Keystone Wayfarer

09/01/2026

What if a place could be important enough to be officially recognized as part of history—and still disappear?

Here in southeastern Pennsylvania, buildings and bridges were placed on the National Register of Historic Places because they mattered. They told stories. They connected communities to the past. And then they were gone.

This week, Keystone Wayfarer follows Pennsylvania places that were once considered worth remembering—and what happened when that wasn't enough.

Five years ago this month, the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida moved through Pennsylvania. It brought torrential rain and catastrophic flooding to the Perkiomen Valley, inundating Main Street in Schwenksville and many of its neighboring communities. I was home from work that day. Like most people in....

08/25/2026

What does a modern data center have in common with an eighteenth-century Pennsylvania grist mill? It’s an unexpected connection, but one that makes more sense the deeper you look.

The newest story from Keystone Wayfarer is now online.

Over the past several months, I’ve watched neighbors gather at township meetings, line front yards with protest signs, and fill social media with petitions opposing proposed data centers. The conversations are passionate. The concerns are real. And in community after community, the same question k...

08/23/2026

For the first time, A Letter To... is coming to you this way.

Rather than gathering in a room to hear the letter, this month's story has been recorded so it can be shared with anyone, anywhere.

August 23 may seem like an ordinary date on the calendar. But spend a little time looking at what has happened on this day, and you'll discover a surprising collection of stories—some famous, some nearly forgotten, and some that remind us that history isn't always about the moments that make the headlines.

So settle in for a nearly 20-minute journey through August 23.

And be sure to stay until the end. I'll reveal the subject of the next A Letter To...—and if you're a Philadelphia Eagles fan, you may want to stick around.

08/18/2026

History tells us exactly how old someone was when they died. What made their lives matter is often much harder to measure. Sometimes it’s a lifetime of faith and perseverance. Other times, it’s something as simple as sharing a handful of dried corn meant to feed turtles.

This week, Keystone Wayfarer brings together the stories of two remarkable women. One is a story from history. The other is a story from my own childhood.

To everyone who follows Keystone Wayfarer, thank you for being here. Every like, comment, share, and subscription helps these stories find their way to more people.

Two weeks ago, a woman who was part of my childhood passed away at the age of 100. Like so many people who are part of our childhoods, Barbara Grass eventually became someone I hadn’t seen in years. Not because anything happened. Life simply kept moving.

08/11/2026

Sometimes the stories we think we know turn out to be much bigger than we imagined.

This week's story began with a simple question about a forgotten family story. It ended with an unexpected journey through Pennsylvania's vaudeville past.

From Philadelphia's grand theaters to a local performer who found national fame, this week's journey explores the people, places, and performances that helped shape one of America's greatest entertainment traditions.

At least once a week, I drive up Smith Road to visit the Target on Ridge Pike. It’s such a familiar routine that I rarely stop to think about what stood there years ago. Long before shoppers pushed carts through the automatic doors, this site was home to the Hi-Way Drive-In.

08/04/2026

People often describe an old house as having "good bones." The more stories I write, the more I've come to believe the same can be said for history itself.

Maybe good bones aren't just timber and stone. Maybe they're the families who quietly cared for a place, repaired what needed fixing, and passed it on to the next generation without ever imagining they were preserving history.

Today's story is about one of those places.

Home is where the heart is. It’s a saying we’ve all heard, but for anyone who owns an older home, the words carry an even deeper meaning. We know it isn’t always easy. Every repair reminds us that these houses were cared for long before we arrived. The work is rarely simple, but few things are...

07/31/2026

Wayfarer Almanac: On this day in 1790, the United States issued its first patent, granting Philadelphia inventor Samuel Hopkins exclusive rights to an improved method of producing potash and pearl ash, materials used in fertilizer, soap, glassmaking, and other everyday products.

At the time, there was no Patent Office. Instead, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph reviewed patent applications, while President George Washington signed the approved patents. A dedicated U.S. Patent Office would follow a few years later, laying the foundation for one of the world's oldest and most influential patent systems.

# **The Birth of American Innovation: Samuel Hopkins and the First ...

07/28/2026

Keystone Wayfarer is taking a short break this week while work continues behind the scenes on new stories, new features, and some exciting things planned for this fall and beyond. Planning for 2027 is already underway, and I can't wait to share what's coming.

In the meantime, this is a great opportunity to revisit a favorite story or discover one you may have missed. With more than 100 Pennsylvania stories already published, there's always another road waiting to be explored.

Thank you for being part of the Keystone Wayfarer community. Whether you've been here since the beginning or just found us recently, your support, comments, and shares mean the world.

We'll see you back on the road next week. Until then... happy travels!

07/21/2026

Saint Peter's Village looks like a place pulled from a postcard. Behind its stone buildings, rushing creek, and towering boulders is a history most visitors never realize they're walking through.

In less than two months, the entire historic village is scheduled to be sold at absolute auction. There's no better time to look back at the history that made it one of Pennsylvania's most unique places.

Let us know what you think of the story!

A few weeks ago, news broke that historic Saint Peter’s Village was going up for sale. While the announcement naturally sparked conversation about the property’s future, it also raised a question few people stop to ask: Why is there a village here at all?

07/14/2026

Have you ever been inspired to stop, maybe even turn around completely, to check out something along the roadside?

That simple question of “I wonder what’s there?” is where discovery begins.

Keystone Wayfarer is built on curiosity — slowing down, looking closer, and uncovering the stories hidden in the places we pass every day.

This week, that curiosity led to Ellis Woods Cemetery — a small roadside cemetery where the soldiers resting there may remain unknown, but their service and sacrifice have not been forgotten.

If you enjoy stories like these, consider subscribing to Keystone Wayfarer and never miss a story.

Two weeks ago, temperatures climbed above 100 degrees, forcing many of us to rethink our daily routines. We put off what could wait until cooler hours, looking for small moments of relief—a cool room, a cold drink, or simply a break from the sun. For most of us, those adjustments were enough to ma...