Built in 1851, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad depot on East Union Street is Pottsville's oldest surviving railroad building — and it has a Civil War history worth exploring. Watch the new video.
Each January, King in the Wilderness reminds me how unfinished Martin Luther King Jr.’s work was—and how uncomfortable it made people then and now. The film focuses on his final years, when he spoke plainly about war, poverty, and power. It’s an honest portrait worth revisiting. Read the full story.
Back in 2014, as a student at Hood College, I created my first historical documentary on the preservation battle at Monocacy National Battlefield, threatened by a massive trash incinerator. Though rough around the edges, this short film captures my journey into public history and the importance of protecting historic landscapes. Read the full story and watch the video.
See Aachen through the eyes of the 26th Infantry - block by block, house by house. This short YouTube documentary pairs restored combat footage with today’s streets, then lands beside Irvin Schwartz’s letters from our “Letters from War” project, where 57mm guns and sniper fire turned a city into hell. Read the full story.
I recently reflected on Stanley Tucci’s “Tucci in Italy,” where each episode blends history, regional culture, and mouthwatering cuisine - from Lazio’s vineyards to Adriatic fishing villages. Tucci’s passion and storytelling took me back to my own Italian travels and inspired anew. Read the full story.
A 1982 PBS documentary reveals how a routine trash-burning ignited an unstoppable mine fire beneath Centralia, Pennsylvania. Witness the fierce debates over the town’s future, the heartache of evacuations, and the haunting remnants that remain. Read the full story.
Step into May 1864 through the eyes of Henry Keiser, a Pennsylvania corporal facing brutal combat during the Civil War. This short student documentary brings his vivid diary to life, revealing the raw realities of the Civil War in a way you won’t forget. Read the full story and watch the video.
Explore the stark contrasts of wealth and struggle during America’s Gilded Age through PBS’s American Experience documentary. From Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal fields to industrialist empires, uncover the stories of power, inequality, and the seeds of progress. Read the full story.
In this episode, we chat with filmmaker Mark Frederick about his 2024 documentary, "Blair County: A People's History." This film shares the story of this Central Pennsylvania community, including towns and cities like Altoona and Hollidaysburg. Read more and listen to the full episode.
Jake Wynn and Justin Voithofer review the documentary that accompanies the miniseries "Masters of the Air."