1832 Cholera Outbreak in Philadelphia and Duffy’s Cut

Lately, there has been a fair amount of news coverage (“Fates Of Irish Workers Sealed In Mass Grave”, “Pennsylvania Ghost Story Leads to Murder Mystery”, "CNN Visits Penn Museum to Follow Story of "Duffy's Cut" Excavations in Malvern, PA") about the mystery surrounding “Duffy’s Cut,” a stretch of land in

Continue reading

A Philadelphia Artist

I’m currently processing the Campbell- Martin- Furlong Papers, a collection of papers that documents these three interrelated Catholic families as well as other related families such as the Kennedys and Jenkins.  Most of items are family correspondence, though some business and estate materials are also included. One member of the

Continue reading

The Day the Bronx Bomber Played in Kensington

Babe Ruth stepped up to the plate wearing an Ascension parish uniform   Baseball today seems more like a business than a sport. Americans look to the past as a simpler time when baseball was played for fun, not profit. These thoughts may just be nostalgic longing for a time

Continue reading

Historic Resting Place for Famous and Faithful

Commodore John Barry, father of the American Navy. George Meade, grandfather of Civil War hero General George Meade. Katrina, Philadelphia servant. Katrina? What does a servant girl have in common with these decorated war heroes and well-known patriots? They share a final resting place in Old St. Mary’s Cemetery where

Continue reading