In 1823, a blacksmith named John W. Miller moved into what is now southeastern Blair County with his wife, Mary, and their three-year-old son, James. In their first years there they built their house and a small blacksmith shop along … Continue reading
Category Archives: Environmental Review
New PA SHPO Guidelines for Recording Buildings Available
PA SHPO’s Guidelines for Recording Buildings in Pennsylvania, and a companion worksheet, Worksheet for Recording Buildings in Pennsylvania, are published to the PHMC website and ready for use. These guidelines replace the PA SHPO’s How to Complete the Pennsylvania Historic … Continue reading
Bridge Preservation and Education: A Site Visit to the Inwood Iron Bridge
In 2019, the historic Inwood Iron Bridge in Union Township, Lebanon County was disassembled for relocation.
Meet the New PA SHPO Staff!
Since the last time I officially welcomed our new SHPO staffers, three new colleagues have joined our team. We are very excited to have Megan McNish and Frank Grumbine as the new Eastern and Central Region Community Preservation Coordinators and … Continue reading
PA SHPO Special Announcement! Join our Team as a Review Archaeologist
The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is seeking a Historic Preservation Specialist to serve as a Review Archaeologist to work between disciplines and advance SHPO priorities. This position is ideal for a detail oriented and flexible preservation professional … Continue reading
Pennsylvania’s Reinforced Concrete Thru Girder Bridges
Few people think of history when crossing a bridge. But bridges tell an important story about engineering and technology, especially in Pennsylvania where the early years of iron, steel and concrete came together to produce many early bridges that represent … Continue reading
Introducing the Historic Property Inspection Program
One lesser-known duty of the PA SHPO office is the management of protective preservation covenants on historic properties throughout the commonwealth.
Reinterpreting the Underground Railroad: The Sherman’s Dale Discharge Former Slaves’ Graves Site
In my short time as an archaeologist working in southeast Pennsylvania, I’ve learned that every basement, crawl space, and root cellar older than 1860 was at one time, a stop on the Underground Railroad (UGRR). This of course is not … Continue reading
Bridge for Sale Spotlight: Burnt Mill Road Bridge
A drive along Burnt Mill Road in Lurgan Township in Franklin County winds around scenic county farmland crossing the Conodoguinet Creek where a monument to Pennsylvania’s industrial past, the Burnt Mill Road Bridge, has stood for the past 136 years.
Uncovering the Susquehannock Village at Lemoyne
November is Native American Heritage Month. The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. One way we can learn about indigenous peoples is through archaeology. Archaeology … Continue reading