Pennsylvania

As automobile transportation exploded in the first half of the 20th century, the service station became a part of everyday life for a growing number of Americans in Central Pennsylvania.

These roadside stops provided necessary goods and services for the motoring public while featuring diverse aesthetics and promoting brand loyalty. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, motorists passing through central Pennsylvania had an ever-increasing number of service stations from which to choose. With the state capital Harrisburg at its core, this area has experienced marked growth while managing to preserve much of the historic beauty for which it is known. Lost Service Stations of Central Pennsylvania is a showcase of those stations and the people who owned them and a tribute to the beauty of a bygone era.

Visit the alleys of Philadelphia's Kensington and Fishtown neighborhoods for stories from the Speakeasy War and more.

The docks and alleys of Philadelphia's riverward neighborhoods teem with forgotten stories and strange histories. In the overlooked corners of Kensington and Fishtown are the launching of the Industrial Revolution, the bizarre double suicide of the Rusk twins and the violent Cramp Shipyard strike. With a collection of his "The Rest Is History" columns from the Fishtown Star, local historian Kenneth Milano chronicles little-known tales from the Speakeasy War of 1890 to stories of seldom-recognized hometown hero Eddie Stanky, who went on to play for the 1951 New York Giants. Join Milano as he journeys into the secret history of two of the city's oldest neighborhoods.

New Britain Township, founded in 1723, was a rural farming community originally settled by Welsh Baptists and German Mennonites. This changed dramatically in 1856 when the North Pennsylvania Railroad was built. Two train stations were built in the township and were named Chalfont and New Britain. The villages next to these stations attracted numerous new residents and businesses. The local picnic grove was even converted into an amusement park, which became known as Forest Park. The villages surrounding these railroad stations grew until residents decided to create their own separate boroughs, establishing Chalfont Borough in 1901 and New Britain Borough in 1928. The postcards and pictures in Chalfont and New Britain include images of the villages of Chalfont, New Britain, Line Lexington, and New Galena, as well as scenes of historic homes, hotels, stores, churches, schools, and the businesses and people who lived and worked in the community.

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.

Now a federally registered historic district, Brookville's Main Street buildings, businesses and industries, schools, churches, and homes typify architecture during the last part of the 19th century and life during the first half of the 20th century, illustrating both change and preservation.

Wilkes-Barre, located along the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley, is the county seat of Luzerne County. The city was founded in 1769 by John Durkee and was named for John Wilkes and Isaac Barr©, both members of the British Parliament and supporters of the Colonists' fight for liberty. The city was incorporated as a borough in 1806 and as a city in 1871. Wilkes-Barre has undergone many changes in its long history, evolving from a farming community into the industrial city it is now. Many changes occurred as a result of the Susquehanna River, which was once a source of both trade and tourism. It runs through the city and splits the Wyoming Valley in half. Through vintage postcards, Wilkes-Barre chronicles the evolution of this community and surrounding towns.

Author Dale Richard Perelman tells the tragic story of the 1978 murders and the mystery surrounding them.

In the summer of 1978, a mother and her four-year-old were stabbed to death in the quiet town of New Castle. Police suspected the husband, Lou Kadunce, but were unable to find either a weapon or a motive. Sitting in a Lawrence County jail in 1981, convicted serial killer Michael Atkinson accused Frank Costal - a carny, petty thief and Satanist - of having an affair with the Kadunce husband and participating in the murder. A series of intense trials ensued as Costal was convicted of the homicides and a jury found the husband not guilty. Questions surrounding the case gripped the region and grabbed headlines in the Pittsburgh Press.

Bridgeville has a rich historical heritage dating back to Colonial times. In the early 1800s, a small village grew along the meandering Chartiers Creek between two bridges on the Black Horse Trail. The construction of the Chartiers Valley Railroad, the establishment of the Norwood Hotel, and the opening of commercial bituminous coal mines in the region generated a population boom that motivated residents to seek autonomy from Upper St. Clair Township. In 1901, the borough of Bridgeville was incorporated, and the next 50 years saw the community become the social and business center for the four neighboring townships with schools, churches, and a bustling downtown business environment. Bridgeville remains close enough to Pittsburgh to enjoy the cultural advantages of a big city, yet far enough away to retain the feel of a small hometown.