Hidden deep in the woods of Brecknock Township lies one of Lancaster County’s wildest geological surprises—the…
Category: Armchair Explorer
Refton Cave: Lancaster County’s Lost Subterranean Lake
Beneath the quiet hills northwest of Refton lies one of Lancaster County’s strangest mysteries: a hidden…
The Devil’s Hole: Legends and Geology in Brecknock Township
Explore the Mystery and Marvel of Devil's Hole Boulder Caves. Nestled on Yellow Hill Ridge near…
The Mystery of Fingal Castle: Berks County’s Forgotten Estate
The Enigma of Fingal Castle Just outside Morgantown, Pennsylvania, lies the forgotten tale of Fingal Castle—a…
Artifact: ‘Indian Relics of the Lower Susquehanna Valley Preserved for the Public’ brochure
I was recently made aware of this rare vintage brochure from the 1950s entitled "Indian Relics…
Armchair Explorer: LiDAR Scans of Little and Big Indian Rock
On a voyage out to the millennium-old petroglyphs of Little Indian Rock and Big Indian Rock…
Armchair Explorer: Inside the Bowels of Safe Harbor Dam
I got an early Christmas present this year when a friend gave me what felt like…
Armchair Explorer: Fishing Creek’s Murder House
After writing a story about a headless singing ghost rumored to haunt Fishing Creek, several people…
River View Hotel Visitor’s Guide
It's hard to imagine today, but the now sleepy village of Pequea in Martic Township was…
Armchair Explorer: Safe Harbor Nature Preserve Root Cellar
On Saturday, I had the opportunity to co-lead a history hike through Lancaster Conservancy's Safe Harbor…
LiDAR scans of Conestoga Boulevard Mystery Rock
I recently upgraded to a new phone that has LiDAR capabilities. I've been eager to experiment…
Lock 12 Historic Area
Being a firm believer that "information wants to be free," when I came into possession of…
LiDAR imagery reveals the site of Mt. Gretna’s proposed Maximum Security Prison
In October 1938, workers broke ground near Mt. Gretna to build an escape-proof maximum security prison.…
The Beautiful Drumore Mill: Home to the Peach Bottom Slate waterfall, former Civil War lookout, and underground railroad stop
Discover the magically retreat known as the Drumore Mill. This 30-acre property nestled among the hills…
LiDAR imagery of Safe Harbor reveals razed ghost town
Prepare to have your mind blown because I recently gained access to LiDAR imagery of Lancaster…
Portage Party: Retracing the path of early fur traders between the Conestoga and Schuylkill watersheds
On December 30, "a group of intrepid history buffs" met in Berks County to reenact a…
Peruse the 1976 edition of the ‘Watt & Shand Employee Handbook’
At this year’s The Friends of the Lancaster Public Library book sale, I came into possession…
Aiden Lair Lodge and Theodore Roosevelt’s Midnight Ride to the Presidency
During a recent trip to the Adirondacks, I retraced Theodore Roosevelt's historic midnight ride to the…
Side Quest: Explore the wreckage of the Safe Harbor Christmas train accident
What happens when a freight train collides with a 3-ton boulder? Train engineer William Neway found…
Armchair Explorer: Make your reservation today for the Pequehanna Inn – Pennsylvania’s Crown Jewel answer to Lake Placid
In an alternate universe, a five-story, 384-room luxury hotel sits high on a hill above the…