History

Hamilton the focus of a talk and exhibit in June

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The Peters Township Public Library will welcome Denver Brunsman to present Hamilton, Washington, and the Creation of the United States on Thursday, June 14 at 7:00 p.m. Register here or call 724.941.9430 #1.

As Hamilton: An American Musical makes clear, it was crucial for Alexander Hamilton to have George Washington “on his side.” Brunsman will discuss the collaboration between Hamilton and Washington in creating the United States from the Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention to launching the federal government and America’s financial system. Twenty-five years Washington’s junior, Hamilton acted as both a surrogate son and equal to the nation’s first president. Together, they made history in helping to shape our country as we know it. The talk will weave references to songs from Hamilton and the national traveling exhibition, Alexander Hamilton: Immigrant, Patriot, Visionary, which will be on display during library hours from Thursday, June 14 through Saturday, July 7.

Using primarily reproductions from the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s renowned collections, and drawing on recent scholarship about Alexander Hamilton, the traveling exhibition will examine Hamilton’s role during the Revolutionary War and Founding period (1774-1804) in creating the economic, constitutional, social, journalistic, political, and foreign policy templates for modern America. It will acquaint visitors with a statesman and visionary whose life inspired discussion and controversy and shaped the America we live in two hundred years after his death. The exhibit from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is made possible by the Rockefeller Foundation.

Denver Brunsman, Associate Professor in the History Department at George Washington University, where his courses include “George Washington and His World,” teaches annually at Mount Vernon. He is a coauthor of a leading college and AP U.S. History textbook, Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People and an e-book, Leading Change: George Washington and Establishing the Presidency. The recipient of numerous teaching honors, Brunsman was inducted into the George Washington University Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2016.

Vietnam Memories Videos

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The Peters Township Library Foundation in partnership with The Peters Township Public Library has filmed and produced a selection of “Vietnam Memories” to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Tet Offensive and to delve more deeply into the experiences of local Vietnam veterans and the recollections of local residents.  Visitors are welcome to watch the Vietnam memories currently playing in our library lobby or with this link to our YouTube Channel. Our intention in providing this brief oral history is to honor those who served by sharing their stories and experiences firsthand to teach younger generations and the general public about this difficult time in our nation’s history.  In addition to thanking our guest speakers, we also offer special thanks to Jim McNutt and Diane Lioon for their commitment to making this project a reality. We also wish to thank PTHS Art Teacher, Lauren McCutcheon and the PTHS Art Club student volunteers, Cassie Tomlin, Rebecca Nelson and Kim Mincin for their assistance in painting our bunker scenery.

The Vietnam Memories videos are now airing on Comcast Channel 7 and Verizon Channel 38 on Mondays at 10:00 a.m., Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m., Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m., Thursdays at 11:00 p.m., and Fridays at 4:30 a.m.

George Dvorznak – An officer in the US Army in May 1967, George was stationed at the Long Binh Base, which housed the 3rd Ordinance Battalion’s largest ammunition dump in operation at the time. This is his story of the night the ammunition dump exploded.

Ron Worstell – Drafted by the US Army in 1968, Ron was assigned to the Infantry to provide security along the Ho Chi Minh Trail near the Cambodian border. He talks about his experiences with the Vietnamese villagers and how his 18 years of volunteer work at the Vietnam Memorial Wall have helped him overcome his survivor’s guilt.

Jim McNutt – In 1968 Jim McNutt was a US Army news correspondent in Vietnam. He was assigned to cover the action with the 60th Infantry Division’s Mobile Riverine Force as they patrolled the Delta south of Saigon. This is his exciting story of a surprise ambush attack while doing his job.

Jim Puhala – Jim was a helicopter pilot with the 1st Cavalry Division of the US Army. On November 8, 1967, he was called to provide fire support for US troops who were under heavy attack by the VC along Highway 1 in Vietnam. Hear his account of his helicopter being shot down and the crew rescued.

