While researching Lancaster County’s trolley service, a repeatedly referenced resource was Seeing Lancaster County from a…
Tag: History Lesson
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…
Would you believe cowboys fought in the American Revolution…and on the side of the British?
The American Revolution produced the first "cowboys." But these hard riding, clever guerrilla fighters worked for…
A Brief History of Conestoga Township
Conestoga Township was named for the Conestoga River, which in turn was named for a tribe…
The busybody: Benjamin Franklin’s greatest “invention”?
Is the busybody Benjamin Franklin's greatest invention? Perhaps not, but the story behind it is.
Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House: Home to the surveyor who helped define America
Today, 123 North Prince Street houses the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, but in the…
Who is it that adorns the cupola tower above the former P. Lorillard Co. building on South Prince Street?
Atop the tower of the School District of Lancaster offices sits an unusual weathervane called "The…
The American Revolution comes to Lancaster
When did the American Revolution begin for Lancaster? June 15, 1774.
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…
How did ‘Heckel Stettle’ become East Petersburg?
Known initially as Heckel Stettle, the town of Petersburg eventually added East to its name for…
Side Quest: Safe Harbor Village Walking Tour
Explore the historic Safe Harbor Village with this 1.25 mile self-guided walking tour.
Side Quest: Visit the Grave of former President James Buchanan
On this Presidents’ Day, I visited the grave of Commander in Chief, James Buchanan. Born on…
Groundhog Day’s ancient origins
As with many holiday traditions, the history of Groundhog Day is shrouded in lore, and deciphering…
Lancaster’s surprising royal connection
Pop Quiz: What connection does King George, Queen Caroline, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke…
Lancaster’s Darkest Chapter: The Massacre of the Conestoga
On December 27, 1763, the Paxton Boys broke into the Lancaster County Workhouse and slaughtered the…
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…
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…
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…
Haunted Lancaster: Death by Dynamite. How building the Enola-Low Grade claimed 200 souls
If you were looking for potentially haunted locations in Lancaster County, the 200 souls lost constructing…