Hodge Podge: lectures, events, and blogs

I want to take a moment to once again thank the Shippensburg Civil War Roundtable, and the Mechanicsburg Museum Association for inviting me to speak to their organizations.  In September, I was invited to speak in Shippensburg about my ongoing research into the Emergency Militia of 1862.  It was a great thrill to not only return to the town of my alma mater, but to speak in the Cumberland Valley where so much of the stories I told took place exactly 150 years earlier.  It was a great honor to be able to tell the often overlooked story of those Keystone men.

Earlier this month, I spoke in Mechanicsburg about the Locust Grove Cemetery (a historic African American burial ground located in Shippensburg), and the preservation project to record, conserve, and commemorate such a priceless historic resource.  I had an opportunity to be a part of this project while studying Public History at Shippensburg University.  Click here to read more.  While it can be nerve wracking to prepare for such public talks, in the end, being able to share local history with others is always extremely rewarding.

In March, the Mechanicsburg Museum Association will be presenting two unique Sunday afternoon presentaions relating to Mechanicsburg during the summer of 1863.  Of course, in 1863, as in 1862, Pennsylvania was on high alert, but this time the Rebel army did indeed invade the Commonwealth.  In June of 1863, they made their way up through the Cumberland Valley, town by town, until finally capturing Mechanicsburg on June 28.  Hoping to use the town as a jump off point for an attack of the Pennsylvania capital of Harrisburg, less than 10 miles away, the Rebels were instead ordered to march south, and converge on Gettysburg.  Mechanicsburg and Harrisburg were spared.

On March 10, the Mechanicsburg Museum Association will be offering a lecture on Mechanicsburg Civil War era buildings, which are still numerous throughout the borough.  Click here for info. 
On March 17, Mechanicsburg Museum Association will be hosting the Mechanicsburg Main Street Committee as they discuss the many events being planned for the 150th Anniversary of the occupation of Mechanicsburg, this June.  Click here for more info.

Mechanicsburg Museum Association events take place at the historic Cumberland Valley Railroad station.

To stay on top of other Sesqucentenial events taking place in the Cumberland Valley this year be sure to check out the following pages:
Cumberland County 150
PA Civil War 150
Cumberland County Historical Society
Monterey Pass Battlefield
Shippensburg Historical Society
Mechanicsburg Museum Association

And finally, I wanted to take a minute to introduce to you the newly created blog of the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Office (PHPO).

Click here.  

As stated on the blog, "The role of the PHPO is to identify and protect the architectural and archaeological resources of Pennsylvania. Our responsibility is to work with individuals, communities, local governments, and state and federal agencies to educate Pennsylvanians about our heritage and its value, to build better communities through preservation tools and strategies, to provide strong leadership, both individually and through partnerships, and to ensure the preservation of Pennsylvania’s heritage."  The PHPO posts a new article every Wednesday on a range of subjects from archaeology to the National Register of Historic Places; from historical markers to preservation planning, and more.  Look for a post from yours truly in mid March.