OLIVER EVANS CHAPTER

Author: Muriel K, Veep

  • Myths about the Homestead Strike and Steel Unionization

    SIA Iron and Steel Special Interest Group virtual presentation Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 5:00 The Homestead Strike of 1892 was a violent labor dispute in Homestead, Pennsylvania, where Carnegie Steel Company manager Henry Frick locked out workers following wage disputes, culminating in a deadly battle between strikers and private Pinkerton guards. The strike ended in…

  • First Paper Maker in America: 1690

    Firstival: First Paper Maker in America: 1690Saturday, June 27, 11am-1pmRittenhouseTown, Philadelphia We take paper for granted now. But in the late 1600s, when Pennsylvania’s founder William Penn recruited German papermaker and preacher William Rittenhouse to manufacture the writing parchment in the New World, paper was a luxury. Rittenhouse started a paper mill, and that paper,…

  • The Development of the Colonial Iron Industry

    The Development of the Colonial Iron Industry A lecture by Jim PolczynskiTuesday evening, July 14, 2026, at 7:00 pm The Cornwall Iron Furnace is a striking example of a cold-blast furnace’s operations during revolutionary times, but it is only one part of a much larger story. This presentation explores the development of ironmaking in the…

  • Flash! Bang! Boom!

    American Chemical Society presents Webinar: Flash! Bang! Boom!Thursday, July 2, 2026 | 1:30pm-3pm Despite their fleeting brilliance, fireworks have shaped global celebrations, political spectacle, and scientific innovation for centuries. Whether you are celebrating the 4th of July with fireworks or simply watching from afar, pyrotechnics offer a fascinating window into world history, culture, and the…

  • Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society 

    The Philadelphia Chapter will be conducting their monthly meeting, in-person, at the Drexel Hill United Methodist Church (600 Burmont Road / Drexel Hill, PA  19026).  The meeting will be simulcast on the Zoom meeting service (Zoom invitation below). Time: Sat, Jun 20, 2026 10:45 AM Eastern Time AGENDA10:30 AM:  Facility Opens (Vendor Setup)11:00 AM:  Modelers…

  • Ride a historic steam train with Abraham Lincoln

    Ride a historic steam train with Abraham Lincoln at this America 250 celebration in York CountyJune 27 & 28, 2026 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The free event at Northern Central Railway will feature train rides, historical reenactors, live music, exhibits and family activities. Visitors can ride a steam train, meet historical figures and…

  • Room Change for Historic Upper Delaware River Bridges

    The program will be in Rooms 405 and 406 on the 4th floor of the library. Access is only by the public elevators in the lobby, which should open at 5:30 p.m. Fastest entry point will be through the main entrance on Vine Street. The elevators are located to the right of the grand staircase…

  • Reminder: Historic Upper Delaware River Bridges

    Wednesday June 10, 2026, 6:00-8:00 p.m:an illustrated talk by Robert P. Thomas, AIA Join us for a slide-show adventure to the scenic Upper Delaware River above tidewater at Trenton NJ and its historic bridges up to Port Jervis NY.  We’ll learn not only about the bridges’ details and many of their wooden predecessors, but also…

  • Historic Upper Delaware River Bridges from the Delaware Water Gap to Trenton

    N.J.’s Riegelsville Bridge spans the Delaware River and gives a glimpse to our past. Wednesday June 10, 2026, 6:00-8:00 p.m:an illustrated talk by Robert P. Thomas, AIA Join us for a slide-show adventure to the scenic Upper Delaware River above tidewater at Trenton NJ and its historic bridges up to Port Jervis NY.  We’ll learn…

  • Open House at Belmont Water Treatment Plant

     Saturday, June 6, 2026  10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is opening its doors to the public for an open house and drinking water treatment plant tours on Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The event will take place at the department’s Belmont Water Treatment Plant, 4300 W Ford…