Category: Statewide Historic Preservation Plan (Page 2 of 6)

Group of seven people sitting or standing behind a table. — BVUGRR and Levity Brewing Co. team at the release of the first Freedom Seeker beer series.

Celebrating the Blairsville Area Underground Railroad

May 17, 2023 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

This week’s 2022 Community Initiative Award winner spotlight is on the Blairsville Underground Railroad organization in Blairsville, Indiana County.

Blairsville was laid out in the early 19th century along the Conemaugh River at the southern end of Indiana County, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh along the planned route of the Huntingdon, Cambria, and Indiana Turnpike. Blairsville’s history and growth is closely tied to its transportation corridors – the river, the stagecoach in 1818, the canal in 1829, and the rail in 1851 – and natural deposits of salt, coal, and iron, which together supported a thriving and flourishing community.

What many may not know about Blairsville is its African American history, particularly related to abolition and the Underground Railroad (UGRR). The borough had one of the larger Black communities in Indiana County and the county’s first African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church was organized there in 1844. Indiana County was an important and active Underground Railroad stop in Pennsylvania as freedom seekers escaped from their enslavers in search of freedom.

I asked Denise Doyle from the Blairsville Underground Railroad organization to share their story with us.

Celebrating Preservation Month with the 2022 Community Initiative Award Winners

May 3, 2023 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 1 Comment

What better time of year than National Historic Preservation Month to announce the latest round of PA SHPO’s Community Initiative Award winners! The four recipients and their projects showcase a range of preservation success stories, demonstrating the value of volunteers, creativity, and community engagement.

Looking Forward to a Year that is काममूत

January 4, 2023 / Andrea L. MacDonald / 2 Comments

Warm and cozy. For nearly my entire life, achieving that snuggly feeling during the long winter months has been a top priority for me.

Head and shoulders image of a woman on a bike along with the words "looking forward to 2024" above three green arrows.

24 Things to Look Forward to in 2024

January 3, 2023 / Andrea L. MacDonald / 0 Comments

While I am still enjoying the holiday high (and feeling blissfully stuffed), I am also looking forward to the many initiatives the PA SHPO has in the works for 2024.

Celebrating Wilkes-Barre’s Walkitecture Tour

May 25, 2022 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

We conclude our Preservation Month celebration of the 2021 Community Initiative Award winners in the Diamond City.

Celebrating Preservation Month with the 2021 Community Initiative Award Winners

May 4, 2022 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

What better time of year than National Historic Preservation Month to announce the latest round of PA SHPO’s Community Initiative Award winners. This year’s projects and recipients showcase a range of preservation success stories, demonstrating the power of perseverance, collaboration and partnership.

Success in All Shapes and Sizes

June 9, 2021 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 1 Comment

Last month, we asked Pennsylvanians to send us their #PreservationHappensHere Preservation Success Stories using PA-SHARE to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month. We enticed them with prizes! And we received many great submissions, making our campaign its own success story!

Make this Preservation Month a Success by Sharing Your Story!

May 5, 2021 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

National Historic Preservation Month was started in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to draw attention to older and historic places across the country and to highlight the benefits of historic preservation in the nation’s communities.

This year, we’re celebrating National Historic Preservation Month by asking our readers to share with us a Preservation Success Stories in their communities. And you might just win something!

The 2020 PA SHPO Community Initiative Award Winners

January 20, 2021 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 0 Comments

For the past several years, the PA SHPO has used their Community Initiative Award to recognize the hard work and dedication of organizations, municipalities, individuals, and others whose work embodies the spirit of #PreservAtionHappensHere.

The three recipients of the 2020 awards have demonstrated the power of digital engagement and the importance of 21st-century tools and technology to advocate, promote and preserve Pennsylvania’s older and historic places, which has been especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kicking Off PA SHPO’s Baseline Survey Effort

January 13, 2021 / Shelby Weaver Splain / 3 Comments

PA SHPO is kicking off a three-year effort to collect baseline survey information about thousands of older and historic places across a huge part of Pennsylvania.