I love sharing local history with audiences, whether in person, over the radio, on television or via social media. Please contact me if you are interested in having me as a guest speaker for your meeting, event or program!
Upcoming Public Presentations & Events
Idlewild: History and Memories of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Amusement Park
Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.
Northland Public Library
300 Cumberland Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15237
Website: https://www.northlandlibrary.org/
Where Industry and the Appalachians Meet: Western Pennsylvania’s Amusement Parks
Society for Commercial Archaeology 46th Annual Conference: “Amused in the Alleghenies”
Friday, June 2, 2023
Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel
55 West Bay Road, Erie, PA 16507
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/amused-in-the-alleghenies-registration-545410055157
Performers and Reformers: Amusement Parks in the Gilded Age
A Joint Program with Cecelia “Cece” Otto of American Songline
Friday, June 16, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Venango Museum of Art, Science and Industry
270 Seneca St, Oil City, PA 16301
Website: https://www.venangomuseum.org/
Idlewild: History and Memories of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Amusement Park
Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
Upper St. Clair Township Library
1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15241
Website: https://www.twpusc.org/departments/library/index.php
Indians, Industry and Idlewild: Western Pennsylvania’s Historic Ligonier Valley
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
Upper St. Clair Township Library
1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15241
Website: https://www.twpusc.org/departments/library/index.php
Past Public Presentations
“Idlewild: History and Memories of a Lincoln Highway Landmark”
• Lincoln Highway Experience Museum – Latrobe, PA (April 2023)
Lost Amusement Parks of Western Pennsylvania
• Redstone Highlands – Greensburg, PA (April 2023)
Historic Amusement Parks of Western Pennsylvania
• Delmont Public Library – Delmont, PA (September 2022)
“Indians, Industry and Idlewild: The Historic Ligonier Valley”
• Ross Mountain Club – New Florence, PA (August 2022)
“Lost Amusement Parks of Southwestern Pennsylvania
• Murrysville Community Library – Murrysville, PA (July 2022)
“Lost Amusement Parks of Western Pennsylvania: Roller Coaster Edition
• Carnegie Library of McKeesport – McKeesport, PA (June 2022)
“Lost Amusement Parks of Western Pennsylvania’s Mon Valley”
• Queen Aliquippa Chapter of the DAR – White Oak, PA (September 2022)
• McKeesport Regional History and Heritage Center – McKeesport, PA (May 2022)
“Lost Amusement Parks of Northwestern Pennsylvania”
• Erie County Public Library’s First Annual histERIE Week – Erie, PA (May 2022)
• Franklin Preservation at DeBence Antique Music Museum – Franklin, PA (April 2022)
“Where Industry and the Appalachians Meet: Creating Amusement Parks in Western Pennsylvania”
• Ephemera Society of America Annual Conference – Old Greenwich, CT (March 2022)
“Lost Amusement Parks of Western Pennsylvania”
• Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum Carrousel Chats Virtual Program (March 2022)
“Lost Trolley Parks of Western Pennsylvania”
• McKeesport Regional History and Heritage Center Virtual Program (January 2021)
• Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s Digital Fall Programming (October 2020)
• Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s Virtual West Penn Trolley Meet (June 2020)
“Idlewild: History and Memories of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Amusement Park”
• Cooper-Siegel Community Library – Fox Chapel, PA (August 2022)
• Latrobe Area Historical Society – Latrobe, PA (February 2022)
• Homer-Center Hist. Soc/Homer City Biz Assn./Homer-Center Lib. – Homer City, PA (October 2021)
• Norwin Public Library – Irwin, PA (July 2021)
• Murrysville Community Library – Murrysville, PA (June 2021)
• New Neighbors of Greensburg Luncheon at Antiochian Village – Bolivar, PA (April 2021)
• Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees Meeting – West Mifflin, PA (August 2020)
• Greensburg Business Connection Meeting – Greensburg, PA (October 2019)
• West Jefferson Hills Historical Society Meeting – Jefferson Hills, PA (September 2019)
• Jefferson Hill’s Women’s Club Meeting – Jefferson Hills, PA (September 2019)
• Mount Pleasant Public Library – Mount Pleasant, PA (July 2019)
• History Happy Hour at Stanton Daily Grind – New Stanton, PA (July 2019)
• South Park Township Library – South Park, PA (July 2019)
• Redstone Highlands Senior Living Community – North Huntington, PA (June 2019)
• Widow’s Group Luncheon at Westmoreland County Community College – Youngwood, PA (June 2019)
• Redstone Highlands Senior Living Community – Greensburg, PA ( June 2019)
• Ligonier Valley Library – Ligonier, PA (May 2019; in conjunction with Memories of Idlewild Park Historic Photography Show)
• Redstone Highlands Senior Living Community – North Huntington, PA (May 2019)
• Redstone Highlands Senior Living Community – Murrysville, PA (April 2019)
• Peters Creek Historical Society Meeting – Verona, PA (March 2019)
• AARP Local Chapter Meeting – Latrobe, PA (March 2019)
• Chestnut Ridge Historical Society Meeting – Stahlstown, PA (November 2018 )
• Redstone Highlands Senior Living Community – Greensburg, PA (October 2018)
• Mount Pleasant Women’s Group Meeting – Mount Pleasant, PA (October 2018)
• Saltsburg Historical Society Meeting – Saltsburg, PA (September 2018)
• Carnegie Library of McKeesport – McKeesport, PA (September 2018)
• Blairsville Historical Society Meeting – Blairsville, PA (September 2018)
• Rotary Club of Delmont Salem Meeting – Delmont, PA (August 2018)
• Westmoreland County Historical Society Ice Cream Social – Greensburg, PA (July 2018)
• Baltzer-Meyer Historical Society – Greensburg, PA (July 2018)
• Bethlen Communities Luncheon – Ligonier, PA (July 2018)
• Monongahela Area Library – Monongahela, PA (July 2018)
• Carnegie Library of McKeesport – McKeesport, PA (June 2018)
• Plum Community Center Book Club Meeting – Plum, PA (June 2018)
• American Coaster Enthusiasts Western Pennsylvania CoasterBash! XXIX – Salvatore’s, Pittsburgh, PA (March 2018)
“Mary Darlington’s Idlewild”
• Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association Annual Dinner – Giannilli’s II, Greensburg, PA (October 2019)
• Fort Ligonier Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution – Ligonier Country Club, Ligonier, PA (May 2019)
“Remember When: Westmoreland County Drive-In Theaters”
• Westmoreland County Historical Society Program – Westmoreland County Country Club, Greensburg, PA (April 2019)
Author/Industry Panels & Fairs
Northland Public Library Local Author Fair – McCandless, PA (May 2023)
• Joined other local authors who live and write in a variety of genres about Pittsburgh and the Greater Pittsburgh region for an in-person fair that included book signings and author panels and talks.
