Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania
Although Swedes and Dutch were the first European settlers, William Penn, a Quaker, named Pennsylvania in honor of his father by combining the name Penn and the Latin term sylvania, which translates as "woodlands," to come up with "Penn's woodlands." Known as the "Keystone State," Pennsylvania is one of the original 13 colonies (it entered the Union in 1787). Today, two major cities dominate the state--Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, and a thriving metropolitan area, and Pittsburgh, a busy inland river port. The Amish, a group of people who live without the use of modern technology, live in the countryside of Pennsylvania. The capital is Harrisburg and the state bird is the ruffed grouse. ... [Read More]
Dutch
Captain Dutch graduated from the University of Illinois in 1983 with a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering. In 1993, he graduated with distinction from the College of Naval Command and Staff of the United States Naval War College, which he completed via correspondence while stationed in Puerto Rico. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Society of American Military Engineers, and has been a registered Professional Engineer since 1985. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Coast Guard Commendation Medal with three gold stars, and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal. ... [Read More]
Chronology : The Germans in America (European Reading Room, Library of Congress)
1821 - The Germanic custom of having a specially decorated tree at Christmas time was introduced to America by Pennsylvania Dutch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Later in the century, the Pennsylvania Dutch version of St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas, evolved into America's Santa Claus, popularized by a German immigrant and influential political cartoonist, Thomas Nast. The Easter bunny and Easter eggs were also brought to this country by German immigrants. ... 1626 - Peter Minuit, a German, came to New Amsterdam to serve as the governor of the Dutch colony, New Netherlands. Later he governed the Swedish colony in Delaware. ... [Read More]
Map Machine: Atlas @ nationalgeographic.com
Still heavily industrialized, Pennsylvania produces much of the nation’s steel, but health care and other services employ more workers. Tourism revolves around Philadelphia, the Pocono and Allegheny Mountains, and Pennsylvania Dutch country, home to the plain-living Amish and Mennonites. Forests cover 60 percent of the state and yield the Northeast’s largest supply of hardwood timber products. ... [Read More]
George Korson Collection
George Gershon Korson (1899-1967), one of the first collectors and interpreters of American industrial folklore, became interestedin the folk culture of Pennsylvania coal miners in 1924 while a reporter for the Pottsville Republican. His initial collection of mining songs and ballads appeared in the United Mine Workers Journal and was probably the first folklore study to bepublished in an American trade union periodical. Korson continuedas a journalist for eastern newspapers and for the American RedCross and wrote an influential series of books, pamphlets, andarticles drawn from field research. In 1946 Korson collected forthe Archive of Folk Culture over fifty mining songs, ballads, andfiddle tunes in the anthracite regions of Pennsylvania (AFS7,978-8,017). In addition, the Library of Congress has duplicatcd recordings deriving from two of Korson's field studies. The firstgroup (AFS 12,010-12,012) consists of 100 songs and ballads largely from the bituminous coal regions of Appalachi ... [Read More]
The Eastern District of Pennsylvania
In contrast to the urban character of its largest city, the district's eight other counties, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northhampton, reflect a mixture of settings and cultures. With the completion of a new interstate highway and the redevelopment of its regional airport, the Lehigh Valley cities of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton are now in a position to reap the benefits of the suburban expansion that has been occurring across the country. Chester, Montgomery and Bucks counties have recognized significant growth in both residential and business development based in large part to the success of the technology and retail industries. Lancaster county, with its farms and rolling hills, remains home to the Pennsylvania Dutch, farmers, tradesmen and other artisans who supply all of the district's communities with fresh produce, new home construction, crafts and many other products. ... [Read More]
America as a Religious Refuge: the 17th Century - PART 2 (Religion and the Founding of the American Republic, Library of Congress Exhibition)
For some decades Jews had flourished in Dutch-held areas of Brazil, but a Portugueseconquest of the area in 1654 confronted them with the prospect of the introduction of the Inquisition, which had already burned a Brazilian Jew at the stake in 1647. A shipload of twenty-three Jewish refugees from Dutch Brazil arrived in New Amsterdam (soon to become New York) in 1654. By the next year, this small community had established religious services in the city. By 1658 Jews had arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, also seeking religious liberty. Small numbers of Jews continued to come to the British North American colonies, settling mainly in the seaport towns. By the time of the Declaration of Independence, Jewish settlers had established several thriving synagogues. ... [Read More]
Tourism: Lakes, Streams, Fishing & Boating in Pennsylvania's 12th District
Dutch Fork Creek - Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only - 1.8 miles; From the first bridge (S.R. 0070) upstream of the Columbia Gas Compressor Station downstream to the Dutch Fork Lake backwaters. ... Approved Trout Waters (stocked): Aunt Clara Fork, Canonsburg Lake, Dutch Fork Creek, Dutch Fork Lake, Enlow Fork, Kings Creek, Little Chartiers Creek, Millers Run, Mingo Creek, Pike Run, Ten Mile Creek (from S.R. 18 downstream to S.R. 19), Templeton Fork. ... Bentleyville Reservoir, Bentleyville, 5 acres, bass, pan fish, trout. Canonsburg Lake, Canonsburg, 75 acres, bass, muskie, pan fish, trout, walleye. Cross Creek Lake, Hickory, 258 acres, bass, pan fish, walleye. Dutch Fork Lake, Claysville, 91 acres, bass, muskie, pan fish, trout, walleye. Games Lands 245, East Finley, 3 acres, bass, pan fish. ... [Read More]
Susie Witter Bio
Susie Witter hails from Pennsylvania Dutch country - Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She holds a Masters degree in Human Resource Development from George Washington University and a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. She also holds a lifetime designation of Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) conferred by the Society of Human Resource Management. ... [Read More]
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