Hidden History of Pennsylvania: Harris Interlocking Tower and The Poison Rings of Philly

From royal courts and rural villages to South Philadelphia, poison has long been a weapon of choice for those seeking a discreet way to kill, sometimes spawning organized networks of murder motivated by money, power, or escape from unhappy lives. This episode explores three of history’s most notorious poison rings: the Affair of the Poisons in Louis XIV’s France, Hungary’s Angel Makers of Nagyrév, and the deadly Philadelphia Poison Ring of the 1930s, an alleged murder conspiracy that may have claimed dozens of victims.Join the Harrisburg Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society for a behind-the-scenes look at Harris Tower and the Power Directors Office, two remarkable pieces of Pennsylvania Railroad history hidden in plain sight. Chapter leaders and historians share how this once-bustling rail hub operated, why its 113-lever interlocking machine was a marvel of its time, and how volunteers are preserving its legacy for future generations.