Name: Wilkinsburg
Brand: Wilkinsburg Historical Society
SKU: 9780738549170
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Wilkinsburg

9780738549170

$24.99

Wilkinsburg, named for Gen. John Wilkins Jr., was incorporated as a borough in 1887. The village was founded on a 266-acre parcel purchased in 1789 by Col. Dunning McNair, who also laid the central street plan. After McNair's death in 1825, the village was purchased by James Kelly. Caring deeply about the social life of the community, Kelly donated the land for most of the schools, churches, and residences for the elderly. When Wilkinsburg was annexed by Pittsburgh in the early 1870s, Kelly financed the legal battle to have the decision reversed. Through historic photographs from the Wilkinsburg Historical Society and private collections, Wilkinsburg illustrates the development of one of the most historic communities in the region.

Jefferson County

9781467127202

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Situated among the rolling hills of north central Pennsylvania, Jefferson County was formed in 1804. Brookville became the county seat in 1830 by virtue of its location at the confluence of the North Fork Creek and Sandy Lick Creek, forming Redbank Creek, and its centrality in the more than 1,000 square miles that comprised the original county. Settlers timbered, farmed, and rafted products to market when water was high. With the completion of the Allegheny Valley low-grade railroad in 1874 and the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad in 1882, mining dominated the area. Rail transportation made possible the development of glass, iron, silk, sheet metal, clothing, and furniture factories. During World War II, several companies manufactured materials in support of the Allies. Today, timbering flourishes, as do the powdered metal and glass container industries. The Allegheny National and Cook forests to the north and historic Brookville, Punxsutawney Phil, and the nationally renowned Coolspring Power Museum all attract many tourists.

East Goshen Township

9780738562193

$24.99

Goshen Township is part of the original 1681 William Penn grant and was established in 1704. At that time it covered what today are East Goshen Township, West Goshen Township, the borough of West Chester, and part of Westtown Township. In 1817, Goshen was divided into East Goshen Township and West Goshen Township. East Goshen Township has a rich history that dates back to the Revolutionary War. While much has changed in the township through the years, more than 100 buildings still remain from the 18th and 19th centuries. East Goshen Township remained mainly a farming community until the 1970s, when rapid growth began to change the landscape from rural to suburban. East Goshen Township contains historic photographs from the Chester County Historical Society and longtime area residents, depicting a time when farming was still the township's main industry.

Scotland School for Veterans' Children

9781467119306

$21.99

Beginning as a school for Civil War orphans, the Scotland School for Veterans' Children became a unique center for education in the heart of Pennsylvania. The school aimed to develop disciplined, patriotic and productive citizens. As the nation became engulfed in the wars of the twentieth century, the Scotland School became even more vital, with a focus on educating the children and orphans of military veterans. Though it was closed by the state in 2009, memories of the school and its community of alumni remain vibrant. Author Sarah Bair charts the history of a place where thousands of children of our nation's finest found more than just a school--they found a home.

Dunbar

9780738565583

$24.99

Settled in the 1790s and incorporated in 1883, Dunbar was named for Col. Thomas Dunbar, who along with Gen. Edward Braddock and George Washington came to the area in 1755 to take back Fort Duquesne. In 1791, Isaac Meason started the Union Furnace, marking the beginning of the industrial growth that became Dunbar's lifeblood for more than a century. Vintage photographs in Dunbar capture the town's industry, tragedies such as the Hill Farm Mine disaster, faith, weddings, pastimes that entertained young and old alike, intriguing people, and beautiful buildings that stand as a testament to a more prosperous age. Today tourism opportunities such as the Sheepskin Trail, the Fayette Central Railroad Tourist Train, and the coke oven project at the Dunbar Historical Society's park are helping the community reinvent itself and provide a new future for the little town.

Around Phoenixville

9780738572079

$24.99

The small town of Phoenixville has a multifaceted industrious past that developed around the Phoenix Iron Company, the silk mill, and the Byrne Knitting Mill. It grew steadily through an influx of European immigrants drawn to the area by the promise of work. This growth resulted in Phoenixville's many cultural institutions, such as the Knights of Columbus, the St. Anna Italian Club, and the Holy Trinity Church. The vintage postcards in Around Phoenixville depict the people, places, and events that have shaped the community's rich history and heritage, with images of such landmarks as the Phoenix Hotel, the West End Fire Company, and the construction of the Gay Street Bridge.

