In 1788, Allegheny County consisted of just seven townships and one city: Moon, Fayette, St. Clair, Mifflin, Elizabeth, Versailles, and Plum, plus Pittsburgh. Last night, the Bridgeville Area Historical Society hosted a lecture about the history of St. Clair, which would gradually become many smaller townships, including Bridgeville Borough. Area resident Marjorie (Dolanch) Stein… [Read More]
Bridgeville Historical Society: Cement City, PA
When Thomas Edison’s name is mentioned, most people think of electric light bulbs, phonographs, or motion picture cameras. Maybe even stock tickers or mechanical voting machines. Edison’s less glamorous endeavors are oft-forgotten, like the time he got into the cement business, believing that he could improve the manufacturing process. It didn’t work out business-wise, but… [Read More]
Preserving History With Metal Detectors—A Bridgeville Historical Society Presenation
Standing in front of display boxes full of centuries-old coins, weathered war relics, and other artifacts, Rob Hilt explained how a simple metal detector can help unearth buried history. But it isn’t as simple as going to a field and walking around hoping to find something, he told the Bridgeville Area Historical Society at… [Read More]
Bridgeville Historical Society—Hollywood, WWII & The Movies
Four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hollywood film director Frank Capra enlisted in the U.S. Army. Fresh off of the success of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the 44-year-old Capra was at a career peak and ten years past the military draft age limit. But as an Italian immigrant who found tremendous… [Read More]
Bridgeville Historical Society—Theodore Roosevelt: A Lion in the White House
In 1912, a mentally ill bartender rushed Theodore Roosevelt outside of a Milwaukee hotel and shot the Progressive Party Presidential nominee in the chest with a .32 caliber revolver. Though blood was soaking into the upper left side of his shirt and the bullet was still lodged in his chest, Roosevelt insisted on delivering the… [Read More]
Bridgeville Historical Society: The U.S. Brig Niagara
During this Nov. 28, 2017 Bridgeville Historical Society presentation, Edd Hale, a volunteer crew member on the USS Niagara, discusses the ship’s colorful history, including its role in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.
Bridgeville Historical Society – Origins of World War II
Glenn Flickinger discussed the origins of World War II at this Bridgeville Historical Society event on Oct. 24, 2017. On November 28, the Historical Society welcomes Edd Hale, who will discuss the U.S. brig Niagara, which played a crucial role in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. The program will be… [Read More]
Bridgeville Historical Society Launches 2017-18 Program Slate With Tales From the Rails
Updated with full presentation video At the beginning of the 1850s, Pittsburgh was on the verge of becoming the “workshop of the world.” The Little Saw Mill Run Railroad’s three miles of track were not the first to wind between the hills and run along and over the creeks and streams to carry coal to… [Read More]
Bridgeville Historical Society: It’s About Time
Our country may be divided politically these days, but back in the 19th century, Americans couldn’t even agree on what time of day it was. Trains throughout the nation operated on a patchwork of time systems local to individual cities. One train might run on Chicago time, while another ran on New York time and… [Read More]
Bridgeville Historical Society: Letters From The Civil War
Imagine clearing out your family attic and discovering hundreds of letters written during the Civil War. Faced with that situation, and not knowing why his family had the letters, Pittsburgh’s Carleton Young traced the sources to discover how two Vermont soldiers fit into his family heritage. Young shared his story with the Bridgeville Historical Society… [Read More]