12 Moments Everyone Born In Pennsylvania Will Always Remember
By Beth Price-Williams|Published February 28, 2018
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Pennsylvania’s past is ripe with unforgettable moments. Some we experienced firsthand. Others we have heard about from grandparents, parents, and even teachers. Many of those moments have become burned in our collective memories. Here are 12 moments in Pennsylvania history we all remember if we grew up here.
1. The original Punxsutawney Phil is born in 1887. To this day, Phil makes an appearance every Groundhog Day to predict whether we’ll have an early spring or six more weeks of winter.
3. Mister Rogers Neighborhood, filmed in Pittsburgh, debuts on February 19, 1968. It remains on the air, minus a three year break, until August 31, 2001. Fred Rogers dies less than two years later on February 27, 2003.
4. Three Mile Island experiences the worst accident at a nuclear power plant in the United States to date. On March 28, 1979, the nuclear core of one of the plant’s reactors partially melts down. Thousands of Pennsylvanians evacuate the area to avoid potential exposure to radiation.
5. More than a dozen tornadoes touch town in Pennsylvania on May 31, 1985. The first tornado hits just before 5 p.m. in Albion, killing 12. Approximately, 73 people lose their lives in the tornadoes.
6. Budd Dwyer, the Treasurer of Pennsylvania, calls a press conference prior to being sentenced for myriad of crimes, including conspiracy and perjury. Dwyer, who consistently professes his innocence, commits suicide by shooting himself as cameras roll live on January 22, 1987.
8. Pennsylvania plunges into a deep freeze in January 1994. Philadelphia experiences its worst ice storm in history to date. Erie’s temperatures dip to below 18 degrees Fahrenheit. And, the Blizzard of ’94 dumps 15 inches of snow in Western Pennsylvania.
9. Passengers on hijacked United Flight 93 attempt to overtake their attackers on September 11, 2001. As the plane heads toward Washington DC, passengers break into the cockpit. The plane crashes into a field in Shanksville, killing all on board.
10. Nine coal miners become trapped in Quecreek Mine in Somerset County on July 24, 2002. Rescuers work feverishly to rescue the coal miners. On July 28, all men are rescued from 240 below the ground.
11. The tranquility of the Amish community shatters on October 6, 2006. A gunman murders 10 Amish schoolchildren at West Nickel Mines Amish School near Lancaster.
What are some other moments in Pennsylvania history you would like to see added to a part two of this list? Click here to read about nine things you probably didn’t know about Pennsylvania history.
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