Welcome to PENNSYLVANIA!

Capital City: Harrisburg

pennsylvania flag — © Viktorcvetkovic from Getty Images Signature via Canva.com

Click here for our Pennsylvania bookshelf

A More Perfect Union – The Story of the Constitution

by Betsy Maestro; Illustrated by Giulio Maestro (ages 6-10)

World Classroom: Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is full of history and seeing the sites where events actually took place is a meaningful experience that can last a lifetime. Bring the family for some up close and personal reenactments from several time periods and military battles. Remember those who served, fought and died for freedom as well as those that engineered and strategized with pen and paper.

Do you have a literature lover? The Edgar Allan Poe Historic Site is in this state and has some clever activities for your Junior Rangers.

How about a train lover? The Steamtown National Historic Site will be keep their interest for hours.

Take time out of a day to remember the dreadful day of 9/11/2001 and the heroes of Flight 93.

Learn about Polish freedom fighter Thaddeus Kosciuszko and his engineering contributions to the American Revolution.

And enjoy a peaceful canoe ride down the Upper Delaware scenic river – rich in nature and wildlife.

Check out the samplings below to help choose your next adventure in Pennsylvania and the links to the National Parks Service sites can help you get all the details about each one.

National Historical & Military Parks

Gettysburg National Military Park – Gettysburg, PA

Visit Gettysburg Ntnl Military Park NPS.gov

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers . . .

Come and see the many monuments memorializing military history in the United States of America.

PA Gettysburg - Gettysburg Address Mem at the Soldiers Ntnl Cemetary — NPS

Gettysburg Address Memorial at the Soldiers National Cemetery

PA Gettysburg - 1st NY Artillery Mon - NPS — NPS

1st New York Artillery Monument

PA Gettysburg - Gouverneur Warren Mon - NPS — NPS

Gouverneur Warren Monument

PA Gettysburg 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry mon - NPS — NPS

1st Pennsylvania Cavalry Monument

PA Gettysburg Pennsylvania Mon - NPS — NPS

Pennsylvania Monument

Eternal Peace Memorial

PA Gettysburg - 1st Minnesota Infantry Mon - NPS — NPS

1st Minnesota Infantry Monument

Independence National Historical Park – Philadelphia PA

Visit Independence Historical Park NPS.gov

Independence Hall

Liberty Bell

PA Independence Ntnl Hist - 18th century documents - NPS — NPS

18th Century Documents – The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation and The Constitution of the United States

Independence Hall

PA Independence Ntnl Hist - Assembly Room in Pennsylvania State House - NPS — NPS

Assembly Room in the Pennsylvania State House

Valley Forge National Historical Park – Valley Forge, PA

Visit Valley Forge Historical Park NPS.gov

National Memorial Arch

Reenactors overlook Mowed Meadows

PA Valley Forge - Ducks and Turtles on a log in Schuylkill River - NPS — NPS

Ducks and Turtles on a log in the Schuylkill River

National Historic Sites & Battlefield

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site – Cresson, PA

Visit Allegheny Portage RR Historic Site NPS.gov

Skew Arch Bridge

PA Allegheny Portage RR - Visitor Center Museum - NPS Victoria Stauffenberg — NPS

Visitors Center Museum

Engine House 6

This historical park really knows how to bring history to life!

PA Allegheny Portage RR - natural dyes - NPS — NPS

PA Allegheny Portage RR - kettle fire - NPS — NPS

PA Allegheny Portage RR - PA Highlander - NPS — NPS

PA Allegheny Portage RR - games for children - NPS — NPS

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site – Phila, PA

Visit Edgar Allan Poe Historic Site NPS.gov

Choose one of the Jr Ranger Challenges and make it your own! Here’s a few examples:

PA Edgar Allan Poe - Jr Ranger Challenge 2 - NPS photo — NPS

PA Edgar Allan Poe - Jr Ranger Challenge - NPS photo — NPS

PA Edgar Allan Poe - Jr Ranger Challenge diorama - NPS photo — NPS

Eisenhower National Historic Site – Gettysburg, PA

Visit National Historic Site NPS.gov

Back of Eisenhower house with putting green

WWI Living History

PA Eisenhower Ntnl Hist - WWI cavalry demo - NPS — NPS

PA Eisenhower Ntnl Hist - WWI soldiers and vehicles - NPS — NPS

WWII Living History

PA Eisenhower Ntnl Hist - WWII living hist - NPS — NPS

PA Eisenhower Ntnl Hist - WWII living hist 2 - NPS — NPS

Fort Necessity National Battlefield – Farmington, PA

Visit Fort Necessity Ntnl Battlefield NPS.gov

Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Pennsylvania — NPS/Victoria Stauffenberg

Friendship Hill National Historical Site – New Geneva, PA

Visit Friendship Hill Ntnl Historic Site NPS.gov

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site – Elverson, PA

Visit Hopewell Furnace Ntnl Historic Site NPS.gov

See the process of changing minerals into metal for making useful tools and appliances.

Time your visit just right and you can pick apples from the orchard of 250 trees with many varieties.

Steamtown National Historic Site – Scranton, PA

Visit Steamtown Ntnl Historic Site NPS.gov

THIS is the place to go if you have a TRAIN lover in your family!

National Memorials

Flight 93 National Memorial – Somerset, PA

Visit Flight 93 Ntnl Memorial NPS.gov

PA Flight 93 view - NPS Brenda Schwartz — NPS/Brenda Schwartz

PA Flight 93 - NPS Brendan Wilson — NPS/Brendan Wilson

Johnstown Flood National Memorial – St Michael, PA

Visit Johnstown Flood Ntnl Memorial NPS.gov

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial – Philadelphia, PA

Visit Thaddeus Kosciuszko Ntnl Memorial NPS.gov

Let your Junior Rangers put their engineering skills to the test with a Jr Ranger challenge after they’ve learned about Thaddeus Kosciuszko’s brilliant military engineering contributions.