If you’ve ever seen that program on life after humans, you will know that it doesn’t take long for nature to take over buildings and cover up that humans were even there.  This week we are visiting two ghost town of Pennsylvania. The first one is not far from Jim Thorpe in Carbon County and it’s history is a slight mystery.  And the second is located in Indiana County and has a much clearer picture of life there.  But can we prune away the weeds and uncover more history?

To me, summertime is for cookouts, the beach and going to amusement parks.  My personal favorite has to be Knoebels in Elysburg because I’ve never been a fan of really big amusement parks.  There are approximately 400 amusement parks throughout the United States and according to Trip Savvy there are 14 amusement parks in Pennsylvania.  At one time there were over 50 parks in this state! Today we are going to examine 2 parks that are no longer around today.

When you think of buried treasure what comes to mind is usually pirates and tropical beaches.  I doubt that you would even think of the wilds of Pennsylvania. But hidden somewhere in McKean County is a silver treasure worth millions of dollars. Like any good pirate story there is a sunken ship, a large treasure, a paranoid captain, and treachery.

We’re back again this week with another famous Pennsylvanian.  I guarantee you know this one but you might not know her entire story.  Last week was flag day so it only seems fitting that we talk about a Pennsylvanian woman associated with the U.S. flag: Betsy Ross.

Sources:

David Hackett Fischer, Washington’s Crossing, Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (February 1, 2006), pp. 199-200.

ushistory.com 

http://historicphiladelphia.org/betsy-ross-house/woman/

history.com

This week we are switching it up and focusing on 2 Pennsylvanians that you might not have heard of. The first is a chemist from Western Pennsylvania and the second was a Eastern Pennsylvania business owner from the 1800s. 

Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.  Feedback is always welcome! 

Sources:

If you want to learn more about Carborundum click here. 

For more information about the Steel Museum and Heritage site click here.

For centuries people have honored fallen soldiers. We can all answer the question as to why Memorial Day was started but how many ask the question where was the first Memorial Day celebration held.  One town in Pennsylvania stakes a claim on being the town that held the first Memorial Day event. 

Sources:

http://www.boalsburgheritagemuseum.org

history.com 

Weeping Sad and Lonely on youtube.  A Civil War era song.

This week we head up to Lake Erie and take a look at some of the shipwrecks that are littering the bottom of the lake. Brush up on your elementary school geography and learn about the Great Lakes too! 

Sources:

eriewrecks.com

Maritime History of the Great Lakes

This week it's another episode on Anti-Irish sentiment in the early 1800s.  This one is mystery and listen to the evidence and then decide for yourself if the deaths of 57 railroad workers was from disease or something far more sinister.

This week it's Part 2 of roads built during the French and Indian War.  Let's take a look at Forbes' Road from Carlisle to Pittsburgh.

This first part in a two part episode examining the routes taken to get to Fort Duquesne in the French and Indian War.  

Sources:

http://explorepahistory.com

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 

https://www.braddocksbattlefield.com

Braddock at the Monongahela by Paul E. Kopperman