Marking Pennsylvania History

Moving Markers into the 21st Century

The Second World War had just ended. Liberty had been defended and preserved. Philadelphia, long known for its industrial might ("The Arsenal of Democracy") was beginning to reawaken as a center of history ("the Cradle of Liberty"). From Valley Forge to Independence Hall, there was plenty of history to mark in a statewide program of cast aluminum, atop blue stanchions.

More than fifty years later, this marker program has peppered the state with 2,000 chapters from the past. Now, this 19th-century technology is being catapulted into the 21st century with a new website, ExplorePAhistory. Thanks to technology and vision in how to apply it, the too-brief words on the markers themselves will tell more and reach farther than ever before.

Many, many stories are told on ExplorePAhistory. There's the Vision and Legacy of William Penn, the story of Jazz, the Underground Railroad, Anthracite, the Environment and more. In al, eleven marker themes replete with graphics, travel information, lesson plans, audio pieces and video clips are now accessible. Over time, forty-five stories will be presented.

ExplorePAhistory is the brainchild of our sister public broadcasting station in Harrisburg, WITF, which serves as the project's managing partner. Other sponsors and collaborating institutions include the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (which manages the marker program) to the funders, tourism agencies, and educators who make assure that this new media project will be known and useful in many sectors of our communities.

At WHYY, we are literally in the shadow of Independence Hall, at the center of Philadelphia historic district. Our role in ExplorePAhistory, the production of 35 marker profiles for radio and the website, explores this history but also finds it throughout our listening area. There are more than 400 historic markers in our region. You can tune in to these broadcast profiles every Tuesday morning on 91FM at 6:33AM and 8:33 AM.

- Kenneth FInkel, Executive Director of WHYY's Arts & Culture Service

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