Making History Blog
5 Reasons to Visit Meadowcroft This Season
Those long, warm summer days are fast approaching, and that means it’s time to start planning your summer adventures. If you’re searching for outdoor fun for the whole family,…
Have a Historic Summer at the Fort Pitt Museum
The Fort Pitt Museum is gearing up for a summer season jam-packed with living history demonstrations, educational programs, and opportunities to get outside and enjoy the sunshine in Point…
Pretzels and Prohibition: The Tangled Fate of the “German Biscuit”
“The Trap,” postcard, 1908. Pretzels and beer feature prominently in this image that portrays the negative views held by many people regarding patrons attracted to the saloon “free lunch.”…
Making Meadowcroft: Camp Meadowcroft
This is part one in a series about the making of Meadowcroft. Read part two and part three. On July 28, 1959, the Camp Meadowcroft sign was hung up…
A Remnant from the Final Days of Yiddish Theater in Pittsburgh
Yiddish theater had a peripatetic existence in Pittsburgh before the opening of Lando’s Theatre in October 1928. Visiting companies put on shows wherever they could find space to rent,…
Meet the History Center Docent Community
For National Volunteer Week, Laura Myers, the Audience Engagement Coordinator at the History Center, shares some reflections on our docent program. History Center Larry Woods leading a tour in…
In Vino Veritas: The Tradition of Winemaking in the Italian American Home
Mrs. Gallo, Lena Scalise, and Angelo Borelli process food to store for the winter, 1958. Courtesy of Elissa Scalise Powell. Like all immigrants, Italians brought their traditional methods of…
Of Beer and Taxes: Prohibition’s Connection to the National Income Tax
Income Tax Day, c. 1920. Citizens line up at an unidentified Revenue Office to pay their federal income taxes. Photo: National Photo Company. Courtesy of the Library of Congress,…
Pysanky on Ice
Traditionally, Ukrainians find time in the week before Easter to create highly decorated eggs or pysanky that celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Pysanky eggs made by Helen Timo on…
A Stamp on American Culture: Fred Rogers and Elvis Presley
Mister Rogers postage stamp, 2018. Courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service. “What do you think about having Fred Rogers featured on a stamp?” This is the question I was…