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What’s Blue and Gold, and Read All Over?

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You can help put Pennsylvania history on display, as the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is looking for nominations for its historical marker program.  Pennsylvania’s landscape is dotted with more than 2,600 of those familiar blue and gold markers, and program coordinator Karen Galle doesn’t expect to run out of qualified nominees anytime soon.  “Every year there’s something new that comes in that’s really intriguing and something that’s a little known fact but very significant,” Galle tells Radio PA.

This year’s application deadline is September 1st, and Galle says each one is judged on its own merits by a rotating panel of Pennsylvania historians.  “The main thing is that the subject has statewide and/or national historical significance, rather than local or regional.”  About 30% of the nominees make the cut on any given year.    

That subject can be a person, place, event or innovation.  For instance, the list of last year’s approved markers includes: the nation’s oldest natural sciences research institution, the birthplace of commercial ice cream in York County and several high-profile architects.    

Applicants or sponsoring organizations are responsible for the cost of making and installing the historical markers.  That could run from $1,400 – $1,875.

History Goes Mobile In Pennsylvania

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You can use your smart phone to connect to Pennsylvania history. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s web site has gone mobile. You can now use it when you’re on the road to find and explore nearby state-owned historic sites.

Spokesman Howard Pollman says you just need to put  www.patrailsofhistory.com your mobile browser and you’ll be directed to the site. He says they made a commitment to develop a mobile optimized web site.  He says it makes it easier for people to find state-owned historic sites near them, and find out how to get to them.

Pollman says it uses geolocation to find the nearest site closest to the users.  It will allow them to plot turn by turn directions to the site. He says since many visitors like to do things thematically; the site is divided into categories such as military or industrial sites.

Pollman says they are also able to put in events at the sites in real time.  He says they realize this is a tool people will use while they’re on the road.

As a bonus, the commission is offering 2 dollars off general adult admission at its sites this month if you show the mobile site on your phone at check in.

Pollman says they chose not to do an app; they wanted to make it as accessible as possible. He says they didn’t want someone to have to download something.  He says if you put the address into your mobile phone, it will automatically redirect to the mobile site.