Uncharted Lancaster

Adam Zurn

5.0 (6)
HISTORY

Uncharted Lancaster reveals the county’s most fascinating stories—local history with odd twists, forgotten places, and the occasional brush with the supernatural. Each episode explores the hidden histories and long-buried secrets of Lancaster County, where legend, landscape, and local lore collide.

1D AGO

The Face in the Window on Carter's Hill

In this episode, we unravel the strange history and enduring folklore behind a ghostly face staring out from the attic window of an 18th-century brick farmhouse in Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania. For generations, locals have whispered chilling explanations—some claim it’s the haunted visage of a Civil War widow, others insist it’s a death mask placed there in vengeance. The truth, however, is no less fascinating. The face is a plaster teaching model once owned by 19th-century phrenologist Henry Carter. His daughter reportedly positioned it in the window as a prank to startle passersby, never imagining it would remain there for more than a century. Over time, the eerie sight became a roadside curiosity, even earning a mention in National Geographic. Today’s homeowners continue the tradition—partly out of respect for local history, and partly due to a lingering superstition that removing the head brings bad luck, a belief reinforced by a structural collapse that occurred during a previous attempt to take it down. Known as the “Face on Carter’s Hill,” the object now stands as a shared cultural icon, where documented history and supernatural legend blur into one enduring mystery. To learn more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com. Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

31 min
5D AGO

The Enola Low Grade: Iron, Blood, and Engineering Glory

This episode traces the dramatic rise—and lasting legacy—of the Enola Low Grade, one of the most ambitious railroad engineering projects ever undertaken in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Constructed between 1903 and 1906 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Low Grade was designed as a nearly level freight bypass, allowing massive trains to move efficiently along the Susquehanna corridor without the punishing climbs common to earlier rail lines. Achieving that vision came at an enormous cost. Millions of cubic yards of earth were moved, and the project’s price tag—equivalent to roughly half a billion dollars today—was matched by a devastating human toll. More than 200 laborers, many of them recent immigrants, lost their lives amid hazardous working conditions, frequent dynamite blasts, and relentless industrial pressure. Their stories are an often-overlooked chapter in the triumphalist narrative of American engineering. For decades, the Enola Low Grade served as a vital electric freight corridor, drawing power from the nearby Safe Harbor Dam and helping fuel the industrial economy of the region. By the late 1980s, however, changes in rail operations rendered the line obsolete, and it was ultimately abandoned. Today, the route lives on as a 29-mile rail trail, inviting hikers and cyclists to move through a landscape once shaped by iron, blood, and ambition. This episode explores how the Enola Low Grade evolved from an industrial-age marvel into a modern public space—while asking what it means to remember both the engineering glory and the human sacrifice that made it possible. To read more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com. Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

40 min
JAN 5

The Albatwitch: Pennsylvania's Little Bigfoot

In the area around Chickies Rock, near the ancient Susquehanna River, stories of a 4-foot-tall hairy ape-man have circulated since Native Americans dominated the region. As recently as 2024, people have seen the hairy beast. Legend says this small, hairy creature would terrorize picnickers up at Chickies Rock in the 1800s by stealing their apples and pelting the cores back at them. This episode of the Uncharted Lancaster Podcast takes a deep dive into the story of Columbia's little bigfoot—the Albatwitch. To learn more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com. Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

31 min
JAN 1

The Mile-Long Covered Bridge That Became a Civil War Firebreak

On June 28, 1863, Lancaster County was saved by fire. The Columbia–Wrightsville Covered Bridge—once the longest covered bridge in the world—spanned the Susquehanna as the only crossing between Harrisburg and Maryland. When Confederate troops reached Wrightsville during the Gettysburg Campaign, Union militia made a desperate decision: burn the bridge rather than let the enemy cross. In just hours, a mile-long wooden tunnel collapsed into the river, stopping the invasion at the water’s edge. If it had stood a little longer, Confederate troops could have marched straight into Lancaster County—and history here might read very differently. The bridge is gone, but its stone piers still stand in the Susquehanna, marking one of Pennsylvania’s most consequential moments. To learn more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com. Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

28 min
12/29/2025

The Conestoga Wagon: American Ship of Inland Commerce

On the approaching December 31, 1717, anniversary of the Conestoga Wagon, this episode takes a deep dive into the history of the Conestoga wagon—America’s original “ship of inland commerce.” Developed in 18th-century Pennsylvania, particularly in Lancaster County, these massive wagons were built to haul heavy freight between farms and markets long before canals and railroads reshaped transportation. We examine what sets the Conestoga apart, from its curved floor designed to stabilize cargo to the powerful Conestoga horse bred to pull it. The episode also explores the wagon’s cultural legacy—how the bells of wagons inspired the phrase “arriving with bells on,” and how the cigar-smoking habits of wagon drivers gave rise to the term “stogie.” Often mistaken for prairie schooners, Conestoga wagons rarely traveled west. Instead, they fueled early American commerce. Though they declined by the mid-19th century, their influence endures as a symbol of craftsmanship, innovation, and the hard road of early trade. Read more when you visit UnchartedLancaster.com. Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

37 min
12/25/2025

The Belsnickel: A Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas Tradition

Meet the Belsnickel: A Wild Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas Tradition! Forget the jolly Santa Claus—Pennsylvania German folklore brings us the Belsnickel, a shaggy, fearsome figure who’s part Christmas cheer and part moral compass! Draped in tattered clothes and fur, adorned with deer antlers and foliage, the Belsnickel embodies the untamed spirit of the season. With birch switches in one hand and a sack of treats in the other, he’s here to reward the good and remind the naughty of their missteps. The drama begins weeks before Christmas, as the Belsnickel taps on windows, building suspense before his grand entrance. He storms in with a booming voice, grilling kids on their good deeds—and they better have answers! This Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, rooted in German folklore, blends Old World customs with a uniquely American twist. It’s a fascinating reminder that the holidays weren’t always about merriment—they were also about lessons and accountability. Are you brave enough to face the Belsnickel? Tap the link to dive into this captivating piece of holiday history! Learn more at UnchartedLancaster.com. Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

