Historic
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Pennsylvania’s 1776 Constitution: A Parallel Celebration
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but it also marks the semi-quincentennial of another seminal text: the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776. While the Declaration remains a foundational pillar of American history, the Pennsylvania Constitution represents an equally significant, highly progressive milestone in democratic governance that deserves its own distinct…
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Valley Forge Hosts Free July 4 Celebration for America’s 250th Anniversary
When George Washington’s Continental Army camped at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777, the survival of the American experiment was far from certain. This July 4, the ground where that story unfolded becomes the setting for a celebration of how far the nation has come. Valley Forge Park Alliance, the official philanthropic partner of…
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How Levittown’s Home Construction Method Transformed Homeownership After World War II
A simple slab of concrete helped reshape the American Dream, and its origins trace back to Bucks County, writes staff for PhillyBurbs. After World War II, millions of veterans came home to a country without enough housing. Levittown planner and builder Bill Levitt had a solution, and it started from the ground up. Rather than…
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Step Inside History Saturday at Hood Octagonal Schoolhouse Open House at Dunwoody Village
On Saturday, June 6, 2026, visit one of Delaware County’s unique historic treasures. Dunwoody Village in Newtown Square will host a special open house at the historic Hood Octagonal Schoolhouse, located on the community’s picturesque campus at 3500 West Chester Pike in Newtown Square. The schoolhouse will be open to the public from 10 AM…
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How Philadelphia’s John Fitch Launched America’s First Steamboat on the Delaware River in 1787
Long before Robert Fulton became a household name, a lesser-known inventor was already churning up the Delaware River. In 1787, John Fitch launched what is widely recognized as America’s first functioning passenger and freight steamboat right here in Philadelphia, writes Violet Comber-Wilen for Billy Penn at WHYY. His original 45-foot vessel was a radical idea…
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Colonial Farmstead in Newtown Square Brings Highwayman Sandy Flash to Life
The Colonial Pennsylvania Farmstead at Ridley Creek State Park in Newtown Square has brought highwayman Sandy Flash back to life in a living history play presented in October, writes Tom Kretschmer for 6abc. The play on Sandy Flash, whose real name was James Fitzpatrick, was incorporated into the Farmstead’s popular lantern ghost tours. “This is…
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William Hood Dunwoody: The Man Behind Dunwoody Village
The history of Dunwoody Village in Newtown Square is closely connected to the life of William Hood Dunwoody, a Pennsylvania-born flour merchant and investor whose business career helped shape what later became General Mills. The continuing care retirement community has equally deep roots in the land. It resides on a property that dates back more…
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“Make a Left at the Airplane”: The Story Behind Penndel’s Most Iconic Landmark
For decades, one phrase instantly told people they were in Lower Bucks County: “Make a left at the airplane.” Long before GPS, nearly everybody knew exactly what that meant. The Airplane Family Restaurant and Diner in Penndel was one of Bucks County’s most unforgettable landmarks. Sitting at the corner of Route 1 and Durham Road,…
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Pennsylvania’s Other 250-Year-Old Document Deserves Its Own Celebration
As we reach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is natural to focus on that world-changing document. However, the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776, written in that same era, deserves just as much attention. While the U.S. Constitution is more famous, Pennsylvania’s original state constitution was actually older and, in several key ways,…
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Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition 1876: The World’s Fair That Changed Everything
Philadelphia played a defining role in the history of world fairs by hosting the Centennial Exposition, the first official world’s fair in the United States, writes Heidi Mitchell for The Wall Street Journal. Held in 1876 in Fairmount Park to celebrate the nation’s 100th anniversary, the exposition introduced millions of visitors to emerging technologies and…
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Step Inside History: Hood Octagonal Schoolhouse Open House at Dunwoody Village, June 6
On Saturday, June 6, 2026, step back in time at one of Delaware County’s unique historic treasures. Dunwoody Village in Newtown Square will host a special open house at the historic Hood Octagonal Schoolhouse, located on the community’s picturesque campus at 3500 West Chester Pike in Newtown Square. The schoolhouse will be open to the…
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Aronimink Golf Club: The Rich History Behind the 2026 PGA Championship Host
Before the world’s best golfers tee it up at this week’s 2026 PGA Championship, it’s worth knowing what they’re stepping into. Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square is no ordinary major venue, according to a recent article by Josh Sens for Golf.com. The club’s roots stretch back to 1896, when it was founded as the Belmont Golf Association. It…
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Historic Rock Ford Leads Lancaster’s Role as an America250 Epicenter
As the nation gears up to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, one historic site in Lancaster is stepping into the spotlight as a key “epicenter” of the celebration: Historic Rock Ford. Tucked just beyond downtown and surrounded by the natural beauty of Lancaster County Central Park, Historic Rock Ford is more than a…
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Rare Ben Franklin Memorabilia, Recently Displayed At Library Company of Philadelphia, To Be Auctioned in June
Dozens of memorabilia that once belonged to Benjamin Franklin are soon going up for auction, writes Earl Hopkins for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Franklin memorabilia belongs to former Philadelphia Flyers president Jay T. Snider, who purchased them nearly a decade ago. Among the items being put up for auction is a letter Franklin wrote in…
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The Oldest Town in Pennsylvania Happens to Be in Delaware County
Pennsylvania, as one of the original 13 colonies where independence was born, has many historic towns that have stood the test of time. But to find the oldest, you need only look in Delaware County’s backyard, writes Andre DeBonis for EnergyPortal.eu. Chester was the earliest settlement in Pennsylvania, founded in 1682 by William Penn, who…
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“Remember the Ladies”: 12 Philadelphia Women Who Shaped a Revolution
Everyone knows the story of Betsy Ross and the first American flag, sewn in a small upholstery shop on Arch Street in Old City Philadelphia. But Ross wasn’t the only woman whose work helped define the Revolutionary War and the American cause. Across Philadelphia, American women, including writers, fundraisers, spies, poets, and even soldiers, played…
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Refurbished 107-Year-Old Baldwin Locomotive Back on the Job
A 107-year-old steam engine locomotive built in 1916 by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia and later Eddystone, is back in service now on the East Broad Top Railroad, writes Michael Tanenbaum for Philly Voice. The restored locomotive will be used to pull train tours at the East Broad Top Railroad in Rockhill Furnace starting in…
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The Greatest Event Since the Birth of Christ? Ken Burns Says It Began in the Delaware Valley
When Ken Burns, the celebrated documentary filmmaker behind The Civil War and The Vietnam War, calls the American Revolution “the most important event in world history since the birth of Christ,” even seasoned historians blink. It’s a breathtaking claim, but look around the Delaware Valley, and suddenly it doesn’t feel far-fetched. From Philadelphia’s Independence Hall,…
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