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Visit Pennsylvania's Historic Places
More than 1,000 museums and hundreds of historical sites tell of the Commonwealth’s rich, storied, and important past. Gettysburg and Philadelphia are best known, but the entire state is rich with historic preservation—as well as the kind of living history you can only find in a place that treasures its streetscapes and architecture. Pennsylvania boasts 30 National Park Service parks, trails, and landmarks.
And when you’re finished touring, great antique shops and local merchants offer unique, historic, and local merchandise. There are more than 130 farmers and artisans markets in Pennsylvania.
So when you get off the highway in Pennsylvania, you can truly take a trip to Unique!
History & Heritage Blog
Pittsburgh’s Best Distillery and the Whiskey Rebellion Trail
07/27/2019 - 12:00pmIn 1791, the federal government imposed its first tax on a domestic product: all distilled spirits. But American whiskey was by far the country’s most popular distilled beverage so what became known as “the whiskey tax” rapidly sparked civil disobedience, violence, tax evasion, and intimidation tactics throughout the western states and the front...
Read MoreExplore Gettysburg in July for the Annual Reenactment & More
07/06/2019 - 5:06pmA small town in south-central Pennsylvania suddenly found itself as the site of the Civil War’s climactic battle more than 150 years ago. The rural village, after four days that made it the bloodiest battle in American history, would become some of America’s most hallowed ground. Whether you’re seeking to immerse yourself in the histor...
Read MoreThe Keystone State & The National Park Service
06/18/2019 - 9:14amWhile the Keystone State boasts no official National Parks, we make up for it national battlefields, heritage areas, historic parks, forests, and trails that are all managed by the National Park Service. Exploring these locations and landmarks is a great way to experience both the natural landscape of PA and its rich history and herita...
Read MoreExplore History at the Ephrata Cloister
05/27/2019 - 9:52pmEstablished as a semi-monastic community with a convent in 1732, the pious and celibate members of the religious order led by Johann Conrad Beissel sought religious freedom in one of the only places that offered it in the world: Pennsylvania. Beissel’s celibate Brothers and S...
Read MoreVisit the Tower of Voices at the Flight 93 National Memorial
04/29/2019 - 9:05amAlmost twenty years ago, four commercial airliners were hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists. While two crashed into the World Trade Center towers and a third into the Pentagon, the fourth, United Flight 93, crashed into a common field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t until later that the complete and heroic story of Flight 93’s fi...
Read MoreExperience 16,000 Years of History at Meadowcroft
04/14/2019 - 9:24amExperience thousands of years of history in a single day at the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village. Dig into the archaeological evidence that led scientists to conclude the rockshelter had been continuously inhabited for 16,000 years and then experience rural life in the carefully recreated 19th century village of Meadowcroft...
Read MoreVisit Pennsylvania's Botanical Gardens this Spring
03/20/2019 - 8:52amThere isn’t a more beautiful time to explore Pennsylvania this spring as the state’s landscape transforms into a colorful tapestry of wildflowers, tulips, wisteria, and fragrant flowering trees. Although that landscape is large beyond measure, you can find Pennsylvania’s breathtaking botanical gardens and arboretums in every corner. Find out mor...
Read MoreCelebrate PA's 338th Birthday!
02/10/2019 - 3:09pmPennsylvania residents and visitors are invited to celebrate the commonwealth's 338th birthday on Charter Day, Sunday, March 10 with free admission to many historic sites and museums along the Pennsylvania Trails of History. Charter Day celebrates the founding of Pennsylvania and visitors have a rare opportunity to see the origi...
Read MorePA Farm Show - A Wintertime Favorite
12/29/2018 - 7:03pmThe Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest agricultural event in the nation, and it’s one of the capitol area’s wintertime favorites. Besides the judged food competitions, rodeos, wine tasting, and Dairymen’s milkshakes, the PA Farm Show is an important venue for knowledge-sharing in our state’s most profitable industry. Farmers have an opportuni...
Read MoreExplore Christkindlmarkts
12/01/2018 - 12:58pmThe Pennsylvania Dutch brought more than delicious food when they crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of a better life. Today, we can enjoy a holiday tradition deeply rooted in Europe: the Christkindlmarkt. Originating in Germany, the Christkindlmarkt was a way to celebrate the season and birth of Christ with food, drink, and artisanal products...
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