Blog of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Category: Environmental Review (Page 1 of 13)

Apply Now! 2026 Keystone Internship Positions with PA SHPO

Are you exploring the field of historic preservation, public history or archaeology and looking for some real-world experience? The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Keystone Internship Program provides opportunities to pursue your professional growth and contribute to sharing Pennsylvania’s rich heritage with the public.

We’d like to invite college and graduate school students interested in historic preservation, archaeology, community planning, cultural resources, architectural history, public history, and other related fields to apply for their summer 2026 internship.

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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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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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PA SHPO is Hiring an Environmental Review Archaeologist!

Are you an archaeologist who would enjoy utilizing your experience to conduct a wide range of environmental review projects?  If so, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is eager to welcome a Historic Preservation Specialist with a discipline in archaeology to join the Environmental Review Division.  Join us in our mission to discover, protect, and share Pennsylvania’s past, inspiring others to value and use our history in meaningful ways!

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