Even the night before the Fourth of July, it’s easy to obtain (where legal, of course) nearly an unlimited supply of fireworks, sparklers and other brilliant incendiary devices. Though such gunpowder-based confections stir delight in children and swelling patriotism in grown-ups, they belie the true state of affairs that General George Washington and his troops…
In the bibliography of David McCullough’s bestselling book, “1776“, (see what else we’re reading) lies an interesting source: “Revolutionary Pension Records.” Much of the power of McCullough’s writing comes from his ability to recount an event that happened more than 220 years ago and make seem like it happened yesterday. The powerful drama unfolds in…
It’s an expensive way to spend President’s Day but, by all accounts, worth it. According to The Washington Post: It was a speech so moving the crowd wept. It was a speech so personally important George Washington’s hand shook as he read it until he had to hold the paper still with both hands. After…
As we continue to get closer to a complete collection of The Pennsylvania Archives, we find more interesting facts.Here is an alphabetical list of Revolutionary Soldiers “compiled chiefly from The Depreciation Account books in the office of the Auditor General of Pennsylvania”. The introduction continues: “It contains nearly ten thousand names, and, as will be…
We are excited to announce the release of some of the volumes in Series 2 through 7 in the Pennsylvania Archives. With these new records we now have about 78% of the Pennsylvania Archives online. These additional records include topics such as marriage records, muster rolls, tax lists and various records relating to the Revolutionary…
