The last I saw Ray Magaro, it was 1986 and he was chasing me through the Harrisburg East Cemetery at 3 AM. He was a Penbrook Police Officer then and I was a 14-year-old, out past curfew with my friends.

This is his story, patrolling the community of Penbrook, dealing with our juvenile adventures and surviving the job. When he wasn't serving as an EMT and Firefighter, he was dealing with stolen bikes, throwing snowballs at cars, walking through sewer tunnels that exited onto Herr Street, skinny-dipping in Latchmere pool, a serial arsonist and the "Strip Bandit," Ray Magaro dealt with it all.

In this episode I interview Dave Reigle, who in 1984, introduced me to the "Head" subculture of Penbrook PA. We discuss his birthday party that I recorded with my camcorder which unfortunately ended with a fist fight between him and his dad.

This is Episode 1, so stay tuned for future episodes where I will be interviewing other individuals from this period that are fortunate enough to still be alive. See my Youtube Channel "Running Into History", to see the video version of this podcast.

In 1984, my family and I moved to Penbrook Pennsylvania. I was quickly introduced to the subculture of this Suburban borough, on the outskirts of Harrisburg City. I remember thinking back to the 1979 movie, Over The Edge which accurately depicted the same teenage scene that was prevalent in Penbrook. The effects of the economic recessions of 1980 to 1982, and the record peak divorce rate of the 80s was immediately apparent in the single parent homes and households where both parents had to work to sustain a family. Most Penbrook teenagers had little to no supervision and were left to entertain themselves. But that was OK with us. We had MTV, BMX bikes, skate boards, sex, drugs and rock and roll.

In this episode I discuss Charles Bronson's struggles while growing up in the Pennsylvania mining town - Ehrenfeld.

Bronson was the highest paid actor at the height of his career in the 1970s. But he grew up in hard times, while living in the mining town of Ehrenfeld Pennsylvania. He was present during the 1927 Ehrenfeld mine explosion that killed 4 miners and trapped 300, including his father. He would lose his father to cancer when he was 11-yrs-old and then take his place in the mines. Bronson lost his virginity at age 6. His family was so impoverished that he had to wear his sisters dress to school on occasion. Bronson would rob the company store, hop a train to escape and was then shot by a railroad detective.

#charlesbronson #pennsylvaniahistory #famousactorsinpennsylvania

Most Harrisburg area residents over the age of 45, remember the Pine Hill Road Creature of 1985 but there was a second creature stalking the area of Swatara Creek in Lebanon County at the same time. The East Pennsboro, Pine Hill Rd Creature was believed to be a hoax after a confession and arrest but some still think there is something more to it. The Lebanon/Dauphin County incidents were "Authenticated" by well-known "Bigfoot Hunter" Wayne King. My research shows that this Swatara creature was originally reported to be living in a cave along the Swatara Creek in 1910 and was hunted by groups attempting to collect a reward for the creature.

In 1919, a gruesome double murder was discovered in the railroad town of Cly, York County Pennsylvania. The resulting investigation would lead to a manhunt through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky, a Postal Clerk to commit suicide and the death of a Pennsylvania State Trooper. A State Police Investigator would end up under attack by mountain men in Kentucky.

#pennsylvaniahistory #yorkcountypa #runningintohistory #truecrime #murder #pennsylvaniastatepolice #crime #1919 #halloween #haunted #railhistory #pennsylvaniarailroad #trains #outlaw #fugitive #serialkiller

In 1837, Jim Brown was murdered on the York and Harrisburg Stagecoach Turnpike near Henry Etter's Tavern. Two years earlier, Brown sold his wife to Dan Johnson for a half gallon of whiskey but he wanted his wife back.

#yorkpahistory #goldsboropennsylvania #murder #runningintohistory #pennsylvaniahistory #truecrime