Lawrence Park

9780738573991

$24.99

Lawrence Park was planned, developed, and built by the General Electric Company in 1910, when the company decided to build their plant near Erie, Pennsylvania. However, Lawrence Park was not to be a company town, but rather a planned community in the "English garden" concept. The tree-lined streets, flowering boulevards, and delightful parks are a testimony to those visionaries. Around 1900, the elegant Grove House Hotel was built on the banks of beautiful Lake Erie, and later a lively amusement park flourished there. The Stone House, built in 1832 and rumored to be a station in the Underground Railroad, still stands at the crossroads. The early settlers of Lawrence Park laid the foundation for a caring community that today enthusiastically embraces school and community activities.

Reading Firefighting

9780738555324

$24.99

From its inception in Colonial times to the modern challenges of today, the Reading Fire Department has battled natural disasters, airplane crashes, and block burners threatening "the Pretzel City." The fire department has faithfully served the city of Reading since 1771, having been established soon after Benjamin Franklin organized the nation's first volunteer fire department in Philadelphia. At one time the Reading Fire Department even boasted the largest all-volunteer fire department in the nation, consisting of more than 10,000 volunteer members operating from 14 fire stations throughout the city. Using the archives of the Reading Fire Department, the Reading Eagle, and the Historical Society of Berks County, Reading Firefighting documents the history and traditions of this dedicated fire department.

Muncy

9780738549217

$24.99

Muncy, a small river town founded shortly after the French and Indian War, was the earliest European settlement in the West Branch Valley of the Susquehanna River. By 1769, land speculator Samuel Wallis had acquired more than 7,000 acres, so he sold much of this land to pioneers in search of a better way of life. By 1772, the West Branch Canal made Muncy a business thoroughfare and lumber boomtown. Like most Pennsylvania river towns, Muncy suffered great loss in the flood of 1889, which also devastated Johnstown. Another massive flood in 1894 sounded the death knell for the canal system. The railroad, which superseded the canal system throughout the United States, kept the local industry alive, although the port businesses disappeared. Through vintage postcards, Muncy depicts the varied past of this quiet town.

Swarthmore Borough

9780738565804

$24.99

The borough of Swarthmore, a little over a square mile in area and located in Delaware County, was incorporated in 1893. The impetus for its transition from a rural hamlet into a thriving, broad-based community came from the founding in 1864 of Swarthmore College, a coeducational college founded by members of the Society of Friends (Quakers). Access to quality roads and public transportation encouraged its growth in the late 19th century and 20th century. The 21st century finds Swarthmore the home of one of the best liberal arts colleges in America, ideally situated in suburban Philadelphia while retaining its historic residential character and strong identity.

Castle Shannon

9780738592862

$24.99

Every day, trolley cars--or streetcars to native Pittsburghers--transport citizens back and forth between the city's suburban South Hills and downtown. Almost everyone who has taken one of these bumpy rides either passed through or stopped in Castle Shannon. There are a number of familiar landmarks along Route 88, such as the underpass of Killarney Drive, an auto dealership, Linden Grove dance hall, and the business section of Willow Avenue. The area originally called Castle Shanahan by David Strawbridge, a prominent farmer and one of the town's earliest settlers, was dominated by farmland and heavy timber. In the late 1800s, the coal mines began attracting waves of immigrants to the town, and Castle Shannon soon thrived as a center for coal mining. Rail transportation also helped define Castle Shannon's historic boundaries through the mid-20th century. Longtime residents of Castle Shannon take pride in their community, as can be seen in the images enclosed in this book.

