History from the Homestead.

Joining me today is David Fowler from the Loyalsock Valley Antique Machinery Association. David sits down to talk with me about many of the tools of the trade for Pennsylvania Coal miners. We spend time discussing the Carbide Lamp, Canary cages, Permissible Safety lanterns, and Miner Check tags.

The Homestead Strike, or Battle of Homestead, was a violent labor conflict in 1892 at the Carnegie Steel Company in Homestead, Pennsylvania, triggered by a lockout and a dispute over wages and union recognition. The confrontation escalated into a bloody battle between striking workers and the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, hired by management, resulting in deaths and injuries on both sides. The strike ultimately failed, leading to the defeat of the union and the end of the skilled steelworkers' union, but it became a pivotal moment in American labor history, highlighting the brutal tactics used by both workers and owners.

On this episode I am joined by Darin and Mary from the "Civil War Breakfast Club Podcast" and Author Rob Hilliard ( A season on the Allegheny and In Freedom's Shadow.) We discuss the Battle of Gettysburg for the 162nd Anniversary.

On May 31st, 1889. the South Fork dam broke releasing a wall of water hurtling down the valley to Johnstown, PA. On this episode I am once again joined by Elizabeth Shope from the Johnstown Flood National Memorial. We discuss the South Fork fishing and hunting club who was the owner of the lake at the time of the disaster. We discuss some of the powerful members like Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. We also discuss the fate of the club in the weeks and months following the Flood.

Today I am joined by Darin and Mary from the Civil War Breakfast Club podcast. We spent our time talking about obscure, Unknown, Interesting, And even funny stories from the American Civil War!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/civil-war-breakfast-club/id1531574799

Robert B. O’Connor is the author of the extraordinary new WWII novel "Jeep Show – A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge." His previous book was the non-fiction "Gumptionade – A Booster for Your Self-Improvement Plan." Two radically different books, both about morale.As a young man, Robert was Phi Beta Kappa at Kenyon College, a marketing executive at Procter & Gamble, then co-owner of an advertising agency. By his own account, he took a hard fall.As he was helped up off the mat, Robert came across a quote from the nineteenth-century British biologist Thomas Huxley: “Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.” Robert wrote Gumptionade to help himself and his readers recognize what needed to be done in their lives, and how to do it.In 1967, promoter and impresario Jim Hetzer, the inspiration for the protagonist in "Jeep Show," convinced Oxydol detergent to sponsor a circus. The result was a marketing disaster, humorous in retrospect.In 1944, Hetzer enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the Morale Corps as an Entertainment Specialist. He was attached to a Jeep show squad in the European Theatre of Operations.Jeep shows were small variety shows done for combat troops in forward areas too dangerous for the USO or the Red Cross. Hetzer often worked with Private Mickey Rooney.Jim Hetzer’s story inspired O’Connor to write Jeep Show, now a BookLife Editor’s Choice selection. Kirkus reviews wrote: “It seems odd to call a World War II novel 'delightful,' but that's exactly what you get with O'Connor's mix of history and fiction as battles rage on and enlisted men entertain the troops.”

In this episode, we revisit the tragic car crash of Fred Duesenberg, co-founder of the luxury car brand Duesenberg. On July 2, 1932, Fred's life was cut short in a devastating accident on a Pennsylvania highway. We explore the events leading up to the crash, its aftermath, and how it impacted the future of the Duesenberg brand. Tune in for a fascinating look at the life and legacy of Fred Duesenberg. Joining me is Spencer Simpson from the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor Museum and Ray Witkowski author of “Fred Duesenberg’s Final Journey.” http://www.lhhc.orghttps://books.google.com/books/about/Fred_Duesenberg_s_Final_Journey.html?id=6pE60AEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description

On this special 20th episode, I invited back several familiar faces to join me and discuss how they became interested in History and why History is so important. Elizabeth Shope from the Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Sarah Goodman from the Drake well Museum, Corey Adkins from the Great Lakes shipwreck museum and Rob Hilliard author of " A season in the Allegheny" and " In Freedoms Shadow".

As one of the most iconic monuments, Mount Rushmore, carved from South Dakota granite, draws more than 2 million visitors each year. I'm joined by Kaylynn Howard to explore the history and purpose behind this massive portrait of former presidents.

On this episode we explore four toys that were invented purely by accident. These toys include the Slinky, Silly Putty, Play-Doh, and the Super Soaker. Thanks to the inventor’s that had an open mind and realization that their mistakes might just be useful our History has been graced by these timeless toys!

