Culture
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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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The Summer Camp That Never Really Ended for These Chester County Men
Every Friday, about 20 men scattered across the country open their laptops and dial into a Zoom call. They’re in their 70s and 80s now, but for an hour or so, they’re kids at camp again. The thread connecting them is Camp Saginaw, the overnight camp in Oxford farmland where they spent their summers in…
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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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Montgomery County Native Is Member of Most Successful Led Zeppelin Tribute Band
Paul Hammond, a Montgomery County native, is a member of Get the Led Out, the most successful Led Zeppelin tribute band in the world, writes Victor Fiorillo for the Philadelphia Magazine. Hammond, who stands in for Jimmy Page, is one of the two original members of the band. Get the Led Out is rarely not…
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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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From Race Cars to Rockledge: Self-Taught Artist Mark Smith Has Sold 400 Paintings in Two Years
Mark Smith hesitates to call himself an artist. “I keep saying I can’t paint,” he says but admits, “I guess I can.” He adds a qualifier: “I don’t paint like normal people.” That seems to be a good thing. Since picking up a brush two years ago, Smith has sold more than 400 paintings. The…
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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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King of Prussia’s New Recharge Park Could Become One of the Region’s Most Important Trail Destinations
Montgomery County has spent decades quietly building one of the most extensive trail networks in the Philadelphia region. Its latest addition is about to open in King of Prussia, writes The Philly Voice. Recharge Park, a new 1.8-acre public space along First Avenue between Valley Forge Casino Resort and Topgolf, will officially open June 4.…
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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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How to Spend a Perfect Summer Day at Nockamixon State Park
Before most people finish their first cup of coffee, kayaks are already cutting across the glassy surface of Lake Nockamixon. Hikers are lacing up in the parking lot. A sailboat drifts toward the middle of the lake without a sound. This is Nockamixon State Park at its best. And if you time it right, it…
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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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Philadelphia Historic Register Eyes Chinatown Factory That Revolutionized American Cosmetics
The former Tetlow Manufacturing Company building in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood could soon earn a place on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, writes Aaron Moselle for WHYY. Located at 10th and Cherry streets, the five-story factory became home to the cosmetics company in the 1880s and is now being considered for historic designation because of…
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Valley Forge National Historical Park Marks 50 Years — and America’s 250th — With Three Days of Living History This July 4th Weekend
This Fourth of July weekend, one of the most storied sites in American history becomes the backdrop for a celebration 50 years in the making. Valley Forge National Historical Park — the only national park established on July 4 — kicks off its landmark “Retreat to Valley Forge” commemoration on July 3-5, honoring both the…
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The Hidden Revolutionary War Trail Buried Across Montgomery County
Most Americans know Valley Forge. The brutal winter. The frozen soldiers. Washington holding his army together by will alone. But ask what happened before Valley Forge, or why the army was even in this corner of Pennsylvania, and the story goes quiet. The answer is Montgomery County. To understand why Washington kept returning to this…
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