Harrisburg

9780738562933

$24.99

Harrisburg lies on a broad swath of the great Susquehanna River, punctuated with its distinctive bridges. Founder John Harris ventured beyond the frontier and established a ferry in 1733 that ushered the pioneer migrants as they trickled west. Many stayed on to establish a city that became the legislative seat of America's most industrious state. The unusual vintage postcards in Harrisburg illustrate the history of a city that played an important role in the Civil War and politics of a growing nation. From canals to superhighways, Harrisburg was always one step ahead of others. Birthplace of the steel mill and transportation giant of the North, this city is a story of triumph, tragedy, and rebirth.

African Americans in Pittsburgh

9780738544878

$24.99

Pittsburgh is a working city, in no small part thanks to its strong African American community.

As an integral stop on the Underground Railroad, many enslaved people traveled through Pittsburgh on their way further North, and many still decided to stay. During the Great Migration of the early 20th century, Pittsburgh was again a main destination for African Americans from the rural South; approximately 95% of these men became steelworkers. There was never one centralized neighborhood where a majority of the Black population lived, but Jim Crow discrimination was still rampant, even in a city such as Pittsburgh. Photographs captured by famed Pittsburgh photographer Charles "Teenie'? Harris show the candid experiences of residents, including the achievements and celebrations of people struggling in adversity and finding happiness in their families and community.

African Americans in Mercer County

9780738565019

$24.99

African Americans in Mercer County have a legacy spanning two centuries of progress. Runaway slaves secreted along stations of the Underground Railroad to Liberia, a settlement founded by Richard Travis. Deep religious convictions provided fertile ground for development of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion connection, known as the Freedom Church, and Pandenarium, an experimental colony of manumitted slaves. In the 20th century, southern migrants found employment in the steel industry and became institution builders. William Hunter Dammond, the first African American graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, found employment as a draftsman. The Twin City Elks of Farrell, a unifying force, was the largest fraternal group in Pennsylvania for two decades. Beginning in 1807 with Thomas Bronson, who acquired 200 acres along the Shenango River near Wheatland, through the culmination of today's Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration, African Americans in Mercer County chronicles a people's ongoing journey to freedom.

Greater Erie Trolleys

9780738539386

$24.99

When the first electric trolley car entered service in Erie in 1889, it revolutionized public transportation in the region. Within a few years, Erie became a major trolley hub linking the eastern and central United States. With the exception of a 15-mile gap at Little Falls, one could travel from New York City to Chicago via Erie. Greater Erie Trolleys covers the network of trolley lines that operated between Erie, Conneaut, Buffalo, and Meadville. Greater Erie Trolleys illustrates the vital role trolley cars played in the expansion of the urban population. It documents the beginning of pleasure travel with photographs of the special trolley car excursions from Erie to Elk Park for picnics, dances, and sporting events. Ridership began to decline just as the automobile came on the scene and dirt roads became paved highways. Eventually the lines were abandoned, but the trolleys left an important mark in transportation history.

Cover image for Greater Erie Trolleys, isbn: 9780738539386

J. C. Blair Memorial Hospital

9780738573106

$24.99

One hundred years ago, on September 4, 1911, the J. C. Blair Memorial Hospital opened its doors to patients and their doctors. Given to the community in memory of Huntingdon's most successful entrepreneur, the hospital has strived since its inception to achieve the reputation it enjoys today as an institution of advanced medical knowledge, skill, and service. Medical practice has undergone revolutionary change during the hospital's first century; the hospital has worked diligently to keep abreast of that change. Yet its mission--to treat all who enter its doors, without regard to their ability to pay--has remained unchanged. Deep emotions are tied to hospital experiences. Generations of area residents have been born at the hospital, and generations have availed themselves of its services to achieve and maintain good health. A century after its founding, J. C. Blair Memorial Hospital continues to play a vital role in the lives of people in the communities surrounding Huntingdon.