Arlington National Cemetery, located in Arlington, Virginia, has a rich and poignant history. It began as the estate of George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted grandson of George Washington. The estate was called Arlington House. Freedman's Village was an important settlement established during and after the American Civil War. Located in Arlington. The village was established by the U.S. government as part of a broader effort to assist newly freed slaves transitioning from slavery to freedom. It was part of the larger Freedmen's Bureau initiative, which aimed to provide relief, education, and employment opportunities to freed people.Dr. Allison S. Finklestein serves as Senior Historian at Arlington National Cemetery. She earned her Ph.D. in U.S. History from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she also studied historic preservation. Her first book, "Forgotten Veterans, Invisible Memorials: How American Women Commemorated the Great War, 1917-1945", was published by the University of Alabama Press in 2021 and released in paperback in September 2023. It won the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference's 2022 Arline Custer Memorial Award for best book. From 2017 to 2018 the Arlington County Board appointed her as the Chair of the Arlington World War I Commemoration Task Force.Show notes at Historyfromthehomestead.com

In 1942 during World War 2 Nazi U-Boats brazenly prowled just off the East coast on the United States sinking merchant shipping vital to our war effort. But the most spectacular sinking of them all occurred in April 1942 when U-123 commanded by Reinhard Hardegen sank the tanker SS GulfAmerica only a mere 5 miles off the coast of Jacksonville Florida in full view of beachgoers!

The Big Muskie was a model 4250-W dragline and was the only one ever built by the Bucyrus-Erie. This Mammoth Dragline became the largest dragline in the World! (A record that still stands). This massive machine weighs in at a whooping 27 MILLION pounds! It spent 22 years in Ohio removing overburden from the vast coalfields. it removed over 608,000,000 cubic yards of dirt which twice the amount of dirt removed to build the Panama Canal!

In the dark depths of the Quecreek mine, a disaster struck that would test the limits of human resilience and courage. It was a fateful night on July 24th, 2002, when nine miners found themselves trapped underground, their only lifeline to the surface cut off by a sudden flood of water from the poorly mapped Saxman mine. As the water rose around them, panic and desperation threatened to consume their spirits. But above ground, a different kind of energy was building - one of determination, unity, and unwavering resolve. The call for help rang out across the region, and soon, a small army of rescuers descended upon the mine, ready to do whatever it took to bring their fellow men back to safety. Former Governor Mark Schweiker, a beacon of hope and leadership in the midst of chaos, spearheaded the rescue efforts with unwavering dedication. From coordinating the influx of manpower and machinery to providing support and guidance to the trapped miners' families, Governor Schweiker's office played a pivotal role in the monumental task at hand. Days turned into nights, and the world held its breath as the rescue operation unfolded with painstaking precision. Inch by inch, foot by foot, the rescuers battled against time to reach the stranded miners. And finally, on July 28th, 2002, a collective sigh of relief echoed through the crowd as all nine men emerged from the darkness, battered but unbroken, their spirits buoyed by the unwavering support of their rescuers and the entire community. As Governor Schweiker reflects on those harrowing days, he shares not just a story of survival and triumph, but a testament to the indomitable spirit of humanity in the face of adversity. The Quecreek mine disaster may have tested their limits, but it also revealed the boundless depths of courage, compassion, and camaraderie that lie within us all.

In 1971 United State Forest Service Chief Edward Cliff convinced former smoke jumper turned astronaut Stuart Roosa to take tree seeds on his trip to the moon on Apollo 14. The seeds returned to Earth safely and were later germinated and planted around the country for the bicentennial celebration of America.

Conrad Reed's discovery of a 17-pound gold nugget in Little Meadow Creek in 1799 marked the beginning of the gold rush in North Carolina. Initially used as a doorstop, the nugget was later identified as gold by a jeweler in Fayetteville. Despite not fully understanding its value, Conrad's father, John Reed, sold the nugget for $3.50, a mere fraction of its actual worth. Recognizing the potential of their land, John Reed organized a small-scale gold mining operation around 1803. Soon after, a slave named Peter discovered a 28-pound gold nugget, further affirming the presence of substantial gold deposits on the property. Inspired by these findings, Reed shifted his focus to placer mining, a technique that involves extracting gold from streambeds using simple tools. As time passed, John Reed transitioned to underground mining in 1831, which involved digging shafts and tunnels to access deeper gold veins. His mining efforts proved successful, and he amassed significant wealth from the gold found on his property.

In 1854 the “World Famous Horseshoe Curve” was completed after 3 years of back breaking work by mostly Irish immigrants. Opening this important stretch of railway shortened a trip across Pennsylvania by days! Altoona Railroaders Museum archive manger Matthew Wolff joins me as we explore this Famous Landmark.

Nestled in the Altoona Pennsylvania area is a small side friction rollercoaster named Leap-The-Dips. Built in 1902 Leap-The-Dips has the distinction of being the oldest operating coaster in the World! Joining me is American Coaster Enthusiasts member and historian David Hahner. ACE was instrumental in helping to restore this coaster to operational condition.

On this episode we welcome back author Robert Hilliard to talk about his new book "In Freedoms Shadow". This book is a based on a true story spy thriller set during the Civil War. The book features escaped slave turned spy John Scobell who agrees to work with the Pinkerton Detective agency to spy for the Union.

