When it comes to researching genealogy and history, old newspapers are a goldmine of information. Unfortunately, finding these papers can be challenging, especially when working with new collections in a new area. While some commercial online databases and the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America offer substantial collections of publications, many more papers are unavailable through…
Students’ Research Project Sheds Light on Murder of Educator
During a recent semester, Lisa Hutchings, a student in my African American history class at Wilmington University, embarked on a research project that delved into the remarkable story of Stephen Handy Long and his impact on the education of Black children in Worcester County, MD. However, as she dug into primary and secondary sources, pored…
Mason-Dixon Line Interview: Scott Lamar, WITF
WITF’s Scott Lamar visited the Chester County Border on May 25, 2023, to do a Mason-Dixon Line interview about the history of one of the most famous boundaries in America with historian Mike Dixon. The boundary line between Pennsylvania and Maryland was disputed as early as the 1680s. An English team – Charles Mason and…
Murder in the 19th Century: A Look at the History of Crime Investigations
As church bells rang out, calling people to worship on a peaceful Sunday morning in February 1874, horrifying news about a dreadful, mysterious murder in Lower Penn’s Neck spread across Salem County. John Lloyd had discovered the battered, lifeless body of Abigail Dilks, his housekeeper, in the yard, soon after daybreak. Stunned, he gave the…