Pennsylvania Railroad to the Columbian Exposition

9780738594743

$21.99

You remember that at Paris but three of the buildings were open in the evening. Here every one of the great halls is open and aglow with light. In all but the Fine Arts, the Administration, and the Woman's Building arc lights are employed. In Machinery Hall there are six hundred; in Agricultural Hall, six hundred; in the Electric Building, four hundred; in the Mines and Mining Building, four hundred; in the Transportation Building, four hundred and fifty; in Horticultural Hall, four hundred; in the Forestry Building, one hundred and fifty; and in the Great Palace of the Liberal Arts, two thousand. Twelve thousand incandescent lamps light the Fine Arts Building; ten thousand more are ablaze in the Administration Building; and in the Woman's Building there are one hundred and eighty arc lights and twenty-seven hundred incandescent lamps. When at length you approach the Grand Avenue the scene becomes more and more beautiful. Every window and archway of the great edifices here are sending out broad columns of light, illuminated fountains are throwing aloft their brilliant-hued waters, groups of white statuary stand out in bold and striking outline against the black shadows, and the golden ornaments of the entrances to the several mammoth piles facing the Grand Canal flash and glitter in the flood of dazzling effulgence.

Pennsylvania Railroad to the Columbian Exposition

Warrington

9780738562926

$24.99

Warrington Township, located in Bucks County, was officially established in October 1734 and named after a town near Lancashire, England. As the years went on, main roads developed through town, some as part of William Penn's highway plan, and the township was divided further into the four villages of Warrington, Neshaminy, Tradesville, and Eureka. Their borders were not well defined but were centered on important crossroads. Each of the villages had its own post office and school. The residents associated themselves with their villages, forming distinct communities. The year 2009 marks Warrington's 275th anniversary. To commemorate this event, the newly formed Warrington Historical Society has assembled the vintage photographs in Warrington as a glance back at the township's rich past, offering a window to a time when the Warrington landscape was made up of endless open space and agriculture was the main industry.

Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River

9781467122986

$24.99

In 1719, pioneer John Harris settled along the banks of the Susquehanna River and began a new era in the relationship between the inhabitants of what would later become the Greater Harrisburg area and a river that would provide them with economic opportunity, leisure, and sometimes misery. Spanning the Susquehanna in the 19th century were bridges that funneled raw materials and a growing workforce in the capital city, which thrived during the age of industry. However, the late 19th century brought a shift toward revitalization and beautification of the riverfront and islands with the construction of the Riverfront Steps, Dock Street Dam, beaches, parks, and gardens that were showcased through large public events such as the Kipona festival. This revitalization was again renewed in the late 20th century with the reimagining of City Island as an entertainment complex hosting concerts and sports franchises such as the minor-league baseball team the Harrisburg Senators.

Eastern Poconos

9780738538488

$24.99

Visit the spectacular scenery and history of the settlers, borders and tourists who populated the Eastern Poconos.

Eastern Poconos: Delaware Water Gap to Bushkill provides a visual history of one of the most picturesque areas of the Northeast. With rare insight, a vast amount of knowledge, and a great deal of research, the evolution of the region from the arrival of the first European settlers throughthe golden age of tourism and beyond is depicted. Grand old hotels and modest boarding houses that have long sincedisappeared are featured, along with spectacular scenery. Also showcased are images of ordinary and extraordinary people, from farmers who tilled the land to celebrities whose meteoric rise to stardom began in the summer stock theaters and resorts of this area.

Literary Philadelphia:

9781626198104

$21.99

Since Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin put type to printing press, Philadelphia has been a haven and an inspiration for writers. Local essayist Agnes Repplier once shared a glass of whiskey with Walt Whitman, who frequently strolled Market Street. Gothic writers like Edgar Allan Poe and George Lippard plumbed the city's dark streets for material. In the twentieth century, Northern Liberties native John McIntyre found a backdrop for his gritty noir in the working-class neighborhoods, while novelist Pearl S. Buck discovered a creative sanctuary in Center City. From Quaker novelist Charles Brockden Brown to 1973 U.S. poet laureate Daniel Hoffman, author Thom Nickels explores Philadelphia's literary landscape.

West Whiteland Township

9781467122917

$24.99

Located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, West Whiteland Township was established in 1765 when Whiteland Township divided into "East" and "West." Readers can glimpse into the past at establishments such as The Guernsey Cow restaurant, Strawbridge & Clothier, and the Valley Creek Coffee House. A chapter on Richard Downing provides firsthand accounts by quoting personal letters of his life in West Whiteland in the 1850s. There are beautiful photographs from the time when riders chased foxes as members of the Whiteland Hunt. The township began to change after the invention of the automobile; for over 100 years, the area had primarily been a farming community, until businesses began to spring up along Lincoln Highway and Pottstown Pike. With rapid development in the late 1970s and 1980s, many historic buildings were saved through the preservation efforts of the West Whiteland Historical Commission.

