The Associated Press distributed an interesting story today recapping the history of nationalization efforts in the United States.
It provides some context to the General Motors situation.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. assumption of a controlling interest in General Motors Corp. isn’t the first time the government has nationalized a company or an industry. It has taken […]

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If  you ever doubted the power of one vote, consider the 1898 election for mayor of Lancaster.
Democrat Simon Shissler defeated Republican Samuel M. Myers by a single vote.
But early discrepancies in the vote totals led to our own “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline in the New Era, 50 years before that famous 1948 error by the Chicago Tribune.
Below is the Feb. 16, […]

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Last week, I wrote about the retirement of the Ferdinand Magellan, the rail car used by Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower.
I thought the item was timely, due to President-elect Barack Obama’s rail trip Saturday from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., for his inauguration.
But I couldn’t find much information last week on the rail car that Obama […]

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In this week’s Eras Past column, I included an item about Frank McClain, a state representative from Lancaster City who was facing opposition in December 1908 in his bid for a second term as Speaker of the House (he lost the election a month later).
McClain was a political giant in his day, serving as Speaker of […]

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Last week, I posted an item on Hiram Revels, the nation’s first black member of Congress, who was sent to Washington by the Mississippi Legislature in 1870 to represent that state in the U.S. Senate.
This week, I’m featuring another historic first involving a black political leader, and there’s a Lancaster County connection. 
In 1939, Crystal Bird Fauset of […]

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Interested in presidential dogs and cats? Here’s an Associated Press story recapping some of the history of pets in the White House.
As you’re probably aware, the Obamas will be getting a puppy, to make good on the president-elect’s promise to his daughters. The story below discusses some of the previous furry companions of the nation’s first families.
Obamas’ pet to […]

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On the day when our nation marks the historic election of its first black president, I thought it would be timely to call some attention to this recent Associated Press story about Hiram Revels, who was the country’s first black senator.
It was way back in 1870 when the Mississippi Legislature voted to send Revels to Washington to represent the […]

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While scrolling through the microfilm to research my Eras Past column, I couldn’t help but notice this large, union-sponsored campaign ad that ran in the New Era shortly before the 1958 general election. The mid-term election took place in a year of recession. See any familiar themes?
James Paul, a 32-year-old law professor, was the Democratic candidate trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Paul […]

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The Lancaster County Historical Society offers two interesting events this weekend.
On Friday, Oct. 17, the society opens its regional history colloquium with a talk by Dr. G. Terry Madonna of Franklin & Marshall College. He’ll discuss Pennsylvania’s role as a key battleground state in the 2008 election. Refreshments at 4 p.m., followed by the presentation.
On Saturday, […]

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Yesterday, I wrote about women in Lancaster casting ballots for the first time in the November 1920 election, after winning the right to vote.
During the research for that piece, I came across the article below, published in the New Era on Nov. 10, 1920. No Lancaster connection here, it’s just an interesting and entertaining item […]

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