History

The historic piano served Millcreek, Fairview, and McKean. Now it’s missing. . .

When one bequeaths money for a specific good, it’s often to leave a legacy—something to keep alive the values they held dear. Over time, though, immediate memories of the donor’s vision fade. Times, values, and cultures change. The donor’s original vision may not hold as much importance to future generations, but it is still important…

Out of curiosity, I recently dug through the particulars of the old Kmart property in Millcreek Township, a suburb west of the City of Erie, PA. What I found may shed some light on the situation. A long-term lease is often cited as the reason this property stands largely vacant, but any lease can be…

The Presque Isle project, cleaning the gravestones at the beautiful Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in Erie, Pennsylvania, under the direction of MaryJane Koenig, chair of the DAR Service for Veterans Committee, was awarded first place for Historic Preservation in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.   The project was then sent on…

The following information is based on my research and that of my uncle and godfather, Daniel Silverthorn (1936-2021), who left behind a treasure trove of genealogical and historical papers. Here is some information on William Silverthorn (1748-1813), one of the first settlers in a section of Springfield Township, which later became known as Girard Township…

Author’s Note: My late uncle, Daniel Silverthorn, was an avid genealogist and historian. As his executor, when he died, I salvaged his papers, organized them, and catalogued them. Sometimes Uncle Dan was simply interested in a particular subject and would go down analog rabbit holes to learn more. This time, it was about a devastating…

When we travel, I like to keep a journal, but I usually wait until we get home to post to my blog. This allows me to look at the pictures Jim and I took and decide which to include with the posts. I can also research trivia that I think will add to the blog.…

Here’s the 15th post sharing our adventures in the British Isles and Ireland from September 29 to October 17, 2025, for genealogy, business, and sightseeing. Hope you enjoy it! Thursday, October 16, 2025 Jim had to wait until the very last day of our vacation for his most-anticipated activity, the tour and museum visit of…

Here’s the 14th post sharing our adventures in the British Isles and Ireland from September 29 to October 17, 2025, for genealogy, business, and sightseeing. Hope you enjoy it! Wednesday, October 15, 2025 We bade a joyful goodbye to the conference hotel (see the review in the last post) and then ordered an Uber to…

Here’s the 13th post sharing our adventures in the British Isles and Ireland from September 29 to October 17, 2025, for genealogy, business, and sightseeing. Hope you enjoy it! Sunday, October 12, 2025 We spent just one night at the Park Plaza Riverbank on the last night of our tour and then took an Uber…