Pennsylvania Historic Preservation

Blog of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Preventing Extinction: Saving the Last Wrought Iron Warren Pony Truss in PA

On large stained and moss-covered stone masonry abutments over a single line of tracks in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County rested a dinosaur, a wrought iron relic of the past originally constructed to support the industry of a developing nation. Its appearance was worn and weathered from over 140 years of service.

Random holes and a mixed bag of fastener types and sizes littered the visible faces. The original railroad floor system was long gone and replaced with a timber vehicular deck. Its live load carrying capacity was a mere fraction of what it once was. However, under all of this rust was a diamond, a rare and complete example of a wrought iron pin-connected warren pony truss with built-up corrugated diagonal tension members, the last of its kind.

This is the story of relocation and reuse, adaptive reuse, of the last known remaining pin-connected wrought iron Warren pony truss in Pennsylvania – The Howellville Truss (2004RE01890).

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Pennsylvania Archaeology Month is Here!

October is Pennsylvania Archaeology Month!  Every October, events and programs are held across Pennsylvania to celebrate the Commonwealth’s deep past.

PA SHPO partner agencies and organizations including the the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology (SPA) and their local chapters, the Pennsylvania Archaeological Council (PAC), as well as local historical societies and universities, offer public archaeology programs for all ages to highlight their region’s archaeological and historical significance. We have a lot of announcements this year so here we go!

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Byberry Hall: Robert Purvis’ Legacy

September is International Underground Railroad Month and this week’s post features the story of Robert Purvis and Byberry Hall.

In 1844, Robert Purvis, a prominent Black abolitionist and leading figure in the Underground Railroad in Philadelphia, moved with his wife Harriet and their children to Byberry, a rural village in the far northern part of Philadelphia County.

For the next 27 years, they helped make Byberry a center of abolition and Underground Railroad activity. In 1847, Robert and two others built Byberry Hall as a meeting place for discussion of anti-slavery and other social issues. The building is now a key site on the Poquessing Trail of History.

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History of the Beech Creek Railroad and the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad

Railroads played a vital role in Pennsylvania’s economic development, particularly during the Industrial Revolution and beyond. They facilitated the transportation of goods, raw materials, and people, fostering industrial growth, urbanization, and the expansion of markets. The construction of railroads like the Beech Creek Railroad and the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad, that primarily transported coal and other materials to homes and factories throughout Pennsylvania, played a significant role in the industrialization of the state.

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A New Life for an Old Building: Expressions of Interest Wanted for the Butler VA Hospital

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently posted an Expression of Interest (EOI) for a historic reuse opportunity at the former Butler VA Hospital in Butler Township, Butler County.

The VA reached out to PA SHPO for assistance in sharing this opportunity with the development community. If you are a developer, read on. If you work with a developer or know a developer, share this post! Expressions of Interest are due August 30, 2025.

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CLG Spotlight: Learning to Read the Built Environment

Pennsylvania has 49 Certified Local Governments, one of which is Lower Makefield Township in Bucks County. The Certified Local Government (CLG) program is a partnership between municipal governments, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO), and the National Park Service (NPS) that promotes and supports effective historic preservation programs and policies in Pennsylvania municipalities.

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