The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) recently approved an additional 9 new historical markers, to the previously approved 47 markers in September. Many of these markers will contribute to Pennsylvania’s celebration of America250, while others contribute to Native American history and religious tolerance.
Approval Criteria require that marker subjects have statewide and/or national, rather than local or regional, historical significance, as well as having substantial association with Pennsylvania. The Marker Program encourages broad distribution, so individuals and organizations from all 67 counties are encouraged to research their history and develop nominations for people, places, events, and innovations in their own area.
America 250
John Maclay (1734-1804) (Franklin County) was a delegate to the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference, a provincial Magistrate, and a Justice of the Peace. He ran for state office and won election to three terms in the Pennsylvania Legislature, representing the newly formed Franklin County. His brothers, Samuel and William Maclay have their own markers.
John Ross (1729-1800) (Delaware County) Though lesser known than Robert Morris, John Ross was a substantial financier and supplier for the American Revolution. His experience as a sea captain and merchant with crucial connections and networks led him to be appointed to the Committee of Secrecy. He procured much-needed supplies such as muskets, gunpowder, ships, clothing, and goods from European allies.
John Ross’s house at the Grange Estate, which often served as a meeting place for Gen. Washington, Robert Morris, Ben Franklin, and other important figures of the time. Credit: Historic American Buildings Survey, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17407675.
Treaty of 1736 (Philadelphia), also known as the “Treaty of Friendship,” was signed in Philadelphia in 1736 between the chiefs of the Six Nations and colonial officials, including William Penn’s son Thomas. While the treaty aimed to maintain peace and formalize alliances, it became part of larger political events that led to the Walking Purchase in 1737.[
U.S. Army Birthplace (Philadelphia) On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress established “six companies of expert riflemen be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia…to be there employed as light infantry under the command of the Chief Officer in that army.” The Army’s establishment not only shaped the outcome of the Revolution but also defined the trajectory of U.S. military tradition for nearly 250 years. Not only was Pennsylvania where the Army was created, it also provided the bulk of the new military.
Native American History
Chief Tamanend (Philadelphia) was the leader of the Lenape people in the 1600s. He signed the legendary peace treaty with William Penn to establish cooperation between the Lenape nation and Quaker settlers. He was well known among the Delaware Nations and colonists alike for being brave, wise, and fair, calling for peace. After his death, he became a celebrated legendary folk hero to the newly formed United States.
Chief Tamanend sculpture by Raymond Sandoval was unveiled in 1995 and is located at Front and Market Streets in Philadelphia. Credit: Google Street view, November 2020, captured by screenshot, December, 18, 2025.
Locust Grove Archaeological District (Lancaster County) was an area of continuous settlement by the peoples of the Shenks Ferry, Luray, Susquehannock and Conoy (Piscataway) traditions, due to its fertile land and terraces. It has contributed to the understanding of changes to Native American demography, social organization, and the physical, social, and political environment accompanying intertribal conflict and Euro-American encroachment. To some Tribes, it remains important ancestral land.
The Martinsburg Indian School (1885-1888) (Blair County) was part of the larger nation-wide network of Indian boarding schools. Following the “industrial education” model at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School (PHMC marker 2003HM00012, dedicated in 2003), it sought to assimilate native youth into U.S. society through education, labor, and religion. Approximately 100 indigenous youth from two nations attended the school.
Religious
Cardinal Dennis J. Dougherty (Philadelphia) was Philadelphia’s longest serving archbishop and became the archdiocese’s first cardinal in 1921. During his long tenure, he greatly expanded the diocese, establishing many new churches, parochial schools, and colleges, and supporting programs that provided assistance to women, African Americans, and Native Americans. At the height of the film industry, Cardinal Dougherty encouraged Catholics to boycott movie theatres for their indecent morality. The boycott resulted in the Production Code Administration, which applied censorship rules for American film production.
Portrait of Cardinal Dennis J. Dougherty, ca. 1918. Credit: Library of Congress, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58903116.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Philadelphia) was established in 1808 and provided a foundation for Catholic communities in Pennsylvania and even in surrounding states. It managed the spiritual and physical needs of all Pennsylvania Catholics. It became a template for the establishment of all other dioceses in the state and served as a model for growth through institutions like seminaries, parochial schools, colleges, and media.
Find more information about Pennsylvania’s historical marker program on PHMC’s website.
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