Museum Guide

The Sewickley Heights History Center, located in the heart of Sewickley Heights, Pennsylvania, is a nonprofit, non‑endowed museum dedicated to preserving the natural beauty and historical integrity of the region. For more than 20 years, the museum has served the community by offering visitors an opportunity to step back into the late 1800s through the 1930s, a period marked by the height of the American Industrial Revolution. During this era, many of Pittsburgh’s prominent steel industrialists established their homes in Sewickley Heights, building grand estates across its rolling hills. The museum showcases this rich heritage through its collection of memorabilia, brass-era vehicles, horse‑drawn carriages, and historic photographs. The onsite theater features a variety of informative short films produced in-house, further bringing the area’s history to life. The History Center also offers guided tours, educational lectures, live music events, and rental opportunities for the public, continuing its commitment to community engagement and historical preservation. Check us out online: https://sewickleyheightshistory.org/

The Innovator Who Advised a President: John A. Dahlgren! John A. Dahlgren is the most famous Swedish American you may never have heard of. Born in Philadelphia on November 13, 1809, John A. Dahlgren was the son of Bernhard Ulric Dahlgren, the Swedish Consul General in Philadelphia. John eventually began his career on board the USS Macedonian in 1826. Eventually the Navy assigned Dahlgren to the U.S. Coast Survey, where he served as a scientist. During this time, Dahlgren studied naval ordnance and was tasked with exploring ways to improve weaponry through emerging technologies and more precise engineering. By 1847, Dahlgren was regarded as an ordinance expert and was assigned to the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography at the Washington Navy Yard. His most famous innovation, the eponymous Dahlgren gun, was a shockingly effective design. It featured increased power, accuracy, and penetrative ability alongside a unique contoured shape, which distributed pressure more evenly and made it safer to fire explosive shells. When war broke out in 1861 and most officers at the Washington Navy Yard resigned due to Confederate sympathies, Dahlgren was made Commandant by special order of President Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, Dahlgren, now Rear Admiral, was tasked with capturing Charleston and cutting off Confederate supply lines. When Dahlgren failed, Lincoln came under pressure to replace him. Angered, Lincoln replied that he “would be damned if he would do anything to discredit or disgrace John A. Dahlgren.” In recognition of John A. Dahlgren, ASHM features two great examples of these guns on either side of the Museum’s FDR Park-facing façade. Originally on board the wooden, steam-powered USS Osceola and USS Ticonderoga during the Civil War, these cannons were put into storage in the latter half of the nineteenth century before finally arriving in South Philly in 1938 when ASHM celebrated its grand opening. We welcome you to tour our museum and learn more about John A. Dahlgren! https://www.americanswedish.org/

Celebrate Gloucester’s 375th and America’s 250th at the Museum of History! W. Robert Kelly, Jr., Historic Resources Supervisor Gloucester County Parks, Recreation & Tourism. Throughout 2026, Gloucester County, Virginia, proudly celebrates two milestones: the nation’s 250th anniversary and the county’s 375th birthday. Established in 1651, Gloucester stands among America’s oldest counties, with a history as complex as it is inspiring. That story comes to life at the Gloucester Museum of History. Housed within a tavern constructed in 1770, the Museum is located on Main Street in the heart of picturesque Gloucester Courthouse. Visitors of all ages can explore the county’s past through engaging exhibitions, artifacts, and interactive experiences that connect Gloucester to national stories of innovation, heroism, and sacrifice. In late 2025, the Museum unveiled a $130,000 exhibit to mark the 250 and 375th commemorations. Located on the second floor, believed to have once been the tavern’s ballroom, the new exhibit features engaging images, artifacts, and interactives, while showcasing the ballroom’s original 18th-century hardwood floors and window trim that evoke the ambiance of Colonial Williamsburg. Among the Museum’s most inspiring exhibits is Awakening: The Life & Legacy of T.C. Walker, which chronicles the journey of Gloucester’s first African American lawyer. Other visitor favorites include The Art of Carving: The Decoys of William McKinley Smith, featuring twenty-five hand-carved duck decoys, and Commerce Meets Community: Gloucester’s Country Stores, which brings the past to life with over fifty artifacts and several 120-year-old ledger books. An exhibit also shares the story of the 1781 Battle of the Hook, the largest cavalry battle of the American Revolution and key allied victory that contributed to the surrender at Yorktown. The Museum and nearby Courtcircle offer a complete experience. Guests can explore historic buildings, including the 1766 Courthouse, one of the oldest in Virginia. The Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission is free.  https://gloucesterva.gov/museum-of-history