Making History Blog
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Who’s the Tom Tucker on your Mint Ginger Ale?
The current label of Tom Tucker Mint Ginger Ale, a staple of Western Pennsylvania pop drinkers. Courtesy of Brian Butko. Pittsburghers love quirky traditions, so when cruising the soda…
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.”…
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…
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…
Lois Weber, First American Woman Film Director
The Pittsburgh region has been home to many remarkable women over the years, including journalist Nellie Bly, abolitionist Jane Grey Swisshelm, and environmentalist Rachel Carson. But there’s another one you…
Will You Sign the Pledge?: Francis Murphy and Pittsburgh’s Great Temperance Movement
It’s a January evening in Pittsburgh in 1877. Thirty churches across the city and surrounding suburbs are bursting with people. In some places, the crowds spill onto the streets…
The James A. Dorsey Story
For many people, time off from work or school is an opportunity to engage in physical activity, whether it’s hunting and fishing, enjoying swings on a playground, or a…
The Olympics on Ice: Herb Drury
U.S. vs. Belgium on outdoor rink, Chamonix, France, Jan. 28, 1924. Courtesy of Frederick R. Favo. Every four years, the Winter Olympic Games recall the importance of Pittsburgher Herb Drury…
The Real Rosie the Riveter
The classic Rosie the Riveter poster created for Westinghouse by Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller. In late 1942, a Pittsburgh freelance artist named J. Howard Miller painted a poster…
Nellie Bly: A Race Against Time
This post is an edited excerpt of “Nellie Bly: Pioneer Journalist Extraordinaire,” which appeared in the summer 2017 issue of Western Pennsylvania History Magazine. Learn more about Western Pennsylvania native…