Category: Columbia

Aerial view of archaeology dig with excavation squares, exposed stones, plywood borders, and people and tools. — Field school excavations in progress around one of the stone hearth foundations uncovered at Fort Halifax (36DA0008).

A Trip Through the PASS: The 2023 Annual PASS Report

February 21, 2024 / Taylor Napoleon / 1 Comment

Now that 2023 is officially in the PASS, let’s look back on another successful year of archaeological site recording and survey efforts throughout Pennsylvania.

What PA Places are on your list?

October 25, 2023 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 2 Comments

Any Pennsylvanian at heart has a list of places in the Keystone State that captures the essence of who we are.

Saints Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church, Berwick, Columbia County.

Reflecting on Year One of the Pennsylvania Baseline Survey

June 29, 2022 / Guest Contributor / 3 Comments

In late 2020, PA SHPO launched an ambitious, large-scale architectural survey called the Pennsylvania Baseline Survey, with a goal of adding approximately 27,000 new resources in 52 different counties over three years. In Year One, over 7,000 new records were added to PA-SHARE – just from Baseline Survey! Read on to learn about a few of the interesting finds…

Antol’s Drive In, Montrose, Susquehanna County. Photo by Markosky Engineering Group, October 2021.

Baseline Survey: An Essential Ingredient in Our Preservation Pantry

December 22, 2021 / Andrea L. MacDonald / 0 Comments

There are some time-honored recipes in the historic preservation cookbook. The most successful, and dare I say scrumptious, preservation medleys include an essential ingredient – survey. Survey in the historic preservation profession is like the flour in your favorite holiday desserts.

Without survey, many preservation projects are challenged to rise to a superior outcome, just like a cake. My mind just might be overflowing with visions of sugar plums and cookies this holiday season, so I’ll do my best to refrain from too many more baking similes while I share initial Year 1 outcomes from the PA SHPO’s Baseline Survey effort. I think you’ll be as excited about the results as we are!

Map — Higher numbers of new sites were concentrated in Warren and Forest Counties, although Greene, Allegheny, McKean, Center, Delaware and Philadelphia were close behind. 17 counties recorded no new sites in 2018.

The Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS), A Look Forward and Back

February 20, 2019 / Hannah Harvey / 6 Comments

Did you know that Pennsylvania contains over 25,300 recorded archaeological sites? Continue reading

Pennsylvania At Risk 2016

February 3, 2016 / Guest Contributor / 0 Comments

Preservation Pennsylvania has announced the addition of 8 properties to Pennsylvania At Risk, the list of sites determined to be among the most endangered historic resources in the Commonwealth. The sites were selected from nominations submitted by the public in 2015 and will become Preservation Pennsylvania’s work priorities in 2016. Continue reading

New Markers approved for 2014

March 5, 2014 / Karen Galle / 1 Comment

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission recently approved 21 new historical markers. Approval Criteria require that marker subjects must have statewide and/or national rather than local or regional historical significance. After the jump is a quick look at this year’s approved markers. Continue reading