Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Philadelphia
![]()
America’s first circus building was opened here at 12th and Market Streets, April 3, 1793. On that day the English equestrian John Bill Ricketts gave America’s first complete circus performance. President Washington attended his show later that season.
(Entertainment • Notable Events) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
America’s first circus building was opened here at 12th and Market Streets, April 3, 1793. On that day the English equestrian John Bill Ricketts gave America’s first complete circus performance. President Washington attended his show later that season.
(Entertainment • Notable Events) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
This brick home was built in 1856 by John McDannald, son of Samuel and Bell (Craig) McDannald who came from Virginia in 1813. The McDannalds were prominent in the development of Blendon Township, The Central College of Ohio, and The Central College Presbyterian Church. This house served as one station on the Ohio Underground Railroad.
Austin Hall, the much loved focal point of the Trona community, once stood on this site. Built in 1912 the unique structure, with its one-foot thick concrete walls, boasted 45 arches on three sides, the building provided a cooling shelter from the blazing heat with its patio center and oleander trees. Early employees were housed and fed in its spacious rooms and eventually all the town’s businesses were housed here. The patio became an open-air theatre with adjoining pool hall, a barber shop, post office, library, grocery and department store and a telegraph office with a switchboard for the single phone line into Trona.
William Scodie, born in 1827 in Prussia, originally
moved to Keyesville in 1856 and opened an
eating establishment. He relocated to this area in 1861
operating a way-station from his house. Stocking his
front room with supplies, he sold to locals as well
as miners and freighters passing through to the
Argus Mines in San Bernardino County.
One and one-half miles northwest of this point the settlement of Fountain Springs was established before 1855. It was at the junction of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road and the road to the Kern River gold mines. From 1858 to 1861, Fountain Springs was a station on the Butterfield Overland Mail route.
Running north and south, following an older Indian Trail is the route taken by many Spanish expeditions, American trappers, traders and parties of exploration. It was the major inland route of gold seekers to the northern and southern Mines and was the first public road in Tulare County. One of the most noteworthy Spanish expeditions was the Gabriel Moraga Expedition of 1806 exploring the area south from the Mission San Juan Bautista through Tejon Pass to the Mission San Fernando. Moraga named the San Joaquin River from which the valley derives its name. Some of the more famous American parties to pass this way were:
Since 1859 Clear Creek has provided water through irrigation ditches to farmers east of Golden. Many such ditches were dug in the 1800s, including the Welch Ditch (originally Vasquez Ditch), Church Ditch (originally Golden City & Ralston Creek Ditch), Agricultural Ditch, Rocky Mountain Ditch (originally Table Mountain Ditch, Wanamaker Ditch, Swadley Ditch, Wadsworth Ditch, Croke Canal, and Oulette Ditch.
Clear Creek Canyon was also a popular tourist area. Resorts such as Beaver Brook Pavilion were built along the creek. Early travel was mostly by train. In the early 1900s automobiles became a viable way to tour. Golden Tourist Park was a popular camping ground. Located in Golden, it provided easy access to Lookout Mountain Drive and to the rest of the Lariat Loop tourist route. This designated Colorado Scenic Byway was, and remains, a renowned tourist attraction.
For God and Country
The Parkville Community pays homage to those of its neighbors who served in the armed forces in defense of our country.
This memorial is to honor the fallen in:
World War II 
The Woodend Manor House was designed in Georgian style by John Russell Pope in 1927, on what was once the hunting grounds for Algonquin Indians. The house was originally the residence of Chester and Marion Wells, who wanted the house to recreate the atmosphere of English country living in their American home. Captain and Mrs. Wells decided to build the mansion after discarding the idea of rebuilding and enlarging the ruins of the Clean Drinking Manor House. Clean Drinking was the name of the property, which was at one time about 14,000 acres, from the time it was "taken up" by John Courts in 1680 and patented in 1699, until it was purchased by Captain and Mrs. Wells in 1916.
The congregation of Lloyd Presbyterian Church was formed in the 1870s as part of a national movement by Northern missionaries to establish African-American Presbyterian churches in the South. Lloyd Presbyterian Church's current building was constructed between 1900 and 1907. One of the earliest religious buildings in Winston-Salem, it is Forsyth County's only Carpenter Gothic style church. Throughout its long history, the church has taken a leadership role in the political and social developments of the community. A landmark among African-American buildings, Lloyd Presbyterian Church is the earliest remaining building in the former Depot Street neighborhood.
The Lugos, a Spanish landgrant family, arrived in the pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles in the 1700's and settled prior to 1900 on this site. This was originally a portion of Rancho La Ballona which was established by the Machados.
While trapping in the Rocky Mountains in 1827 Thomas L. Smith was shot in the lower left leg by Indians. Escaping he took his knife and cut off the useless part, surviving this, he carved a peg of oak, strapped it on and was thereafter called, "Pegleg Smith." Going to California in 1829 he picked up some heavy stones, later found them to be gold and never found the spot again, this is known as "The Lost Pegleg Gold." he and others found that the horse herds in the Tulare Valley could be had for the taking. The Spanish called them thieves, but did not pursue them into the Sierras, so "El Cojo", which means "The Lame Man" in Spanish and his associates raided the ranchos and Missions and took thousands of horses and mules. East of here a small stream running into White River is known as "Cojo Gulch." The upper end is where he kept horses before driving them to his markets in the Rocky Mountains and Missouri, thus becoming the most successful horse thief in western history. He died at Sixty-Four years of age in San Francisco in 1865.
The first people to use the hot springs were the Bokninuwad Yokuts also called "Hoeynche" who called it "Kahtililkau" hot water. In the late 1870's T.J. and N.B. Witt filed claim to Upper Deer Creek "Hoyen Idik" which included the several hots springs. They were then known as the Deer Creek Hot Springs. By 1880 the Witt Family had developed small bathhouses and camping area and charged for their use. They sold the Springs and 300 acres in 1889 after that it sold several more times. During that time the name became California Hot Springs and was praised far and wide for its health benefits. In 1904 a large hotel was built called the Del Venado. It burned in 1932, but within two years new facilities were built. The names of Firebaugh, Pike, Wingrove, Mitchell, Williams, Newbury, and Baxter show as owners over the years until a disastrous fire in 1968 destroyed the resort buildings, leaving only the dance hall, swimming pool and a few rental cabins. In the 1980's the Gilbert family purchased what remained and with great effort brought it back to what it is today, an active successful resort.
Over the years, county fairs have provided a venue for farmers and their families to showcase crops, livestock, arts, and crafts and learn about the latest agricultural techniques.
The discovery of oil near the Kern River in 1899 brought people to the area, creating a boomtown such as Oil Center, Oil City and Oildale.
While marching to the conquest and occupation of California during the Mexican War, a detachment of 1st U.S. Dragoons, under the command of Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Kearny, was met on this site by native California lancers under, the command of Gen. Andres Pico. In this battle, fought on December 6, 1846, severe losses were incurred by the American forces. The native Californians withdrew after Kearny had rallied his men on the field. Gallant action on the part of both forces characterized the battle of San Pasqual, one of the significant actions during the Mexican War of 1846-1848.
