Philadelphia may be known for its historic landmarks, but there’s so much more to discover throughout Pennsylvania beyond this city limits. From Revolutionary War battle sites to Al Capone-related destinations – here are eight must-see historical places in Pennsylvania you should make time to see on your next vacation!
At this living history museum, relive Pennsylvania German heritage and culture through costumed guides who explain local lore while skilled artisans demonstrate traditional crafts and open hearth cooking techniques.
Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Pennsylvania boasts 169 National Historic Landmarks, but none is more renowned than this park, featuring Fort Necessity reconstructed, the Great Meadows where George Washington encountered French soldiers, and Jumonville Glen where an incident that led directly to World War One began.
This park contains the grave of British General Edward Braddock, who died as a result of wounds received at the Battle of Monongahela in 1755 and is commemorated with a monument near an area once known as Braddock Road – now part of U.S. Route 40 – near which his burial took place.
A small visitor center within the park provides visitors with an introduction to the French and Indian War and its significance.
Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
This National Park Service attraction in Philadelphia pays homage to Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko. A military engineer by profession, Kosciuszko designed effective fortifications that helped American colonists win independence from Britain in 1776.
Visitors to Kosciuszko’s historic townhouse can see where he lived and hosted notable guests, including Chief Little Turtle and Thomas Jefferson.
McDougall notes that although the museum may seem outdated, efforts are underway to bring in additional artifacts and focus on Kosciuszko as an international freedom fighter rather than just Revolutionary War hero. Additionally, there is a six-minute animated video detailing his life that is voiced and animated in Polish.
Bushy Run Battlefield
On August 5, 1763 near Bushy Run Creek (Westmoreland County), Delaware, Shawnee, Mingo and Wyandot Indian warriors attacked Colonel Henry Bouquet’s relief expedition for Fort Pitt. Bouquet prevailed against them – an event historian Francis Parkman described as one of “one of the finest battles contested between white men and Indians”.
This site boasts a museum and several reconstructed buildings from World War I such as barracks, storehouse and officers’ quarters. Furthermore, the battlefield remains topographically intact to allow visitors to visualize both combatant positions and maneuvers on both sides.
Self-guided tours are available, along with reenactments, lectures and sutler demonstrations. It is the only historic site dedicated solely to Pontiac’s Rebellion in Pennsylvania.
Carpenters’ Hall
Carpenters’ Hall was established by the Carpenters Company trade guild to serve its members’ needs: sharing information, determining work’s value, honing architectural skills and helping indigent craftsmen.
In 1774, this building hosted the First Continental Congress as representatives from across Britain rallied against Britain’s “Intolerable Acts.” That meeting is considered by historians to mark the moment when American delegates began thinking of themselves as one nation under God.
This Georgian-style building showcases breathtaking brickwork with a checker board pattern created by blackening each end of each brick. Additionally, this hall houses a collection of archive materials as well as two original Windsor chairs.
Fort Roberdeau
Daniel Roberdeau set out in 1778 from central Pennsylvania’s Historic Site and Rustic Natural Area to search, mine, and smelt lead which would provide ammunition during the Revolutionary War.
His starfort was constructed to facilitate his lead mining and smelting operation in one of North America’s most volatile areas, where Patriots battled Tories and their Indian allies. It features a reconstructed stockade, 1858 barn with exhibits, museum shop, White Oak Hall, nature trails and picnic facilities on its 230-acre tract.
There’s plenty to see here–just make sure that you plan ahead for the weather as this fort can become quite muddy!
Strasburg Rail Road
Trip to this Pennsylvania historical site gives visitors a rare chance to view America’s oldest railroad, built as far back as 1832 but eventually abandoned until being revived into tourist service in 2006.
Now featuring locomotives from Great Western Railway’s 2-10-0 No. 90 and Norfolk & Western’s 4-8-0 No. 475 as well as Canadian National’s 2-6-0 No. 89 and 0-6-0 No. 31 to run smaller trains during off-season services.
Trackside picnic groves and Carpenter’s Crossing provide convenient spots from which to watch railway activity in the park, while Bowman’s Hill Tower, Revolutionary War soldiers’ graves and stone memorials offer additional points of interest.
