The Great Dismal Swamp is a massive swamp located along the border of Virginia and North Carolina. George Washington was a shareholder in the Dismal Swamp Company, a venture in land speculation that tried to drain the swamp and turn...
historical preservation
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey Jr. Responds to Trump’s Use of Park Service Funds for His July 4th Event
I am proud of my United States senator. Bob Casey joins U.S. representative Dwight Evans in this statement. Get some context here. PHILADELPHIA (July 3, 2019) – U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA-03) and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) said Independence National...
How Churches Can Steward the Past
If you haven’t seen it yet, head over to The Pietist Schoolman and read Chris Gehrz’s “History as Stewardship of the Past.” It is a powerful post about how churches might think about history. Gehrz calls on churches to preserve...
Pennsylvanians Oppose Gettysburg Casino Plans
According to this article from the website of the Civil War Trust, Pennsylvania voters “overwhelmingly oppose plans for a casino 1/2 mile from the historic Gettysburg Battlefield.” 57% of Pennsylvania voters believe that a Gettysburg casino “would be an embarrassment […]
Preserving the Jefferson Bible
In doing interviews for Was America Founded as a Christian Nation I am often asked about Thomas Jefferson’s Bible. As many of my readers know, this is the Bible in which he edited out of the four gospels any account...
Top Five Historical Preservation Movies
HISTPRESS, a site devoted to employment in public history and historical preservation, lists the “top five preservation movies” of all time. They are, in reverse order: 5. UP4. Hot Fuzz3. Sister Act 22. Two Week’s Notice1. Be Kind Rewind Go […]
Tradition Needs Preservation
I am still trying to figure out why the editor of a libertarian website sponsored by a leading libertarian think tank has asked me to write something for it, but here is my effort to say something to the libertarian...
American History on NPR
Early American history has been getting some good airtime on National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition.” Check out yesterday’s story on Henry Clay featuring David Heidler, the author of Henry Clay: The Essential American. Today, “Morning Edition” did a story on...
Lake Placid Bobsled Track Added to National Historical Register
Once upon a time I wrote a couple of entries on the Lake Placid Olympic Games for something called the Historical Dictionary of the Modern Olympic Movement. The first edition of this dictionary included my entries on “Lake Placid, 1932” […]
Help Save New Jersey Historical Sites and Projects
I just received this forwarded e-mail from the good folks at Garden State Legacy. If you are from New Jersey, or are part of the New Jersey historical community, it is time to act. Governor Christie has honored his promise...
Beachcomber Finds 17th Century Merchant Ship Buried in the Sand
My brother bought my daughter a metal-detector for Christmas a few years ago. We took it to the beach last October and found dozens of old nails and about $2.00 in coins. We did not find a 17th century shipwreck […]
The 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has issued its list of the most endangered historic places in the United States. They are: 1. America’s State Parks and State Owned Historic Sites.We have spent a bit of time speaking and writing...