Jessica Weible, Executive Editor of The Watershed Journal

Stories from the Pennsylvania Wilds

Clarion University historians Jeffrey Diamond, Ph.D. and Marc Sanko, Ph.D. recently debuted their new podcast, “Stories from the Pennsylvania Wilds.” The podcast is produced with technical assistance from Communications Professor, Matt Albright. 

The podcast is the latest initiative in the department’s mission to make history relevant and engage with people through historical narratives. The region of the Pennsylvania Wilds, which includes  Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, Clinton, Elk, Cameron, Forest, Clearfield, Clarion, Jefferson and northern Centre counties, gives the researchers a chance to expand on issues of national, or even international significance using a local angle. They will also occasionally explore stories extending to Erie and Pittsburgh.

Great Stories to be Told in Context

“The Clarion area (and the PA Wilds) have great stories to be told, and we want to blend our resources with our partners (the public) to help tell those stories,” Sanko said. He adds that the researchers have already begun establishing connections with local historical organizations and experts. Their first episode, which covered the Great Depression and the 1930s banking crisis, featured local author Jess Hilburn, whose book Hidden History of Northwestern Pennsylvania was published last August. 

Diamond talked about how the Pennsylvania Wilds, in particular, seems to have a strong connection to its heritage compared with more suburban or urban communities in the state. “Traditionally, families in this area are less mobile,” he explained. “Even people who grew up here and then leave often come back here . . . One way we want to deal with that is to look at longstanding families that were involved in different issues or events. At the same time we don’t want to just focus on that. It’s everyone’s story; we want everyone’s voices.”

Part of telling each story is understanding the influence of forces outside the immediate area. Diamond has a background in European/global history (with a focus on the British Empire), while Sanko has a background in public history and the 20th century U.S. Both professors’ different areas of expertise complement each other’s approach and provide meaningful context for the stories they uncover. And according to Diamond, context is everything when it comes to history.

“History includes the stories of how people remember things,” Diamond explained. “We are trying to tell stories, but we need to be aware and critical and put it in context.”

He added that offering a local lens through which to examine history is one of the most engaging ways to bring it to the community. “We may do a podcast dealing with World War I, for instance,” Diamond said. “We provide the context, then we may have a story of a person locally. I wanted to show how people can look at it differently. The idea was to use the local story to show the national and global history to personalize it for people.”

Touching on Current Issues

One topic that is particularly relevant right now is the outbreak of the global pandemic, COVID-19. The second episode of “Stories from the Pennsylvania Wilds” will focus on the science and history behind pandemics. Diseases like smallpox, for example, devastated native populations. Later, the Spanish flu reached rural Pennsylvania, along with so many other regions across the country. Diamond said they are already coordinating with the Biology department at the university to prepare for this episode. 

Sanko and Diamond also plan to cover topics such as the lumber and oil industry, breweries, sports, and the Vietnam War. They hope to produce several episodes a year and, once social distancing restrictions are lifted, incorporate student research as well as travel to different locations within the region. 

Find and listen to their podcast at: www.anchor.fm/storiespawilds or on Spotify.