On December 27, 1763, the Paxton Boys broke into the Lancaster County Workhouse and slaughtered the…
Year: 2019
Lititz answers the call of freedom; becomes a hospital town for Revolutionary War wounded
For eight months in 1778, the town of Lititz served as a hospital caring for hundreds…
A brief history of booze and the origins of other alcoholic terms
As with other American pastimes, alcohol and related activities developed colorful terms each with fascinating etymologies.
America’s first documented Christmas tree was here in Lancaster
Many of America's Yuletide customs were brought to Pennsylvania by European immigrants. Of them, a various…
The surprising message of Lancaster’s first commercial telegraph
Lancaster was home to the first commercial telegraph in 1846 after Morse's successful proof of concept…
Discover the hidden obelisk that honors the nine pioneers who settled Harford Township
Hidden deep in the forests of Susquehanna County in the heart of NEPA is the Nine…
The Mystery of Slanted Topped Stone Walls
Pop Quiz: This 100-year-old stone wall once corralled what animal? Click the Start Quiz button below to find out.…
Governor Dick Adventure: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Hidden deep inside Governor Dick Park is the final resting place for the lost Ark of…
Haunted Lancaster: The White Werewolf and the Full Moon Curse of Shock Graveyard
Legend holds that anyone foolish enough to walk seven times around Hans Graf Cemetery under the…
This Lancaster bookworm has been reading the newspaper daily for 40 years
Lancaster's metallic bookworm has been reading the newspaper daily for nearly 40 years. But how much…
Haunted Lancaster: All aboard! The Rock Point Tunnel Railroad Ghost
Even if you don't believe in ghosts, Chickies Rock is a place of death. At least…
The Laughing Ghost of Gonder Mansion
Behind the walls of Strasburg's most beautiful home lies a dark secret. More than 100 years…
Death by Dynamite: The 1906 Shenks Ferry TNT factory explosion obliterates 11 men
Here's a tale of the macabre detailing the worst accident in Lancaster County history. On June…
Hang’em High! The macabre history of public hangings in Lancaster
Almost as soon as people started living in Pennsylvania, we started executing them. Lancaster's first hanging…
Haunted Lancaster: The midnight ride of the Engleside Phantom Buggy
Lancaster legend speaks of a spirit horse and buggy that travels New Danville Pike near South…
In the 1700s no one ever accused Lancaster’s constables of being soft on crime
During the 1700s, no one ever accused Lancaster’s early constables of being soft on crime. Records…
Haunted Lancaster: The Witch Sisters and Chiquesalunga’s Curse
Three witch sisters once lived in a small house atop Chiques Hill. Rather than leave their…
Haunted Lancaster: How a doomed ferry crossing, dynamite, and grief lead to watery deaths on the Susquehanna
At its peak before the completion of Columbia's first bridge in 1814, 15 different ferries were…
Haunted Lancaster: The sad tale of Lover’s Leap at Chickies Rock
Even if you don't believe in ghosts or spectral apparitions, Chickies Rock is a place of…
Haunted Lancaster: Did the Curse of Chickies Rock cause the worst trolley accident in Lancaster County history?
In 1896, the worst trolley accident in Lancaster County history occurred. It killed six people and…