Warminster Township

9780738573489

$24.99

A township in its own right since 1711, Warminster has been at the forefront of American history for centuries. Rev. William Tennent's Log College, John Fitch's steamboat, and Johnsville's Naval Air Development Center all figure prominently into its historical record. From the beginning, Warminster's people tilled the land, educated their children, established businesses, and contributed to their community and the world at large. Today Warminster is a thriving commercial hub, and its legacy of growth and development continues.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

9780738592329

$24.99

The success of the American Revolution produced a need for the creation of new national systems of government, finance, education, commerce--and health care. No one recognized the need for better health care more clearly than Gen. George Washington, whose order to have the Continental Army vaccinated against smallpox helped to turn the tide of battle in favor of the colonists. And so, Benjamin Rush, MD, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and 23 other physicians founded The College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1787. This organization exerted much influence over the development of public health policies and private health practices in the new United States. More than two centuries later, it continues to serve medical professionals and the public through the resources of the world-famous Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library as well as through many educational programs, exhibitions, conferences, and other events.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

West Chester

9780738538303

$24.99

West Chester has grown from the sleepy village originally known as Turk's Head in the 1700s to a bustling community hosting West Chester University, a thriving educational institution. The selection of West Chester as the seat of Chester County's government in 1785 led citizens to march on the town "armed with a field-piece, a barrel of whiskey, and other warlike munitions." Architect Thomas U. Walter, who designed the U.S. Capitol, was responsible for several classic town buildings.

Abolitionists of South Central Pennsylvania

9781467139144

$21.99

Experience the history of the antislavery movement in South Central Pennsylvania, a hotspot for both slave catchers and abolitionists alike.

Author Cooper Wingert reveals the history of the antislavery movement in South Central Pennsylvania. Influenced by religion and empathy, local abolitionists risked their reputations, fortunes and lives in the pursuit of what they believed was right. The sister of Benjamin Lundy, one of America's most famous abolitionists, married into an Adams County family and spent decades helping runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. National figures such as Frederick Douglass toured the region, delivering antislavery orations to mixed receptions. In 1859, John Brown planned his Harpers Ferry raid from Chambersburg while local abolitionists concealed his identity.

Abolitionists of South Central Pennsylvania

Germantown in the Civil War

9781596292062

$21.99

When the first shots of the Civil War were fired, nearly one-third of Germantown's sons and daughters answered the call to duty. Generals and soldiers, doctors and nurses all fought to preserve the Union. Many were lost, but some returned home to carry on the memory of their fallen comrades through the efforts of the Grand Army of the Republic. The Philadelphia neighborhood was itself transformed when the town hall became Cuyler Hospital and local nurses like Catherine Keyser and Hannah Zell cared for the wounded of Gettysburg and other battles. In this intimate and sharply focused account, local historian Eugene Glenn Stackhouse commemorates the sacrifices of Germantown's proud citizenry.

Springfield Township, Delaware County

9780738513454

$24.99

Springfield Township documents the area's transformation into a modern town rich with amenities and community organizations.

Carved out of the wilderness in the 1680s, Springfield Township was formed as Quaker families seeking religious freedom settled the area. In a region roughly bounded by Darby Creek to the east and Crum Creek to the west, the early settlers shared forests with the native Lenni Lenape tribe. Just nine miles west of the port of Philadelphia, Springfield harnessed tumbling creeks with mills during the industrial revolution and provided the growing commonwealth with edge tools from Beatty Ax Works and fabric from Victoria Plush Mill. Builders used abundant stone quarries to construct grand homes, including that of the Pennsylvania Railroad's first chief engineer, J. Edgar Thomson, who laid out the famous Horseshoe Curve and Main Line to Pittsburgh. The construction of the Media Shortline Trolley helped Springfield grow, as did the Saxon Avenue Shops and unique developments such as Windsor Circle and Rolling Road.