Richard Gotch – A MACV Advisor for the US Army in 1966, Richard’s job was to be the liaison between the US Armed forces and the South Vietnamese ARVN troops at the US Fort at Song Be. This is his story of an NVA battalion decimating the ARVN troops as they charged over a mountain into Cambodia.

Peter Bonadio, MD – Dr. Bonadio was assigned to the artillery headquarters near Chu Lai in August of 1969. He made his “rounds” via helicopter to three nearby firebases to inspect facilities and treat soldiers. He also provided first aid to the local villagers, sometimes with surprising results.

Judge Mike McCarthy – In 1970, Mike was a Seabee in the US Navy assigned to the Delta region in Vietnam. This is the story of how his team replaced a section of a footbridge which crossed the river while fellow Navy swift-boats distracted the enemy with firepower.

Patricia Fink – Patti showed her support for the POWs of the Vietnam War by wearing her POW bracelet from 1971-1973. The bracelets were a fundraiser for her mother’s Marine Corp Ladies Auxiliary. She shares stories about the support that the Auxiliary gave to the wounded Vietnam Veterans in Pennsylvania.

Vietnam Veterans Discuss PBS Series “The Vietnam War”

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To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive and to delve more deeply into our veterans’ experiences and perspectives, the Peters Township Public Library will partner with the Veterans Breakfast Club for a unique panel discussion.

On Monday, April 9 at 7:00 p.m., four Vietnam veterans will meet to share their thoughts about the documentary series The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns & Lynn Novick, focusing on Episodes 1 and 6. The discussion will be moderated by Todd DePastino, founder and executive director of the Veterans Breakfast Club. Register online to attend the discussion or call 724.941.9430 #1.

The four veterans on the panel will include:

George Dvorznak who served with the Army in Vietnam from May 1967 – May 1968 as the commander of the 229th Supply & Service Co. in Long Binh near Saigon.

 

 

 

Ron Worstell who was drafted into the Army in March 1968. He served as a radio operator with the 1st Infantry Division west of Saigon from September 1968 – June 1969. Worstell has returned to Vietnam twice, once for humanitarian work, and serves as a volunteer at The Wall Washington D.C.

 

 

 

As Duquesne University ROTC graduate, Ed Blank shipped with the Army’s 40th Signal Battalion to Vietnam in August 1966 and then became the commander of the 267th Signal Company while in country. Based for much of the time in Qui Nhon, Blank’s company traveled much digging trenches and setting up poles for the miles of telephone line needed to connect the far-flung Army forces.

 

Andy Nigut served with the Marine Corps—2nd Battalion, 5th Marines—in I Corps near the DMZ in 1968, when he was grievously wounded by an enemy rocket attack. After a long recovery, Andy became a counselor, and, with other young combat veterans, wrestled with the VA to create street-level counseling outreach that today is known as the Vets Center.

 

 

 

The Peters Township Public Library will offer free screenings of The Vietnam War Episodes 1 and 6 for persons interested in viewing a portion of the ten-part, 18-hour documentary series prior to the April 6 program. No registration is needed to attend any of the free screenings.

Episode 1 “Déjà vu” (1858 – 1961): After a century of French occupation, Vietnam emerges independent but divided.  Running time: One hour and 23 minutes

  • Monday, March 19 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 20 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 21 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
  • Monday, April 2 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Episode 6 “Things Fall Apart” (January 1968 – July 1968): Shaken by the Tet Offensive, assassinations and unrest, America seems to be coming apart. Running time: One hour and 25 minutes

  • Monday, March 26 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 28 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 29 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 4 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The Middle East: Understanding the Region & its Key Players

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The Peters Township Public Library in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh will welcome Ross Harrison to discuss the ever changing landscape of the Middle East on Wednesday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. Since our world realities often shift from hour to hour and day to day, Harrison will provide us with various lenses to view and make sense of events in that region.

Register online to attend or call 724.941.9430 #1.

Ross Harrison is on the faculty of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and is a scholar at The Middle East Institute in Washington, DC. He also teaches a course in Middle East politics at the University of Pittsburgh.

