A folklorist chronicles the history and lore of witchcraft in the Keystone State from William Penn's seventeenth century witch trial to twentieth century occultism.As English and German settlers migrated to Pennsylvania, they brought their beliefs in magic with them from the Old World—sometimes with dangerous consequences. In 1802, for example, an Allegheny County judge helped an accused witch escape an angry mob. But Susan Mummey was not so fortunate. In 1934, she...

Such was the wisdom of the Pittsburgh Daily Gazette and Advertiser in 1866 when describing a railway boss's threat to decapitate a former employee. Pittsburgh has many such stories of strange but mostly true events. Local author Thomas White delves into these lost tales, from Lewis and Clark's inauspicious start involving an intoxicated boat builder to the death ray of inventor Nikola Tesla. A 1907 lion attack at Luna Park, death by spontaneous combustion, Jack the Ripper's rumored visit t...

The author of Witches of Pennsylvania and "Pittsburgh's Historian of the Supernatural" takes on the region's folklore, ghost stories, and urban legends (Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership).The ghostly woman of Summit Cut Bridge, a black hound that guards the Gates of Hell and the whispering dead entombed beneath the Black Cross—these are the spirits of southwestern Pennsylvania. Join local author Thomas White as he recounts such chilling stories as that of Re...

Thomas White spins a beguiling yarn with tales that reach from the misty hollows of the Alleghenies to the lost islands of Pittsburgh. Oppaymolleah's Curse. General Braddock's buried gold. The original man of steel, Joe Magarac. Such legends have found a home among the rich folklore of Western Pennsylvania. White invites readers to learn the truth behind the urban legend of the Green Man, speculate on the conspiracy surrounding the lost B-25 bomber of Monongahela and shiver over the ghostl...

The twisty roads—and twisted tales—of the Appalachian Mountains make for distracted driving in western Pennsylvania.Ghostly travelers are said to wander the lonely roads of western Pennsylvania. A creeping fog rises from Blue Mist Road, and stories of car crashes, lynchings and even strange beasts haunt this isolated stretch outside Pittsburgh. Is it the angry spirit of a jealous husband or a gypsy king who stalks Erie County's Axe Murder Hollow? Shades of Death Ro...

Introduction to the Transcendental Argument for God: An Orthodox Christian Perspective is a journey through the history of philosophy and theology, in a search for the source of meaning, predication, and knowledge itself. In a Western world that is seemingly untethered from its roots, it has become ever more apparent that the search for the good, the true, and the beautiful must be reignited. Through a reckoning of worldviews old and new, the Transcendental Argument for God holds ...

While I'm not clear on where one gets an official copy of the girl code, it seems like "thou shalt not covet thy bestie's hot dad" would be pretty high on that list.Even if my hormone-ridden peanut brain would love to read into every interaction we've ever had and imagine he's been pining away for me, too, my judgment is clearly not to be trusted here. It's time to move on.Unfortunately, coveting is a hard condition to kick when you find yourself spending C...

I dedicated my entire life to ballet, and what did it get me? A limp, an intact v-card, and zero job prospects.Squatting in my sister's apartment, watching game shows, and feeling sorry for myself seems like an ideal way to pass the time until I figure out what to do next.Unfortunately, my father doesn't agree. Thanks to him, I'll now be spending my days stapling pieces of paper together at his architecture firm, under the watchful eye of his business partn...

A look at the folklore surrounding the legendary Pennsylvanian witch, and the facts behind them.In the ancient hills and misty hollows of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, generations of locals have passed down stories of a woman with mysterious magical powers. People came from near and far to seek healing and protection through her strange rituals. Some even believed she could fly. Named Moll Derry and nicknamed the Witch of the Monongahela, her legend has been documen...

So, before you judge me too harshly for what I'm about to tell you, I think it's important to lead with the disclaimer that this is not like me. At all.If somebody Googled "cautious, responsible, people-pleasing eldest daughter", a picture would probably come up of me baking twenty-four loaves of banana bread for all the neighbors in our building after my roommate flooded the bathroom.So, as you can see, I am not the kind of person to catch feelings for my ...

In retrospect, it might not have been the wisest idea to hand in my V-card to a hot librarian I picked up at my mother's cocktail party.In my defense, the man has a French accent, gray hair, and knows a lot about books. The cards were really stacked against me making good choices, folks.I was probably naïve to expect a call after that, but when he didn't, it hurt to accept he didn't feel that same connection I did.If that isn't a sign you need to ma...

A folklorist chronicles the history and lore of witchcraft in the Keystone State from William Penn's 17th century witch trial to 20th century occultism.As English and German settlers migrated to Pennsylvania, they brought their beliefs in magic with them from the Old World—sometimes with dangerous consequences. In 1802, for example, an Allegheny County judge helped an accused witch escape an angry mob. But Susan Mummey was not so fortunate. In 1934, she was killed ...