Historic
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Rare Copy of Emancipation Proclamation Signed By Abraham Lincoln To Be Auctioned
There are just 27 known copies remaining of the only authorized and printed edition of the Emancipation Proclamation’s full text signed by President Abraham Lincoln and one of them is going on auction, writes Stephanie Farr for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The rare copies, known as the Leland-Broker broadside, will be sold by British auction house…
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Okaloosa County Commits Nearly $3 Million to Finalize SS United States Artificial Reef Project
A $2.95 million contract amendment to finish the SS United States artificial reef project has been unanimously approved by Okaloosa County Commissioners, writes Jared Williams for Get The Coast. During the Tuesday meeting, Alex Fogg, Okaloosa County’s Natural Resources Chief, provided a detailed update on the project prior to requesting additional funds, highlighting both the…
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Historic Merger Set for Temple University and Library Company of Philadelphia
The Library Company of Philadelphia, established in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, will merge with Temple University, linking the university’s research and grant-writing initiatives with the extensive historical collections of the city’s oldest cultural institution, writes Molly McVety for PhillyVoice. The deal still has to be approved by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Philadelphia…
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Historic Overhaul Comes to Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge
A sweeping restoration effort is underway at one of Montgomery County’s most recognizable historic sites, writes Melissa Jacobs for Main Line Tonight. Washington Memorial Chapel, the National Historic Landmark bordering Valley Forge National Historical Park, has begun a multi-year, multi-million-dollar renovation aimed at revitalizing its campus. The first phase focuses on Patriot’s Hall, the gathering…
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Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Rewards East Falls Landmark $776,000 in Funding for Repairs
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation recently rewarded Wissahickon Hall in East Falls with $776,000 in funding, writes Kyle Bagenstose for Hidden City. The new funding will be used to address the 176-year-old underutilized landmark’s aging facade and mechanical systems. The former creekside inn is often passed by motorists who are navigating Lincoln Drive. As of earlier…
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The Philadelphia Editor Who Made Thanksgiving a National Tradition
Did you know one woman’s determination turned Thanksgiving into a beloved national holiday? Sarah Josepha Hale, a trailblazing editor in 19th-century Philadelphia, convinced Abraham Lincoln to unite the nation with an annual day of gratitude. Here is the story of how Hale’s visionary campaign shaped the Thanksgiving tradition we cherish today as shared by Rund…
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Final Florida Location for SS United States Future As Artificial Reef Revealed
The final resting place of the SS United States, the former luxury ocean liner that spent nearly three decades docked in Philadelphia, has been revealed, writes David Fischer for WHYY. Okaloosa County officials, who purchased the ship to sink it and create the largest artificial reef in the world, announced earlier this week that the…
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Before the Revolution Was Fought with Guns, Philadelphia’s Thomas Paine Sparked Dissent with His Pen
Before the Revolution was fought with guns and bayonets, Thomas Paine fought it with words. Words that were sharper, louder, and more dangerous than any weapon on the field. Long before the Continental Army clashed with British troops enforcing British rule, Paine’s pen and Robert Bell’s printing press jolted the American colonies toward a destiny…
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First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry Celebrated 250 Years in Existence in 2024
First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry will celebrate its 250th birthday in November, writes Brad Rhen for DVIDS. The unit was formed on November 17, 1774 — three weeks after Philadelphia hosted the First Continental Congress — under the name, Philadelphia Light Horse. “It’s the oldest continuously mounted unit in the United States Army, so this…
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Independence Hall Closing Its Doors For Final Preparations For Nation’s 250th Anniversary
Independence Hall will be closing its doors to visitors until January as preservation work is completed at the site of the Declaration of Independence ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, writes Tom Dougherty for CBS News Philadelphia. This closure will allow crews to complete their interior work in the building, which the park service says…
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Philadelphia’s Historical Markers Shine Light on Lesser-Known Figures and Events
Philadelphia has several of Pennsylvania’s 595 historical markers highlighting the region’s lesser-known figures and events, writes Sandy Smith for Philadelphia Magazine. One of the markers commemorates the house that once stood at 5109 Germantown Avenue, where the first protest against slavery was held by a group of German Quakers in 1688. In 1840, John Wagner…
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WSJ: ‘Philadelphia: A Narrative History’ Offers Insights, But Focuses Unevenly on One Side of the Coin
Philadelphia: A Narrative History, a book by Paul Kahan is a trove of knowledge about the city, but it spends all too much time focusing on its failures, writes D.G. Hart for The Wall Street Journal. The book carries a tone of persistent scolding, while offering a relentless commentary on the city’s shortcomings. The encyclopedic…
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Betsy Ross House Aims to Cement Seamstress’ Role in American History
The Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia recently uncovered new evidence supporting the claim that a seamstress sewed the first Stars and Stripes national flag in 1776 at her upholstery shop on Arch Street, writes Peter Crimmins for WHYY. The story, originally presented by her descendants in the 19th century with minimal supporting evidence, has led…
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Two Historic Philadelphia Churches Continue to Serve As Cornerstones of Faith After Centuries
Standing nearby each other for centuries, Philadelphia’s Christ Church and Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church continue to serve as the spiritual home for many in the city, just as it did for several generations before them, writes Luis Andres Henao for the Associated Press. Prominent historic figures such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and…
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The Revolutionary War’s Tide Turned in Bucks County. Washington’s Crossing Changed Everything
By the last week of December 1776, a full year before the winter encampment in Valley Forge, the fields and riverbanks of Bucks County felt as cold and uncertain as the fate of the Revolution itself. After defeats in New York City and a desperate retreat across New Jersey, George Washington and the Continental Army…
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Ken Burns’ New Documentary ‘The American Revolution’ Puts Ben Franklin at Start, Philadelphia at Center
After a decade of filming for his new docuseries The American Revolution, Ken Burns begins with Ben Franklin and positions Philadelphia right at the heart of this epic story, writes for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Burns previously explored the Founding Father in his 2022 PBS documentary Benjamin Franklin, which helped shape various elements of his latest…
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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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Valley Forge Explained So a Fifth-Grader Could Understand: Cold, Courage, and a Comeback
Most of us have heard of Valley Forge, but not many people really understand what happened there, or why it mattered so much. It wasn’t a battle, and no famous victory was won in the snow. But the winter encampment at Valley Forge was one of the most important turning points of the American Revolution.…
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