We’ve all read about the horrors of the Civil War but it is often easy to forget the toll these battles took on the local citizens. Once the troops moved on, it didn’t mean that it was over for the townspeople. Instead, the armies left their injured and dead men and horses behind, along with …
It’s a tragic story that’s steeped in mystery and whispers of foul play. The incident happened 165 years ago, but the echos of the Lost Children of the Alleghenies still linger. On April 24, 1856 George and Jacob Cox went missing. The children, ages 7 and 5, were the sons of Samuel and Susannah …
Overall, I haven’t been hugely impressed with some of the “improvements” that have been made on Pittsburgh’s North Side (ahem, Allegheny Center, gag). Anyway, thankfully someone had the foresight to save some of that area’s true treasures including the Carnegie Library of Allegheny, the Allegheny Post Office, and Buhl Planetarium. Buhl Planetarium is one that …
There is a lot of excitement in the air these days with the upcoming Mr. Rogers movie. Fred Rogers was such an iconic figure here in Pittsburgh that you can find tributes to his legacy in many different places around the area. One of my favorites is the Mister Rogers Neighborhood exhibit at the Heinz …
When you think of Philadelphia, Victorian gardens might not be the first thing that comes to mind. It might surprise you then that there are quite a few gardens right outside of the city. One of these is Morris Arboretum, started by John and Lydia Morris, a wealthy brother and sister. Although it was started …
It’s no secret there are many hidden historical gems right here in Westmoreland County. One of these gems is West Overton Village, located just outside of Scottsdale in Westmoreland County. West Overton was founded by Henry Overholt in the early 1800s but it was his son Abraham Overholt that took the Overholt farm from a …
If you have ever been to Altoona, Pennsylvania you have probably figured out that the town has a rich history with railroading. This history is evident not only by noticing the current rail industry in the town, but also the many references that can be found regarding railroaders, railroading, and of course, the famous Horseshoe …
Sitting high atop Troy Hill on the North Side of Pittsburgh is St. Anthony Chapel. On the outside it is a rather ordinary-looking church with twin spires and a statue of St. Anthony on the top. It sits several streets back from the Main Street and if you weren’t looking for it you might miss …
Last weekend Ryan and I had the chance to get away by ourselves for a while so we decided to take a trip to the city. The folks at Phipps Conservatory were nice enough to host us for a visit to the Spring Flower Show: Gardens of the Rainbow. Its been a while since I’ve …
Today we are going back more than 150 years to the American Civil War, the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, and one of the Civil War’s most famous mascots. Now, you might be wondering how the Civil War relates to Western Pennsylvania, and that I about to tell you. While many of the famous battles of the …
There is something fascinating about ancient Egypt. The fact that they were so far ahead of their time never ceases to amaze me. What is even better is that the Carnegie Museum of Natural History here in Pittsburgh has its own Ancient Egypt exhibit. Now, this is by no means the largest or most elaborate …
Museums always harbor fascinating secrets that are waiting to be uncovered. Just not all of them take more than 150 years to be discovered like the one at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. The second most famous display in the museum (next to the dinosaurs, of course) is a taxidermy diorama created …