Powelton Village

9781467124348

$24.99

From its humble beginnings as a strip of wilderness just west of William Penn's "greene country towne," Powelton Village has seen a rise in both prestige and activism since its inception in the late 17th century. An aristocratic estate at its founding, Powelton has found itself in a state of constant evolution, from the summer retreat of George Washington to the home of Pennsylvania's agricultural fair and from the playground of the elite to a hotbed of activism. In spite of, or because of, its mixed history, Powelton Village is unique among Philadelphia neighborhoods, both in its eclectic diversity and in its historic roots to the founding of the nation. Today, Powelton serves as a home to academics and their students, to the urban poor of Philadelphia, and to the elites of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University.

Girard

9780738537498

$24.99

Girard chronicles the history of this borough from its early settlement around 1800 to the mid-1900s. Photographs document Girard's relocation on the Erie Extension Canal, the borough's participation as a station on the Underground Railroad, the years when the circus tycoon and humorist Dan Rice called Girard home, the area's trolley history, and the influence of the Battles family.

The Sunnybrook Ballroom

9780738550305

$24.99

As one of the last major ballrooms located in this great nation, the Sunnybrook Ballroom is a historical and intricate part of Pennsylvania's past. Since 1926, the Sunnybrook Ballroom has been an established landmark in its community and is recognized nationwide. Opening its doors in 1931, the grand ballroom was built as an addition to the swim club and dance pavilion. For years, Sunnybrook has served as a viable piece of Americana and has seen many big-name performers upon its stage, including Glenn Miller, Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton, Lawrence Welk, Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, Chubby Checker, and even Bill Haley and the Comets. Using vintage photographs, The Sunnybrook Ballroom traces the history of this cherished haven for big band fans, rock and rollers, and music lovers alike.

Sports Memories of Western Pennsylvania

9780738550374

$24.99

Since the late 1800s, sports have played a key role in shaping the very character of western Pennsylvania. The area's largest city, Pittsburgh, boasts well-known professional sports teams in baseball, football, and hockey. In fact, no other city of comparable size has had such success in sports at the professional level, earning bragging rights and the nickname "City of Champions." Sports Memories of Western Pennsylvania is a salute to the athletes, coaches, announcers, and fans, both professional and amateur, who together created a rich sports history for western Pennsylvania.

The University of the Arts

9780738545219

$24.99

The University of the Arts is the nation's first and only university dedicated exclusively to education and training in the visual, design, performing, and media arts. Its history reflects Philadelphia's rich heritage of artistic innovation and accomplishment as well as its important historical position in American industry and manufacturing. Since the 1870s, the university has been a dynamic force in Philadelphia's vibrant artistic communities. The University of the Arts presents for the first time historic images gathered from the university's archives and numerous cultural institutions. Featured scenes include the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art, the Philadelphia Musical Academy, the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music, the Philadelphia Dance Academy, and the architecture of John Haviland, Frank Furness, and Horace Trumbauer.

Kutztown University

9781467117050

$24.99

Kutztown University (KU) traces its origins to the Fairview Seminary. In 1860, Henry R. Nicks opened Fairview Seminary as a select school where more advanced subjects than those offered in the area were taught. In 1864, Nicks opened a new Maxatawny Seminary on the site where KU's Old Main stands today. With growth, efforts were made to convert the seminary into a public state normal school. On September 15, 1866, Maxatawny Seminary officially became Keystone State Normal School (KSNS). KSNS was dedicated to preparing students for the teaching profession. With emphasis placed on student life and the school's Pennsylvania German heritage, this book tells the story of KU from its modest beginnings as a teacher training school to its current mission of providing high-quality education.

Allegheny Cemetery

9781467117388

$24.99

It is easy to look at a place such as Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood and think that it encompasses strictly the dead. But a closer look reveals many lives and stories told throughout the pages of time by those who have lived them. To define Allegheny Cemetery as simply a place does not do it justice. It is not only a physical location, but a crossroads in history, and a point in time where each of these lives converge. Images of America: Allegheny Cemetery shares these legacies with the hope that present and future generations will do the same.