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Exploring the history of Pennsylvania’s Coal Region

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Central Pennsylvania

During the height of the 1918 influenza outbreak, central Pennsylvania ran out of coffins

Posted on February 6, 2018April 2, 2020 by Jake Wynn

Undertakers in Harrisburg found their morgues full of flu victims in October 1918 with no way to give them proper burials.

Posted in Central Pennsylvania, WWITagged 1918, 1918 Influenza Outbreak, Central Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Harrisburg, Influenza, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Medicine, October 1918, Spanish Flu, Steelton, World War I2 Comments

Christmastime at War in Harrisburg: 1917

Posted on December 21, 2017December 21, 2018 by Jake Wynn

Central Pennsylvania celebrated war-time Christmas in 1917 by welcoming soldiers on leave, big turkey dinners, and plenty of snow.

Posted in Central Pennsylvania, World War ITagged Central Pennsylvania, Christmas, Dauphin County, Featured, Harrisburg, Holiday, Newspapers, Pennsylvania, Railroad, Travel, World War 1, World War I, WW1, WWILeave a comment

Letters to Santa Claus Reveal Wishes of Pennsylvania Children from 1904

Posted on December 19, 2017December 22, 2017 by Jake Wynn

The Harrisburg Telegraph published hundreds of letters to Santa Claus in its December 1904 issues. They reveal pictures of life in the first decade of the 20th century.

Posted in Central Pennsylvania, UncategorizedTagged Central Pennsylvania, Children, Christmas, Dauphin County, Featured, Harrisburg, Holiday, Letters, Santa ClausLeave a comment

A War-time Thanksgiving in Central Pennsylvania

Posted on November 22, 2017October 15, 2018 by Jake Wynn

1917 marked the first war-time Thanksgiving in more than 50. Central Pennsylvania marked the holiday quietly... for the most part.

Posted in Central PennsylvaniaTagged Central Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Featured, Harrisburg, Holiday, Newspapers, Soldiers, Thanksgiving, World War 1, World War I, WW1, WWILeave a comment

Spanish-American War Veteran Saves A Family’s Thanksgiving

Posted on November 21, 2017November 14, 2017 by Jake Wynn

A storekeeper in Harrisburg saved a family's holiday by shooting dead an escaping turkey on a busy city street.

Posted in Central PennsylvaniaTagged Central Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Harrisburg, Spanish-American War, Thanksgiving, VeteranLeave a comment

“Pleasant excursion” – A ride on the Lykens Valley Railroad in 1833

Posted on November 16, 2017April 20, 2018 by Jake Wynn

A journalist in Central Pennsylvania reports on his ride aboard the Lykens Valley Railroad in the fall of 1833.

Posted in Central PennsylvaniaTagged Dauphin County, Featured, Lykens, Lykens Valley Railroad, Millersburg, Pennsylvania, Railroad, Railroad History, Upper End1 Comment

“What to do in air raids?” – Harrisburg’s early civil defense preparations in 1942

Posted on September 28, 2017January 23, 2019 by Jake Wynn

What do you do when the lights go out, the sirens come on, and the bombs begin to fall? 

Posted in Central Pennsylvania, World War IITagged Central Pennsylvania, Civil Defense, Featured, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, World War 2, World War IILeave a comment

“Hungry Fans Plan Big Welcome” – Baseball Star Jake Daubert Returns in 1919

Posted on August 14, 2017August 13, 2017 by Jake Wynn

Baseball fans from Upper Dauphin County gathered in Harrisburg in August 1919 to watch a local hero play for the Cincinnati Reds on City Island.

Posted in Baseball, Central Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Harrisburg, Lykens, Pennsylvania, Williams ValleyTagged Featured1 Comment

Honoring Civil War Veterans: Memorial Day 1889

Posted on May 29, 2017April 17, 2017 by Jake Wynn

A writer in Lykens, PA describes the town's Memorial Day ceremonies in May 1889.

Posted in Central Pennsylvania, Civil War, Dauphin County, Lykens, Wiconisco, Williams ValleyTagged FeaturedLeave a comment

Blackout drills – Central Pennsylvania prepared itself for enemy air raids in 1942

Posted on May 18, 2017May 5, 2019 by Jake Wynn

In May 1942, vast swaths of Central Pennsylvania went dark. Local air raid wardens planned blackout drills to prepare for enemy bombers.

Posted in Central Pennsylvania, World War IITagged Central Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Featured, Pennsylvania, Williams Valley, World War IILeave a comment

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