33 min
12/22/2025

How the Lancaster Woolworth Sparked a Christmas Tradition

It’s the autumn of 1880 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A young businessman has recently opened a store and quickly found success by offering high-quality goods at low prices. The store has become a popular destination for traveling salesmen. One morning, a young traveling salesman from Germany enters the store and shows his goods to the proprietor, who isn’t impressed. “What purpose do they serve?” he asks. “They’re literally useless.” Still, the businessman decides to take a chance. He tells the salesman, “I’ll take one box, but only if they can be sold on a sale-or-return basis.” The box is put on display, and within an hour, every item sells out. What were these products, and who was the man behind this moment of retail history? The man was F. W. Woolworth, and the products were Christmas tree ornaments. Although ornaments had been sold before, they were often expensive and inaccessible to most people. Woolworth changed that by making them affordable, transforming how Christmas trees were decorated. Without Frank W. Woolworth, our holiday trees might still be bare. Click the link to read more. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

32 min
12/18/2025

The Lancaster Bathtub That Started a Revolution

Lancaster's Bathtub Revolution: How America’s First Tub Made a Splash Did you know Lancaster, PA, was home to America’s first bathtub? In 1839, Jacob Demuth installed this trailblazing tub at 116 East King Street, marking the start of a hygiene revolution. Crafted from heavy wood and reinforced with iron bands, the tub resembled a modern bathtub in shape but was filled the old-fashioned way—with water heated in a tea kettle and poured by hand. At the time, bathing was a luxury, and the city charged a $3 annual fee for each tub’s water supply—about $102 in today’s money. By year’s end, Lancaster boasted a grand total of nine bathtubs. Scandalous, right? While Lancaster’s records don’t mention anti-bathing laws, other cities weren’t as open-minded. Philadelphia banned more than one bath a week, and Boston fined offenders for "excessive" cleanliness. Imagine being hauled into court for simply taking a bath! Though the Demuth tub was retired in 1890, its impact on hygiene practices lives on. It may not have survived to the present day, but Lancaster’s role in this small yet vital revolution is undeniable. Curious to learn more about the quirks, controversies, and mysteries of the Demuth bathtub? To learn more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com. Learn about other unique people and places like this when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Adam Zurn. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere. Order your copy here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

32 min
12/15/2025

Lancaster Crematorium: The Country’s First Public Crematorium

America’s First Public Crematorium Was in Lancaster! Tucked away behind a line of trees in Greenwood Cemetery stands a crumbling red-brick building that changed the course of American funerary practice. Built in 1884, the Lancaster Crematorium was the first public crematorium in the United States—a bold and controversial innovation at a time when cremation was seen as sacrilegious and scandalous. Spearheaded by the Lancaster Cremation and Funeral Reform Society—made up of doctors, scientists, and civic leaders like J.P. McCaskey and A.J. Steinman—the facility was designed to combat overcrowded cemeteries and the spread of disease. Its Gothic architecture still stands, with boarded-up cathedral-style windows and a marble slab labeled simply “crematorium.” Look closely, and you’ll see the year 1884 carved above the central arch. The first person cremated here was Christiana Beseler, a woman whose family waited months for the facility to open so her final wishes could be honored. The furnace, designed by Dr. Miles Davis, used a smokeless flue system so clean that clergy described the process as “quiet” and “gently melting away.” Despite fierce public opposition—including sermons warning of pagan practices—the crematorium operated for two decades, ushering in a new era of funerary reform. After its closure in 1904, the building sat silent and forgotten for decades—its windows broken, its history buried in archives and half-truths. It wasn’t until the 1980s that preservation efforts secured its place on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it stands boarded and unmarked, a haunting yet powerful reminder of Lancaster’s trailblazing role in reshaping how Americans say goodbye. Click here to read more. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

26 min
12/12/2025

The Unfinished Dream of the Pequehanna Inn

The Pequehanna Inn: The Grand Hotel That Never Was. High above the mouth of the Pequea Creek lie the moss-covered foundations of a dream that almost transformed the Susquehanna River gorge. In 1906, Lancaster builder John K. Hartman began constructing the Pequehanna Inn — a towering 384-room resort meant to be the crown jewel of a booming Pequea, complete with verandas, glass-domed dining halls, hilltop gardens, and breathtaking river views. Then came disaster: a destroyed bridge, construction delays, financial collapse, and the death of a key backer. The project fell silent, leaving only stone walls and terraces hidden among the trees on Hartman Hill. Today, the Pequehanna remains one of Lancaster County’s greatest “what-ifs”… a luxury resort that never opened its doors, yet still whispers from the ruins. This inaugural episode takes a deep dive into the project’s history. Read more about the hotel’s fascinating history here. AI Research TodaySerious Conversations About Real AI Research; decoding the ArXiv into your headphones. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

35 min

10 Episodes

5

out of 5

6 Ratings

Uncharted Lancaster reveals the county’s most fascinating stories—local history with odd twists, forgotten places, and the occasional brush with the supernatural. Each episode explores the hidden histories and long-buried secrets of Lancaster County, where legend, landscape, and local lore collide.

Creator

Adam Zurn
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

10
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Uncharted Lancaster
Show Website

Uncharted Lancaster