, provided shelter, but also hope and a chance at a new life.…
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Harleysville Historic District Offers Unique Glimpse into Nation’s Rich History
The Harleysville Historic District, nestled in the heart of Montgomery County, offers a unique glimpse into the nation’s history, writes Keystone Local Guide for NewsBreak. Recognized by the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, the district is home to 75 contributing buildings that perfectly showcase the architectural prowess of 18th-century America. The structures pre-dating…
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Concordville Inn Demolition Work Underway for New Rehab Hospital
Demolition on the 246-year-old Concordville Inn in Glen Mills has begun with a portion of it down before the Thanksgiving holiday, writes Emma Dooling for Philadelphia Business Journal. The Alabama healthcare company Encompass Health Corp. bought the property on June 15 for $3.5 million with the intent to build an inpatient rehabilitation hospital on the…
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A Philadelphia Inventor Was Among the First to Demonstrate Moving Images That Became the Precursor to Movies
In 1870, Philadelphia inventor Henry Heyl displayed among the first demonstrations of a projected moving picture, writes Avi Wolfman-Arent for Billy Penn at WHYY. He invented a device he called the “phasmatrope,” and demonstrated it at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia in front of about 1,500 individuals. The device was a disc loaded with…
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Producer Bruce Cohen Talks Making Biopic of West Chester Civil Rights Activist Bayard Rustin
On Nov. 20, a galvanizing Bayard Rustin biopic, a West Chester native and gay civil rights activist who organized the 1963 March on Washington will be available on Netflix, writes Gary M. Kramer for Philadelphia Gay News. When Producer Bruce Cohen was originally looking for a home for the movie, which stars gay Philadelphia native…
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This Year’s Historic Pottstown Holiday Tours Features Homes in Chicken Hill
Admirers of history, architecture, and the charm of older homes are in for a treat with the Pottstown GoFourth! 5th Annual Historic Pottstown Holiday Tour on Sunday, December 3. Tourgoers will have the opportunity to explore homes in the Chicken Hill Section of town, and beyond. This year’s tour has a special focus: the recently…
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YouTube Video Explores Mystery of the Ruins of Toddtown near Conshohocken
The ruins of Toddtown just a mile-and-a-half from Conshohocken house a mystery that has remained unsolved for centuries, writes Kevin Tierney for More Than The Curve. Once upon a time, Toddtown was a thriving community centered around a mill and a church, but it disappeared around 1878 when it was sold at a sheriff’s sale.…
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The Oldest Town in Pennsylvania Happens to Be in Delaware County
Pennsylvania, as one of the original 13 colonies where independence was born, has many historic towns that have stood the test of time. But to find the oldest, you need only look in Delaware County’s backyard, writes Andre DeBonis for EnergyPortal.eu. Chester was the earliest settlement in Pennsylvania, founded in 1682 by William Penn, who…
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Montgomery County Commissioners Now Open to Preserving Airy Street Prison
In a surprising reversal, the Montgomery County Commissioners have announced that they will solicit proposals to reuse parts of the Norristown Airy Street Prison, writes MEDIANEWS Group for The Times Herald. While the Montgomery County Commissioners back in August appeared adamant about demolishing the historic site, they are changing course amid growing public opposition. “After…
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Sapling from George Washington’s Beloved Tulip Poplar Arrives in Valley Forge
The Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge National Historical Park is now home to a piece of George Washington’s beloved tulip poplar tree, writes Michelle Myers for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The three-year-old sapling was planted at the cemetery’s Defenders’ Gate along Valley Forge Road during a Sunday ceremony. “I can’t think of any better spot…
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