American Coaster Enthusiasts Women’s History Digital Event (March 2023)
• Joined ACE past presidents Jan Schnoor (1994-1998) and Carole Sanderson (2002-2006) as part of an online event honoring women’s history in ACE.
IAAPA Funworld Summer Reading List Virtual Author Panel (September 2021)
• Joined International Association of Amusement Parks and Attraction’s Funworld editor Scott Fais and a panel of authors via Facebook Live to discuss our amusement park and attractions books that were selected for the magazine’s summer reading list in the May/June issue. Idlewild: History and Memories of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Amusement Park was included on the list.
Pittsburgh Amusement Park Panel at Barnes and Noble Homestead, PA (August 2019)
• Joined WQED host Rick Sebak and fellow amusement park historians and authors Brian Butko and Dave Hahner to discuss history and memories of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania amusement parks.
Media Appearances
Pennsylvania Cable Network’s Pennsylvania Parks History: Monarch Park (December 2022)
• Collaborated with Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN TV) and the Izaak Walton League of America’s Oil City Chapter to produce a short video interstitial covering Monarch Park, a lost amusement park located between Oil City and Franklin in Venango County, Pennsylvania. Broadcast on PCN TV beginning in December 2022 and also available on YouTube. WATCH HERE!
Radio Interview on Tube City Online’s “Two Rivers, 30 Minutes” Podcast (June 2022)
• Joined Tube City Community Media Inc.’s Executive Director Jason Togyer to discuss recent my recent public history presentations and continued research into the history of lost amusement parks in Western Pennsylvania during this weekly public affairs radio talk show about the Mon Valley produced in cooperation with radio stations WEDO (810 AM) and WZUM (1550 AM). LISTEN HERE!
Pennsylvania Cable Network’s Pennsylvania Parks History: Eldora Park (April 2022)
• Collaborated with Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN TV) and the Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum to produce a short video interstitial covering Eldora Park, a lost amusement park in Carroll Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania. Broadcast on PCN TV on April 4 and April 6, 2022 and also available on YouTube. WATCH HERE!
Radio Interview on The Eric Bombeck Show (September 2021)
• Joined radio host Eric Bombeck on The Bombeck Show to discuss lost amusement parks of western Pennsylvania, including Roseville/Idlewild Park in Sharon, PA, the fate of Conneaut Lake Park and other writing endeavors. Broadcast on WPIC 790AM and Facebook Live on September 29, 2021. LISTEN HERE!
Radio Interview on Tube City Online’s “Two Rivers, 30 Minutes” Podcast (January 2021)
• Joined Tube City Community Media Inc.’s Executive Director Jason Togyer to chat about local trolley park history during this weekly public affairs radio talk show about the Mon Valley, produced in cooperation with WEDO (810AM) and WZUM (1550AM). LISTEN HERE!
Throwback Thursdays at Idlewild (June-August 2019)
• In cooperation with Idlewild and SoakZone, filmed a short series of “Throwback Thursday” videos covering different aspects of Idlewild’s history that were posted on the park’s social media pages. WATCH HERE!
Television Interview on PCN’s PA Books Series (September 2018)
• PA Books is a weekly television program on Pennsylvania Cable Network that for 20 years has featured hour-long conversations with authors of newly published books on topics unique to Pennsylvania. Joined PA Books host and PCN president/CEO Brian Lockman to discuss the history of Idlewild Park and the experience behind researching and writing Idlewild: History and Memories of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Amusement Park. LISTEN HERE!
Radio Interview on PA Talk’s The Hank Baughman Show on 98.7 FM/910 AM (April 2018)
• Joined talk show host Hank Baughman on his weekday radio talk show to discuss Idlewild: History and Memories of Pennsylvania’s Oldest Amusement Park plus experiences researching Ligonier Valley and Laurel Highlands history. LISTEN HERE!
Radio Interview on Tube City Online’s “Two Rivers, 30 Minutes” Podcast (April 2018)
• Joined Tube City Community Media Inc.’s Executive Director Jason Togyer to chat about Idlewild Park history during this weekly public affairs radio talk show about the Mon Valley, produced in cooperation with WEDO (810AM) and WZUM (1550AM). LISTEN HERE!
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