Category: history

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Historical Society Program May 11th

For our May meeting, presented via live stream on Facebook and YouTube on May 11 at 7:30 pm, John Buffington will talk about the history of Frankford Arsenal, a National Historic Register site, which also has 9 buildings specifically listed on the Philadelphia Historic Register, from the near-disaster of American military inadequacy in the War of 1812, through base closure in 1971 and privatization in 1977, to current status, threats, and opportunities.
As always, we invite you to comment and post questions in either platform’s comment section, however this time we will do something a little different. At the close we will invite viewers to post questions and comments to be addressed live about the potential for the Historical Society of Frankford to intervene more aggressively in situations like the current lamentable state of Buildings 2 and 3 at the Arsenal. So please stay tuned to the end, especially if you think that we aren’t doing enough on preservation emergencies.
Find it on their Facebook page or follow this link to YouTube:  link
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The Civil War and the Santa Fe Trail

THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC (G.A.R.) CIVIL WAR MUSEUM
Presents a New Program via ZOOM 
Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.
              “The Civil War and the Santa Fe Trail (at its 200th Anniversary)”
By Deb Goodrich, historian, author, researcher, preservationist and Museum member.
The Santa Fe Trail was among the first international trade routes in the United States. While the main route led from the new state of Missouri to Santa Fe in the newly liberated country of Mexico, feeder trails came from ports in the Northeast and New Orleans. It became the “interstate highway” of the time and an important military road. As such, it was the scene of incidents during Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War that, while being far from the center of the War in the East, was nonetheless an integral piece of that conflict.
Deb Goodrich is the Chair of the Santa Fe Trail 200, the bicentennial of this historic route to be commemorated between 2021-2025. She is the Garvey Texas Foundation Historian in Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum, Wallace, KS, and the host of Around Kansas TV Show. Deb has appeared in numerous documentaries including The American Experience and AHC’s Gunslingers. She is the author of Kansas Forts and Bases (with Michelle Martin) and The Civil War in Kansas. Deb is writing a biography of Vice President Charles Curtis, enrolled in the Kaw Nation and first Republican Senate Majority Leader.
Please send a request to reserve a virtual seat for this outstanding presentation by replying to this e-mail at
You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the program within 24 hours of the start of the presentation.
As a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today!  We very much appreciate your continued support for the GAR Civil War Museum
A FREE virtual program online 
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC MUSEUM & LIBRARY
Historic Ruan Mansion • 4278 Griscom Street• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124 •

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The Importance of the 1860 Election of Abraham Lincoln

THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC (G.A.R.) CIVIL WAR MUSEUM & LIBRARY
Presents a New Program via ZOOM 
SECOND Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.

“The Importance of the 1860 Election of Abraham Lincoln”
by historian and Lincoln scholar and former president of the G.A.R. Museum Hugh Boyle.
Every four years when we elect a President, a cry goes out that this election is the most important in American history.  The election of 1860 was the most important. With a war looming, and four failed years of James Buchanan, and states leaving the union. There is hardly an argument about the importance of this election. Abraham Lincoln a backwoods lawyer from the west, surprised the country with his nomination. We will look at how he got that nomination and how he won the election. Lincoln only received 40% of the total votes. So, he was not popular, but he would bring this country again and end slavery. He is noted as our best and greatest president. Find out what he brought to the presidency to accomplish that.

Hugh Boyle is the president of the Delaware Valley Civil War round table, past President and Executives Director of the Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and Library, former member of the Abraham Lincoln Foundation of the Union League in Philadelphia, member of the faculty of the Civil War History Institute of Manor College where he teaches courses on Lincoln and other history subjects.  He has given lectures on the life and death of Abraham Lincoln as well as other Civil War topics.
Please send a request to reserve a virtual seat for this outstanding presentation by replying to this e-mail at
You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the program within 24 hours of the start of the presentation.
As a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today!  We very much appreciate your continued support for the GAR Civil War Museum & Library.
A FREE virtual program online 
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC MUSEUM & LIBRARY
Historic Ruan House • 4278 Griscom Street• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124 •
(215) 289-6484 • www.garmuslib.org
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G.A.R. ‘Women’s History Month’ in March

THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC (G.A.R.) CIVIL WAR MUSEUM & LIBRARY
Presents a New Program via ZOOM 
Sunday, March, 7, 2021 at 1:00 p.m..
The G.A.R. Museum & Library celebrates ‘Women’s History Month’ in March with a special presentation by a special guest speaker.
Women’s Lifestyles of the 1860’s – This program describes how women lived during the Civil War era and covers everything from society matrons to female spies.  Topics include fashion, health problems, career choices, and the “typical” lifestyle. 
by distinguished historian, author and awardee
Jane Peters Estes
Jane is a beloved figure in historical circles and has researched and written about many topics in her areas of interest, including: Christmas Past (Holiday Customs of the Victorian Era); Civil War Nurses; Fashions of the 1860’s; Grave Matters (Victorian Mourning Customs); Wedding Customs and Traditions; Vivandieres; Pets of the Past; The Battle of Gettysburg: Where Were the Women?; Lest We Forget:  The Origin & Traditions of Memorial Day; and many others.
For her outstanding efforts, she has been given awards by a number of institutions and organizations, including the Samuel P. Town, ‘Grand Army Award’ by the GAR Museum & Library, the Union League, American Legion Post 405; etc.
Please send a request to reserve a virtual seat for this outstanding presentation by replying to this e-mail at
garmuslib1866@gmail.com 
You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the program within 24 hours of the start of the presentation. 
As a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today!  We very much appreciate your continued support for the GAR Civil War Museum & Library
A FREE virtual program online 
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC MUSEUM & LIBRARY
Historic Ruan House • 4278 Griscom Street• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124 •
(215) 289-6484 • www.garmuslib.org
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Historical Society of Frankford Virtual Meeting December

The HSF held their annual holiday meeting online due to the unfortunate COVID situation we are all living through.

The historical subject of the program was a presentation by Philadelphia author Allen Hornblum on his most recent book about the story of Holmesburg Prison inmates who were baked alive in their punishment cells in 1938.  A bit heavy for the Christmas season but very interesting.