Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

Congratulations to these three recipients of Art of the State 2025 Purchase Awards! The selected works will become part of The State Museum of Pennsylvania permanent collection. Art of the State closes on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. #SeePAArt ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gTRdGNMe

Happy #LaborDay from PHMC! Today, we honor the hardworking and dedicated people who built the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Their stories and legacies are at the heart of what we do every day. • The Pennsylvania State #Archives preserves images, charts, maps & drawings documenting the story of Pennsylvania's skilled workforce. Shown in the images below, these stories extend to the agricultural industries, whether it be working with coca beans or farming tobacco across Lancaster County. • The State Museum of Pennsylvania displays the tools and artifacts our ancestors used to build a new nation. • Our historic sites offer a glimpse into the daily lives and real-world experiences of working Pennsylvanians throughout history. • The State Historic Preservation Office protects our shared history, ensuring the legacy of the past and the needs of the future remain in harmony. On this day, we encourage you to reflect on the hard work that shaped our past and continues to inspire our future.

A $3 million Capital Project will restore the historic value, natural beauty & recreational opportunities of the Daniel Boone Lake. The man-made lake, constructed in the 1940s, is a key feature of the 579-acre Daniel Boone Homestead. https://lnkd.in/eqY5_TiM

Who is ready for some #Archaeology? Here's the lineup for the #virtual Learn at Lunchtime series slated for October, which is also 🥁🥁 #Archaeology Month! Sign up now for the four #free presentations scheduled for Fridays this October. https://lnkd.in/eTiie49G

#HappyBirthday! On Aug. 27, 1859, Edwin L. Drake struck oil on the site now known as the Drake Well Museum and Park, marking the birth of the petroleum industry. Soon, oil boomtowns sprang up across northwestern Pennsylvania and faded just as quickly when the "black gold" dwindled. The State #Archives preserves these images of the 90th Anniversary of Drake Well, celebrated on Aug. 27, 1949 & a map pinpointing the location of Venango County's Drake Well, as well as a large number of surrounding wells, as of 1949. - https://bit.ly/4mxSOJr

Today is #NationalDogDay! 🐶 During the Civil War, a brindle-coated terrier named Sallie served as the mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteers. This beloved regimental pet usually took a position at the end of the front line of troops, barking loudly at the enemy. A quarter-century after the war, Sallie remained so well loved that when the association of veterans of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteers made plans for their regimental monument at the Gettysburg battlefield, they decided to include a life-sized bronze statue of the dog near the foot of their memorial. 👉 https://bit.ly/4696IMk

Sure...we now enjoy easier ways to make coffee in the morning. But modern conveniences will never diminish the historical value of commonwealth artifacts such as this 19th-century coffee grinder preserved by Historic Ephrata Cloister. Ephrata's collections highlights Pennsylvania's significant role in religious toleration and intellectual freedom. Search Historic Ephrata Cloister's digital collections - https://bit.ly/3HSh3TD

State #Archives preservation tip: Not all file types are created equal. In digital #preservation, we look for certain file types that offer stability and access. Consider looking at your own digital files: How easily can they be altered by another person? Will you be able to open them for years to come or should you update to a more dependable format? Here at the State #Archives, we like to use PDF/A and TIF formats. - www.pastatearchives.com

Heading to Old Economy Village today? The Ambridge, Pa., historic site preserves the hub of the Harmony Society's religious, social, cultural & economic life. These videos (link in the comments) offer an introduction to the society’s festivals and traditions. ➡️ https://bit.ly/4oLtOQF #DigitalPHMC

Born Aug.21, 1811 in Pittsburgh, William Kelly was renowned inventor who created a process used in modern steel production. By injecting air into molten iron, Kelly discovered a reduction of carbon content in the finished product, making the material stronger. However, the same process was simultaneously discovered by Henry Bessemer in England. Both Kelly and Bessemer eventually sold their patents, and the process was subsequently known as the Bessemer process. Pictured here is a State #Archives images of a Bessemer converters. -  www.pastatearchives.com