History lies almost forgotten among the low mountains and quaint towns of Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands. Tales of Titanic survivors, brilliant inventors and forgotten heroes are all a part of the region's dim past. Since the 1790s, the highlands have been home to a booming glass industry that spun out early windows and flasks and, later, beautifully cut pieces of art. The wonder of the World's Fair of 1893 was none other than Westmoreland's H.C. Frick Coke Co.'s replica of a modern mine. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, lush fields and meadows produced the country's finest whiskey, Monongahela Rye. Author Cassandra Vivian travels off the beaten path to explore the hidden history of the Laurel Highlands.

Once the beehive coke oven was perfected in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the coal and coke industry began to flourish and supply other fledgling industries with the fuel they needed to succeed. The thrust of this growth came from Henry Clay Frick, who opened his first coal mines in the Morgan Valley of Fayette County in 1871. There, he helped lead the industry, making it the major developmental force in industrial America. This book traces the birth and growth of the early coal and coke industry from 1870 to 1920, primarily in Fayette and Westmoreland Counties. Beyond Frick's importance to the industry, other major topics covered in this history include the lives and struggles of the miners and immigrants who worked in the industry, the growth of unions and the many strikes in the region, and the attempts to clean the surrounding waterways from the horrific pollution that resulted from industrial development. Perhaps the most significant fact is that this book uses primary sources contemporary with the golden age of the coal and coke industry. That effort offers an alternative view and helps repair the common portrayal of Frick as corrupt by showing his work as that of an industrial genius.

In From the Steel City to the White City, Zachary Brodt explores Western Pennsylvania’s representation at Chicago’s Columbian Exposition, the first major step in demonstrating that Pittsburgh was more than simply America’s crucible—it was also a region of developing culture and innovation. The 1893 Columbian Exposition presented a chance for the United States to prove to the world that it was an industrial giant ready to become a global superpower. At the same time, Pittsburgh, a commercial center that formerly served as a starting point for western expansion, found itself serving as a major transportation, and increasingly industrial, hub during this period of extensive growth. Natural resources like petroleum and coal allowed Western Pennsylvania to become one of the largest iron- and steel-producing regions in the world. The Chicago fairgrounds provided a lucrative opportunity for area companies not only to provide construction materials but to display the region’s many products. While Pittsburgh’s most famous contributions to the 1893 World’s Fair—alternating current electricity and the Ferris wheel—had a lasting impact on the United States and the world, other exhibits provided a snapshot of the area’s industries, natural resources, and inventions. The success of these exhibits, Brodt reveals, launched local companies into the twentieth century, ensuring a steady flow of work, money, and prestige.

Pittsburgh, PA is affectionately known as The Steel City and The ‘Burgh to locals, but there’s so much more to the renaissance city than just nicknames—and that includes all of the weird, wonderful, and obscure locations that make it an ideal place to visit and call home. Where can you find a road paved solely with wood or public steps that have actual street names? Is there a place in The Golden Triangle where 1 + 1 = 1? And what about putting french fries on a sandwich or pancakes fit for a U.S. President? Filled with tales of culture, history, and, of course, the bizarre, readers will delve into what makes Pittsburgh unique including an official name for the color of its prominent bridges, an acorn from space, the story behind the Pittsburgh parking chair, and even a museum dedicated to the macabre. Secret Pittsburgh is all about the stuff you simply can’t make up but would make for amazing fiction if it wasn’t. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a true “Yinzer,” travel writer and Pittsburgh resident Karyn Locke will help you find truth behind the stories and tales that keep folks coming back—and staying put.

Geared towards parents with children between the ages of two and twelve, Fun with the Family Pennsylvania features interesting facts and sidebars as well as practical tips about traveling with your little ones.

Secluded between Laurel Mountain and Chestnut Ridge, the Ligonier Valley has been the mountain playground of western Pennsylvania since the nineteenth century. Yet this picturesque retreat was at the tumultuous center of history--during the French and Indian War, Fort Ligonier was key to the British strategy, and in the late nineteenth century, the Ligonier Valley Rail Road helped transform the industry of the region. Author Jennifer Sopko traces the story of the valley and its residents through a series of fascinating vignettes. From the earliest histories to nostalgic reminiscences of the Ligonier Opera House, socials at the Valley Dairy ice cream parlor and bygone days at Idlewild Park, Sopko captures the history and spirit of the Ligonier Valley and its communities.