Harrison authored Strategic Thinking in 3D: A Guide for National Security, Foreign policy and Business Professionals, which currently is a required strategy text at the U.S. National War College, as well as at many civilian universities. He also co-edited a book with Paul Salem (released in 2017), From Chaos to Cooperation: Toward Regional Order in the Middle East.

He has lectured on matters related to strategy and as well as Middle East politics at the U.S. Department of State, the National War College, National Defense University, The Navy War College, the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute, Georgetown University and the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies. He has also been part of several Track 1.5 and Track II diplomatic initiatives related to Syria and the broader Middle East.

Harrison has been published in policy related journals such as The National Interest, Al Monitor, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs and Parameters (The U.S. Army War College Journal), Huffington Post and the Post-Gazette. He is often interviewed by the media and quoted in national papers, including the New York Times on issues related to the Middle East.

McMurray Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 764 generously provides support for the International Program Series.

The Donaldson’s Crossroads intersection 1920s

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Courtesy of the Walter E. Donaldson Family, this is a photograph of Donaldson’s Crossroads intersection in the 1920s. The Donaldson home is located at the far left in this photo. This busy intersection, named for the Donaldson family, was a crossing of country roads early in the 20th century. McMurray Road crosses left to right while the Pittsburgh-Washington Cinder Road crosses from the bottom. The farmhouse was built in 1900, and was razed in early 2011 to permit redevelopment of the property.

Currently we know this location as the intersection of Route 19 South and McMurray Road with an average traffic count in excess of 46,000 vehicles daily.

In 2003, Peters Township Public Library, in partnership with the Senator John Heinz History Center, began a series of oral history interviews featuring past and present residents. Taking part in these interviews was Robert J. Donaldson and his sisters, Patricia Donaldson Stutzman and Alice Donaldson Coffield. During the course of the interviews, numerous photographs were shared like the one on this page, which led to a call for historic photos from other residents.

The response was enthusiastic, with hundreds of images either donated or loaned so that the library could share the visual history of the community. Most of the images have been scanned and many are available for you to view and enjoy on the Local History Photos page on this web site. Visit the library where you can checkout the oral history transcripts that were transcribed from these interviews. They are available on the 2nd floor nonfiction under 929.2 PET. Ask a librarian if you need help locating this series.

 

The Big Snow Thanksgiving Weekend 1950

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With temperatures approaching 70 degrees recently, we are reminded of another November day 66 years ago when Pittsburgh was hit with a huge snow storm the weekend after Thanksgiving that dumped 30 inches of snow on the city and surrounding areas. Ed Lybarger, one of our volunteers and a library patron recalls…

I was 5 years old at the time, so the memory isn’t always precise.  The newspapers forecast “flurries” on Wednesday.  

As I recall, the snow fell much of the day and all night Friday…much more than was forecast…and into Saturday morning.  There were no newspapers Saturday; the city and surrounding areas were shut down.  Peters Township at that time used a large Galion road grader to plow snow from the roads; that had been accomplished by the time my dad dug a path up to the top of the driveway where he had left the car Friday.  Other photos taken at that time show the plowed but still snow covered road (now Old Oak Road) and a neighbor who was likewise excavating.  I do not recall whether this was Saturday afternoon or Sunday.  The power was out but we could cook with our gas range.  We had gas forced air heat, which depended on electricity to run the blower.  Conveniently, we had a couple storage batteries in the house, and my dad rigged the furnace blower to run from them, so we had at least some heat for a while…a good thing, since it became bitterly cold following the storm.

You can read the front page story from the Pittsburgh Press from the day after Thanksgiving, November 24, 1950.

I do not remember how long it took to get things back to a semblance of normalcy.  I was not yet in school, so there is no memory of missing it.  I believe my dad went to work (in Mount Lebanon) Monday, though, so the highway was open.  Just how much snow was there?  It varied across the region, but the number 30 seemed to be popular around here!  

Visit our Local History Photos page to see more images from Peters Township past! Credit for the photo on this page: Samuel F. Lybarger photo, courtesy of Edward H. Lybarger