Lebanon County’s contributions to the American Revolution were discussed during a lecture celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the nation’s birth on July 4, 1776.
History
Who Knew? The Alden Villa connection to James Garfield
Cornwall historian Bruce Chadbourne examines how President James Garfield’s 79-day suffering after his July 1881 assassination affected Lebanon Valley residents, including craftsmen working on Alden Villa who memorialized his death in a hidden inscription.
Hebron Moravian Cemetery receives historic designation from commonwealth
Pennsylvania designated the Hebron Moravian Cemetery, which contains graves from the Revolutionary War and French and Indian War, as a state historical site as the first step toward potential national recognition.
A stone from Mount Gretna tops the historic obelisk at Penn State
Red sandstone, sourced from Mount Gretna in the late 1800s, has sat atop a historic Penn State landmark since its creation.
1916 map of Mt. Gretna reveals amusements from another era
A 1916 property map of Mount Gretna Park reveals a once-thriving amusement destination developed by railroad magnate Robert H. Coleman in 1884 that featured attractions like a carousel, bowling alley, lake, and auditorium, though most structures have since disappeared.
Lebanon Farmers Market to host Blue-Eyed 6 ghost tours through October
Guests can book a historical and spooky tour of the market, built on the foundation of the old county jail that housed the six Lebanon County men accused of murder.
Lebanon County native James Lick’s business success propelled by lost love
James Lick was one of Lebanon County’s most famous sons who contributed greatly to the betterment of society during his lifetime.
Take a look at Lebanon County through a digital reproduction of tattered 1875 atlas
Lebanon County was a very different place when F.W. Beers published his atlas of the region 150 years ago.
Who Knew? The Robert Spring Affair
Historical documents show how Philadelphia book dealer and notorious Washington signature forger Robert Spring found an unlikely patron in Lebanon’s George Coleman during his final years.
Before ‘Friends in Low Places,’ Garth Brooks wowed Richland crowd for $6,500
July 14, 1990, country legend Garth Brooks performed at the Richland Carnival, visiting Lebanon County as his fame began to skyrocket.
How Mount Gretna went from a ‘howling wilderness’ to a ‘paradise for visitors’
When the Colebrook Valley Railroad added Mount Gretna to the map in 1883, the area was untouched, untamed and—until that moment—unnamed.
Who Knew? A brilliant mind
James Curtis Booth, a pioneering American chemist and first U.S. Mint refiner, formed a notable friendship with Pennsylvania’s prominent Coleman family during an 1843 summer stay at their Elizabeth Furnace estate.
Lebanon County’s northern tier was once a hotel haven for road-weary travelers
Northern Lebanon County was home to numerous hotels, motels, and tourist homes in the 1900s, and were said to have been visited by celebrities.
Lebanon HS graduate remembered as popular singer in the 1950s and ’60s
Despite humble beginnings performing at the Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Jackie Christoff Jankowski — stage name Lynn Christie — found success as a singer, performing in Japan, Buenos Aires, Canada, and throughout the United States during the ’50s and ’60s.
Lebanon Valley College’s first Black graduate made campus history in 1902
In 1898, Alfred Charles Sumner traveled from his home of Sierra Leone to Lebanon, Pennsylvania to enroll in Lebanon Valley College (LVC). He would soon become the first Black graduate of the college.














