History
Of Course the World’s First Selfie Was Taken in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is a city of many national firsts. First zoo. First computer. First row houses. First stock exchange. First lending library. First volunteer fire squad. […]
The Right Side of History?
We Americans are a fairly history-minded people. No, we don’t always know our history as well as we should—but the history we do know often […]
Can USA250 Make Philly the Star of America’s 250th Birthday?
I was 13 years old in 1976—not exactly a budding patriot, but a good enough student of American history by that point to understand that […]
What Can Philly Learn From Kansas City?
Philadelphia was once the biggest, baddest town in North America. We were once second only to London in size in the English-speaking world. The national […]
Philadelphia Almost Victim of Nuclear Bomb Accident
According to a new book from Eric Schlosser — the investigative journalist behind the books Fast Food Nation and Reefer Madness — Philadelphia almost fell […]
WATCH: Have You Seen “Ask a Slave”?
Have you seen “Ask a Slave”? The new web comedy series “hosted by the plucky Lizzie Mae, housemaid to George and Martha Washington,” according to […]
In the 1980s, Jodie Foster Touched the Bottom of This Home’s Pool
If ever there were a dubious selling point for a property, it’s this: One scene in the movie Stealing Home was filmed there. Not that […]
Introducing the Philadelphia Public History Truck
Last week, I heard that Philadelphia was getting the Philadelphia Public History Truck. I wasn’t sure what a Philadelphia Public History Truck was, or why […]
Sam Katz Meets Kickstarter Goal, Will Finish Emmy-Nominated Doc on Philly History
With three days to go, onetime mayoral candidate Sam Katz has met his Kickstarter goal of raising $53,000 to continue making his documentary series, Philadelphia: […]
Ben Franklin Museum Ready to Re-Open
AP reports the new Benjamin Franklin Museum will open Aug. 24. The 7,000-square-foot underground facility had opened in 1976 at the downtown site where Franklin’s […]
How 3,000 Desecrated Black Graves Were Found, and Saved, in South Philly
What if 3,000 Italian or Irish or Jewish or Polish men, women and children from one of the most pivotal periods of American history were […]
Philadelphia’s 5 Most Disastrous Independence Days
Happy birthday, America! Tomorrow — or, really, yesterday — you will turn 237 years old. Honestly, you don’t look a day over 192. Independence Day, […]
Philadelphia Was America’s “Sin City” in the 18th Century
At least, that’s what a new piece at Huffington Post suggests: After the Revolutionary War Philadelphia experienced a sexual golden age, replete with casual sex […]
Sam Katz Takes on Frank Rizzo (Again)
The next installment of your 12-part history of Philly airs on 6 ABC this month [7:30 p.m., June 20]. Why focus on 1965 to 1978—a.k.a. […]
BuzzFeed Discovers Beloved Philly Dog Who Was “Sentenced” to Jail
And when I say “discover,” I mean it in the same way that I might say Christoper Columbus discovered America. BuzzFeed, meet Pep. Pep, you’re […]