Culture
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An Important Part of Montco History Will Be Displayed at the Museum of the American Revolution
Montgomery County played an important role in the American Revolution and that history will be celebrated at an upcoming exhibition at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. The exhibit, Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tents, will open on President’s Day weekend. It tells the story of how General George Washington’s…
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Ken Burns’ Delaware Valley Roots: How His Mother’s Battle with Cancer Forged a Passion for Storytelling
Before Ken Burns became the United States’ most admired documentary filmmaker, he was a quiet boy growing up in Newark, Delaware, the son of a University of Delaware professor and a mother whose long struggle with breast cancer defined his childhood. Long before The Civil War, Brooklyn Bridge, Vietnam War, or Mark Twain cemented his…
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The Greatest Event Since the Birth of Christ? Ken Burns Says It Began in the Delaware Valley
When Ken Burns, the celebrated documentary filmmaker behind The Civil War and The Vietnam War, calls the American Revolution “the most important event in world history since the birth of Christ,” even seasoned historians blink. It’s a breathtaking claim, but look around the Delaware Valley, and suddenly it doesn’t feel far-fetched. From Philadelphia’s Independence Hall,…
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Cross Street Park in Pottstown: From Industrial Site to Community Gathering Point
A once-polluted industrial site in Pottstown has been reborn as Cross Street Park, turning what was once a brownfield into a community hub, writes Justin Heinze for the Patch. The park occupies a 0.86-acre site once home to Chem-Rex, later known as Degussa Construction Chemicals. Years of chemical production left behind heavy metal contamination that…
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Untangling a Revolution: How Ken Burns and His Team Brought America’s Revolution to Life
Everyone thinks they know the story of the American Revolution including the midnight rides, the musket smoke, George Washington at Valley Forge. But filmmaker Ken Burns saw something deeper waiting beneath the marble myths. In his new documentary series The American Revolution, premiering this month on WHYY, Ken Burns and longtime collaborators Sarah Botstein and…
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Keeping History Alive: Former Technician Embodies Revolutionary War Soldier Ned Hector
Three decades after first portraying Edward “Ned” Hector, a free Black man and Revolutionary War soldier, Noah Lewis, formerly an electronic repair technician, is now one of the nation’s most engaging and respected historical educator-reenactors, writes Kim Andrews for the County Lines Magazine. Lewis first discovered Hector, who spent much of his civilian life in…
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This Couple Has Biked Through 49 States but Always Returns to Greater Philadelphia’s Circuit Trails Network
Fresh off a 622-mile cycling trip through Portugal, Manny and Marsha Menendez are already back riding on the trails — this time, their route is much closer to home. Having pedaled through 49 of the 50 states, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand, they have logged thousands of miles, yet they remain loyal riders of our…
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Tattered Piece of Cloth Found at Goodwill That Turned Out to Be Historic Now Displayed at Philly Museum
Richard “Dana” Moore, a digger and amateur collector, first ran into a listing for a scrap of fabric claiming to be a piece of George Washington’s Revolutionary War tent while going through Goodwill’s listing of historic documents two years ago, writes Peter Crimmins for WHYY. “There was no proof,” said the Virginia man. “There was…
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The Revolution Happened Here: 10 Philadelphia Area Battles That Shaped the Fight for Independence
Before the world called it the American Revolution, it began right here along the Delaware River, across the rolling farms of Chester County, and in the cobblestoned streets of Philadelphia. From Brandywine River to Germantown, the British Army and General Washington’s American forces fought for control of a region that would determine the fate of…
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Museum at Valley Forge National Park to Commemorate 1777 Arrival of Continental Army in Valley Forge
The Museum of the American Revolution at Valley Forge National Park will commemorate the 1777 arrival of the Continental Army in Valley Forge on Saturday, December 14, according to a staff report from the Museum of the American Revolution. As part of the commemoration, the museum will set up the First Oval Office Project, a…
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Explore Vibrant Mountain of Mums at Ott’s Exotic Plants in Schwenksville
Ott’s Exotic Plants in Schwenksville has transformed its grounds into a vibrant mountain of mums, creating a lively celebration of autumn’s favorite flower, reports Dave Edwards for 6abc. Visitors can now wander through the fields of colorful plants along a network of pathways and tunnels, fully immersing themselves in the display. “I love that tunnel,”…
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Across All 6 Episodes, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley Take Center Stage in Ken Burns’ The American Revolution
The Revolution that changed the world was born right here in the Delaware Valley, in the muddy crossroads of Chester County, the meeting houses of Germantown, and the narrow streets of Philadelphia. This month, PBS premieres The American Revolution, a sweeping six-part, 12-hour documentary directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, and written…
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Revolutionary November: PBS Docuseries Brings The Revolution Home to Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley
Before the world called it the American Revolution, the fight for independence began right here, in the fields, taverns, meeting houses, and muddy crossroads of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. The ideas that lit the world on fire were born on our streets, debated in our pubs, and signed in our halls. This month, as…
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How Secret Meetings at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia Helped Secure America’s Independence
A secret meeting between Benjamin Franklin and French spy Julien-Alexandre Achard de Bonvouloir at Carpenters’ Hall in 1775 helped bolster America’s fight for independence, writes Michaela Althouse for PhillyVoice. At the time, American colonists wanting to break away from Great Britain were gathering resources and preparing to fight for freedom. A pressing question was whether…
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Fall Colors Await. Check Out These Hiking and Walking Trails in Delaware County
A chill in the air brings autumn colors and an opportunity to hike past some beautiful foliage, writes Anne E. Hill and Ben Silver for Main Line Today. Here are some prime spots to visit in Delaware County. Bring binoculars on your hike in the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Tinicum for some optimum…
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Revisiting History and Nature at the Newlin Grist Mill in Glen Mills
The Newlin Grist Mill in Glen Mills is a private nonprofit historical site that started as a mill making grind grain and selling flour to nearby communities. The mill operated from 1704 to 1941. Today, the Mill is dedicated to the environment and architectural education, reports Action News photojournalist Todd Haas for 6abc. Visitors will…
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Valley Forge National Historical Park Brings $44.8 Million Boost to Montco Economy
Valley Forge National Historical Park remains one of Montco’s greatest treasures, both for its history and its economic impact, writes Donna Rovins for The Daily Times. A new report from the National Park Service shows that in 2024, 1.9 million visitors explored the park’s 3,452 acres, spending $28.9 million in nearby communities and contributing $44.8…
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Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Honors Service and History with Trains & Troops Weekend and 1940s Swing Dance
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania will once again celebrate American history, service, and song during its 25th annual Trains & Troops weekend, set for Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2. The event will take place at the Museum (300 Gap Road, PA Route 741, Strasburg, Lancaster County). This year’s milestone event honors U.S. military…
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