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Archive: February 2026 (3 Posts)

A bird's eye view of the 1879 Centennial fairgrounds in Philadelphia. The poster depicts the buildings, a train running next to the river, and the landscape of green grass and trees.

The Centennial Monorail: America’s Highway in the Sky

Posted by: Jennifer Harbster

In 1876, the first official World’s Fair in the United States, officially known as the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine (or simply, the Centennial International Exhibition), was held in Philadelphia as part of the country’s 100th anniversary celebrations. To help transport attendees around the 3,000- acre Fairmount Park the West End Passenger Railway Company developed a rail system. However, the Agricultural and Horticultural Halls were not accessible by train and the company sought help from General Roy Stone to design a solution.

Posted in: America 250, Engineering, Inventions, Transportation

Man leaning in front of a gas plant in the evening.

The Romance of Energy

Posted by: Natalie Burclaff

While the energy industry might not be the first place you look for Valentine’s Day inspiration, the Library of Congress has many titles whose authors find romance in oil drilling, coal mining and waterpower.

Posted in: Business