Resources
Blair County boasts a multitude of historical and cultural attractions. Ranging from colonial, industrial, military, and social history, Central Pennsylvania organizations and landmarks serve has rich resources for citizens and tourists alike. Please enjoy these local treasures by visiting their respective locations, volunteering your time, or contributing to their missions.
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County Historical Societies:
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Reading Recommendations
Numerous books have been written on the events, towns, and people that made Blair County. Listed below is just a small sample of such works on regional history. Some are even available for purchase via the online store. Happy reading!
All on Account of You: A True WWII Love Story by Elaine Luddy Klonicki
Altoona (Postcard History) by David W. Seidel
Altoona and Logan Valley Electric Railway (Images of Rail) by Leonard E. Alwine and David W. Seidel
Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania by Jim Futrell and Tim O’Brien
Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw
Apostle of the Alleghenies by Margaret and Matthew Bunson
Around Blair County (Images of America) by Sr. Anne Frances Pulling
Backroads & Byways of Pennsylvania: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions by David Langlieb
Baseball in Altoona: From the Mountain City to the Curve (Images of Baseball) by David Finoli
Breaking The Backcountry: The Seven Years’ War In Virginia And Pennsylvania 1754-1765 by Matthew C. Ward
Daniel Hale Williams: Surgeon Who Opened Hearts and Minds by Mike Venezia
Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc by Patrick K. O’Donnell
Gangs and Outlaws of Western Pennsylvania by Thomas White, Michael Hassett
Growing Up in Coal Country by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Haunted Pennsylvania: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Keystone State by Mark Nesbitt and Patty A. Wilson
Horseshoe Curve (Images of Rail) by David W. Seidel
Images of Modern America: Altoona by Jared Frederick
Into the American Woods: Negotiations on the Pennsylvania Frontier by James H. Merrell
It Happened in Pennsylvania by Fran Capo, Scott Bruce
Juniata: River of Sorrows by Dennis P. McIlnay
Keystone Tombstones Civil War: Famous Graves Found in Pennsylvania by Joe Farrell, Joe Farley and Lawrence Knorr
Living it up: Or, They still love me in Altoona! by George Burns
Made to Order: The Story of Sheetz by Kenneth Womack
Meet You in Hell by Les Standiford
Now Playing: A History of Altoona and Blair County Theaters by Michael G. Farrow
Over the Alleghenies: Early Canals and Railroads of Pennsylvania by Robert J. Kapsch
Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains: The First Frontier by Dave Hurst
Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth by Randall M. Miller and William Pencak
Pennsylvania Breweries: 4th Edition by Lew Bryson
Pennsylvania Civil War Trails: The Guide to Battle Sites, Monuments, Museums and Towns by Tom Huntington
Pennsylvania Disasters by Karen Ivory
Pennsylvania Ghost Towns: Uncovering the Hidden Past by Susan Hutchison Tassin
Pennsylvania Trivia by Ernie Couch and Jill Couch
Penn State Altoona by Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry and Kenneth Womack
Pittsburgh Remembers World War II edited by Dr. Joseph F. Rishel
Railroads of Pennsylvania by Lorett Treese
Rosemary for Remembrance by Mary Netreba
Set Up Running: The Life of a Pennsylvania Railroad Engineman, 1904-1949 by John W. Orr
South Central Pennsylvania Legends and Lore by David Puglia
Tyrone (Images of America) by Jeffrey Adams and R. Curt Chinnici
Two Generations on the Allegheny Portage Railroad: The First Railroad to Cross the Allegheny Mountains
by Chris J. Lewie
Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania by William J. Switala
Weird Pennsylvania: Your Travel Guide to Pennsylvania’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
by Matt Lake, Mark Moran, and Mark Sceurman
Who Killed Betsy?: Uncovering Penn State University’s Most Notorious Unsolved Crime by Mr. Derek Sherwood
The Whole Truth and Nothing But by Hedda Hopper and James Brough
The Wreck of the Red Arrow: An American Train Tragedy by Dennis P. McIlnay
Altoona (Postcard History) by David W. Seidel
Altoona and Logan Valley Electric Railway (Images of Rail) by Leonard E. Alwine and David W. Seidel
Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania by Jim Futrell and Tim O’Brien
Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw
Apostle of the Alleghenies by Margaret and Matthew Bunson
Around Blair County (Images of America) by Sr. Anne Frances Pulling
Backroads & Byways of Pennsylvania: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions by David Langlieb
Baseball in Altoona: From the Mountain City to the Curve (Images of Baseball) by David Finoli
Breaking The Backcountry: The Seven Years’ War In Virginia And Pennsylvania 1754-1765 by Matthew C. Ward
Daniel Hale Williams: Surgeon Who Opened Hearts and Minds by Mike Venezia
Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc by Patrick K. O’Donnell
Gangs and Outlaws of Western Pennsylvania by Thomas White, Michael Hassett
Growing Up in Coal Country by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Haunted Pennsylvania: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Keystone State by Mark Nesbitt and Patty A. Wilson
Horseshoe Curve (Images of Rail) by David W. Seidel
Images of Modern America: Altoona by Jared Frederick
Into the American Woods: Negotiations on the Pennsylvania Frontier by James H. Merrell
It Happened in Pennsylvania by Fran Capo, Scott Bruce
Juniata: River of Sorrows by Dennis P. McIlnay
Keystone Tombstones Civil War: Famous Graves Found in Pennsylvania by Joe Farrell, Joe Farley and Lawrence Knorr
Living it up: Or, They still love me in Altoona! by George Burns
Made to Order: The Story of Sheetz by Kenneth Womack
Meet You in Hell by Les Standiford
Now Playing: A History of Altoona and Blair County Theaters by Michael G. Farrow
Over the Alleghenies: Early Canals and Railroads of Pennsylvania by Robert J. Kapsch
Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains: The First Frontier by Dave Hurst
Pennsylvania: A History of the Commonwealth by Randall M. Miller and William Pencak
Pennsylvania Breweries: 4th Edition by Lew Bryson
Pennsylvania Civil War Trails: The Guide to Battle Sites, Monuments, Museums and Towns by Tom Huntington
Pennsylvania Disasters by Karen Ivory
Pennsylvania Ghost Towns: Uncovering the Hidden Past by Susan Hutchison Tassin
Pennsylvania Trivia by Ernie Couch and Jill Couch
Penn State Altoona by Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry and Kenneth Womack
Pittsburgh Remembers World War II edited by Dr. Joseph F. Rishel
Railroads of Pennsylvania by Lorett Treese
Rosemary for Remembrance by Mary Netreba
Set Up Running: The Life of a Pennsylvania Railroad Engineman, 1904-1949 by John W. Orr
South Central Pennsylvania Legends and Lore by David Puglia
Tyrone (Images of America) by Jeffrey Adams and R. Curt Chinnici
Two Generations on the Allegheny Portage Railroad: The First Railroad to Cross the Allegheny Mountains
by Chris J. Lewie
Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania by William J. Switala
Weird Pennsylvania: Your Travel Guide to Pennsylvania’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
by Matt Lake, Mark Moran, and Mark Sceurman
Who Killed Betsy?: Uncovering Penn State University’s Most Notorious Unsolved Crime by Mr. Derek Sherwood
The Whole Truth and Nothing But by Hedda Hopper and James Brough
The Wreck of the Red Arrow: An American Train Tragedy by Dennis P. McIlnay