On October 9th, 1945, members of Bombing Squadron 97 consisting of 21 Curtiss Helldivers, were returning to their base in Michigan after participating in the Nimitz Day Celebration held in Washington, D.C. Encountering heavy fog approaching the Laurel Highlands, they decided to turn back towards New Cumberland. One of the aircraft lost it's way and crashed into the side of a mountain. Killed in the accident were the plane’s pilot and radio operator.

On the fateful day of September 11th, 2001, a dark chapter in history unfolded as terrorists commandeered four airliners, transforming these aircraft into malevolent instruments aimed at toppling the iconic Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, inflicting damage upon the Pentagon, and ultimately meeting their end in a solemn field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Join me and a circle of close friends as we gather to share our recollections and memories of that harrowing day, forever etched in our hearts and minds.

In the mid-19th century, the Pony Express emerged as a remarkable and daring venture that revolutionized communication in the American West. Spanning a brief but impactful existence from April 1860 to October 1861, the Pony Express left an indelible mark on the history of the United States. The Pony Express was born out of the need for a faster and more reliable means of communication between the East and West coasts. At the time, the existing mail delivery system was slow and often unreliable, taking weeks or even months for letters and packages to reach their destinations. The idea of a swift mail service that could traverse the vast and treacherous landscapes of the American frontier was conceived. Patrick Hearty was raised in Grantsville, Utah. His grandfather was a homesteader and cattle rancher, and his early years on the ranch left him with a deep love of history, and strong ties to the Old West. Pat graduated from Brigham Young University with degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry. He has retired after a career as a chemist with the U.S. Department of Labor and Battelle Memorial Institute. Pat has been a member of the National Pony Express Association since 1978. He has served as president of both the Utah Division and the National organization and is currently a Re-ride Captain in Utah as well as National Trails Liaison. He has served on the Mormon Pioneer Sesquicentennial Celebration Coordinating Council for the state of Utah, and as a member and chair of the Utah Historic Trails Consortium, along with other trail-related assignments. He is a member of Utah Westerners and a charter member of the Oregon-California Trails Association. He lives in Grantsville, Utah with his wife, Linda. They are the parents of four children, and proud grandparents of thirteen.

On August 7th 1679 the “Griffon” launched at the Niagara river for a long expedition on the Great Lakes. After loading with furs in Green Bay the Griffon set out to return to Lake Erie the ship was never heard from again. Sailing on the Great Lake has always been dangerous with its terrible winter storms. An estimated 6000 shipwrecks lie in the Great Lakes. The Edmund Fitzgerald became one of the most well known shipwrecks on the Lakes. The Fitzgerald was lost on November 10th 1975 durning a particularly strong winter storm. On this episodeI was joined by Bruce Lynn and Corey Adkins from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Check out their website here. https://shipwreckmuseum.com/

In 1859 Colonel Edwin Drake a former railroad conductor was tasked with drilling an oil well along Oil creek in Titusville PA. With the walls of his well collapsing Col Drake the use of a “Drive” pipe to stabilize his drill shaft. This revolution is still used to this day. The well reached its maximum depth of 69.5 feet deep on August 27th 1859. The next day oil was discovered floating near the top of the well shaft. The well produced 12-20 barrels of oil a day and sparked an oil boom in Titusville. Joining me for this episode is Sarah Goodman. Sarah Goodman is a graduate of Lock Haven University with degree in American History. Throughout Sarah’s career she has worked at various historic sites and museums. In April of 2014, she accepted a position with Drake Well Museum and Park as Museum Educator. As Educator, Sarah has created programs, events and projects which educate visitors not only on the history of the oil industry, but also the technology and advances in energy.

Established in 1923 the Allegheny National Forest was essentially a barren wasteland from extensive deforestation during the late 1800s. The area was prone to mudslides and brush fires. With extensive care and work by the Civilian Conservation Corps the forest was returned to the natural beauty we see today. Robert Hilliard has written on sports, history, and the outdoors for over three decades. Rob started as a reporter for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and has written articles for outlets such as Upland Almanac, Pennsylvania Wildlife, and Pittsburgh History Magazine. In 2012 his first book, 'A Season on the Allegheny,' was published. It quickly hit the Top 10 in two Amazon categories and has garnered national attention since its publication. Rob is currently working on his first novel. Entitled 'In Freedom's Shadow,' it is due out in 2023.

On this episode we talk with Park Ranger Elizabeth Shope. She has a background in American studies. Today we are talking about the great Johnstown flood on May 31st 1889. See our show notes at. https://historyfromthehomestead.com/

On our premier episode we talk with Park Ranger Elizabeth Shope. She has a background in American studies. Today we are talking about the Canal and railroad system that was built over the Allegheny Mountains from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown PA.