Author: Guest Contributor (Page 1 of 14)

The Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Office occassionally asks our partners to share their news, successes, challenges, and perspectives on historic preservation matters in Pennsylvania.

White barn with two smaller buildings to the side and a car parked in the gravel lot. — The Brandt-Cohick Barn and Farm seen in this photo was one of the many farms added to PA-SHARE. June 2023.

Intern Introspect: 2023 PennDOT Internship

August 23, 2023 / Guest Contributor / 1 Comment

As one door closes, a new door opens and a new journey in life begins. This feeling of sad excitement doesn’t even begin to encompass how I have come to view my experiences and learning opportunities this past summer.

Group of people standing outside in a field. — PA SHPO interns and staff visited Fort Halifax in June 2023 to learn about the archaeology work happening there.

Intern Introspects: 2023 Historical Markers Internship

August 16, 2023 / Guest Contributor / 3 Comments

This past summer I participated in the Keystone Summer Internship Program with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office as the Historical Marker Program intern. I learned more about historic preservation and broadened my perspective on the diverse, rich, and complex history of Pennsylvania. I loved the various opportunities that the internship provided, such as in-office research and writing as well as field outings to see the real-world impact of preservation work.

Two people crouching in a large dirt hole and surrounded by a forest. — Rhiannon Flaig and Kurt Carr looking at the stratigraphy of a wall at the Shoop Site (36DA0020).

Intern Introspect: 2023 PASS Internship

August 9, 2023 / Guest Contributor / 2 Comments

As I look back at my time here at the PA SHPO, I realized how much new knowledge and experience I have gained. Prior to this internship, I had very little experience in the world of preservation, especially when it came to the bureaucratic level. This internship allowed me to jump into the world of archaeology here at the PA State Historic Preservation Office.

Surficial Archaeology: What is it and how do we do it?

July 12, 2023 / Guest Contributor / 0 Comments

Many Pennsylvania Historic Preservation blog readers are familiar with the results of Year 1 and Year 2 of the Pennsylvania Baseline Survey but did you know that the Pennsylvania Baseline Survey is doing archaeology too? We have adapted to recording not just historic buildings, but also documenting the locations where important buildings once stood.

Metal bridge with wood railings on concrete abutments over water. — Messerall Road Bridge in its new location over Linesville Creek along the Pymatuning State Park Spillway Trail in Linesville, Crawford County. Photograph by Daniel Bickel, 2022.

Messerall Road Bridge: The Next Chapter

April 26, 2023 / Guest Contributor / 3 Comments

The main character of our story, the Messerall Road Bridge, began its life over Pine Creek near East Titusville in 1876, carrying traffic associated with the local oil and lumber industries. The bridge served as a crossing over Pine Creek nearly 140 years before it was closed to vehicular traffic in 1987.

Side of house showing front porch and Palladian window in the side gable. Photo by DCNR.

Call this Piece of Pennsylvania History “Home!”

January 25, 2023 / Guest Contributor / 3 Comments

In an effort to preserve one of Pennsylvania’s historic homes, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is marketing for sale, removal, and preservation a two-and-a-half-story, 3 bedroom, one bath, Shingle-Style house with many beautiful original features including wooden floors, trim work, railings, plastered walls, windows, doors, fixtures, and wood shingle detailing on the exterior.

Interested?

Peppercorn Market, Bedford Borough, Bedford County.

More Cool PA Places Found in Year 2 of Baseline Survey

December 21, 2022 / Guest Contributor / 4 Comments

The Pennsylvania Baseline Survey Team is excited to share another year of findings! Between January 2022 to October 2022, our five Year 2 Baseline Survey teams surveyed in 18 counties and recorded 6,663 new resources in 396 municipalities. Quite an impressive number!

Metal truss bridge over water and surrounded by trees. — Cons Road Bridge in Franklin Township, Bradford County. Photograph by Veronica Martin.

A New Funding Source for Metal Truss Bridges

October 26, 2022 / Guest Contributor / 1 Comment

If you have been following the PA SHPO Blog, then you have probably read about the Metal Truss Bridge Management Plan (Management Plan) and the ongoing effort by PennDOT and the PA SHPO to preserve historic metal truss bridges whenever feasible. Recently, as of 2021, a new federally funded program has been created to support the rehabilitation of these bridges.

Man standing outside next to a machine removing soil. — The Paleo-Digger. Here, the auger, is being lowered into the test unit. Photograph by Barry Fritz, Quemahoning Cultural Resource Management Services.

Meet the Paleo-Digger

October 5, 2022 / Guest Contributor / 1 Comment

October is Archaeology Month! Today’s post by Guest Contributor PennDOT archaeologist Steve McDougal covers using a non-traditional method for field tests: the Paleo-Digger.

Every archaeological survey poses different conditions and challenges. For PennDOT’s SR 22/322 safety improvement project in Northern Dauphin County, one of the big challenges is the depth of soils involved. Past excavation in the 1990s for this area showed us that the soil column with archaeological potential could extend 3.5 to 4.5 meters (11.5 to 14.75 feet) in depth below current ground surface.

Line drawing with lines connecting circles on a map of Pennsylvania. — This map shows the lines of connections southeastern Pennsylvania, including safe houses, station masters and UGRR conductors. Wilbert Seibert included this map, which is based on Robert Smedley's 1883 book, in his 1898 The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom.

The Underground Railroad in Columbia, Lancaster County

September 14, 2022 / Guest Contributor / 1 Comment

September is International Underground Railroad Month. September was chosen because it is the month that two of the most well-known people associated with the Underground Railroad – Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass – escaped from slavery. Today’s post was written by guest author Dr. Leroy Hopkins and he provides a glimpse into the Underground Railroad in Columbia, Pennsylvania.