Rust & Dirt
@rustanddirt.bsky.social
A public history project. Exploring the history, culture, and everyday life of rust belt and rural NW Pennsylvania.
On this day in 2004, Halo 2 was released on Xbox. Folks braved long lines outside of GameStop for its midnight release. From Penn State Behrend’s student newspaper review: “Do you remember many people being absent in your classes? It’s not wonder. Halo 2 was released at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning…”
November 9, 2025 at 2:07 PM
On this day in 2004, Halo 2 was released on Xbox. Folks braved long lines outside of GameStop for its midnight release. From Penn State Behrend’s student newspaper review: “Do you remember many people being absent in your classes? It’s not wonder. Halo 2 was released at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning…”
March 1957. #EriePA. This is one record from the Air Force’s Project Blue Book Case Files on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects made between 1947–1969. Erie had numerous reported UFO sightings during these years.
November 2, 2025 at 12:38 PM
March 1957. #EriePA. This is one record from the Air Force’s Project Blue Book Case Files on Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects made between 1947–1969. Erie had numerous reported UFO sightings during these years.
Grief changed John Brown. "I find I am getting more and more unfit for everything," he wrote to a friend. "I have been growing numb for a good while." #history #skystorians #johnbrown #harpersferry
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
A Hero in the Midst of Cowards
The righteous rage of John Brown
www.eriereader.com
October 17, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Grief changed John Brown. "I find I am getting more and more unfit for everything," he wrote to a friend. "I have been growing numb for a good while." #history #skystorians #johnbrown #harpersferry
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
Reposted by Rust & Dirt
Here it is, my 243rd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
#ScholarSunday Thread 243 (9/28/25) - Black and White and Read All Over
Here it is, my 243rd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! Fi...
blackwhiteandread.com
September 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Here it is, my 243rd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
Reposted by Rust & Dirt
Due to Lee’s increasing civil rights activism & connection to progressive causes, he soon found himself the target of anti-communist hysteria & with the FBI's investigation of him, he was blacklisted. When asked to identify a friend as a communist to drop the blacklisting, Lee refused. #history
September 25, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Due to Lee’s increasing civil rights activism & connection to progressive causes, he soon found himself the target of anti-communist hysteria & with the FBI's investigation of him, he was blacklisted. When asked to identify a friend as a communist to drop the blacklisting, Lee refused. #history
Reposted by Rust & Dirt
After nearly 100 professional matches, Canada Lee hung up his gloves. He dabbled as a bandleader, traveling from club to club, before in 1934, stumbling upon something new: the stage. In 1936, he was cast by Orson Welles as Banquo in an extremely successful production of Macbeth. #acting #history
September 25, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by Rust & Dirt
Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
Canada Lee's Knockout Path from Erie to Broadway
From welterweight warrior to theater legend
www.eriereader.com
September 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
My latest: “This was the boxing scene in Erie when Canada Lee arrived in 1928. He was recruited by Carney alongside a cohort of other Harlem fighters. … He was soon hitting the gym with Bill Purdy, trainer for many of Erie's boxing greats.” #History #Skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
September 25, 2025 at 3:27 PM
My latest: “This was the boxing scene in Erie when Canada Lee arrived in 1928. He was recruited by Carney alongside a cohort of other Harlem fighters. … He was soon hitting the gym with Bill Purdy, trainer for many of Erie's boxing greats.” #History #Skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
Reposted by Rust & Dirt
Without my editor, I get a little carried away. But here’s my perspective on the whole echo chambers discussion. I have a lot of thoughts. A.I. slop! Algorithms! Dead Internet Theory! The World Wide Web! RSS feeds! Journalistic codes of ethics! Read on:
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
JonathanBurdick.com - Echo Chambers
The Same Sad Echo (Chamber)
www.jonathanburdick.com
September 8, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Without my editor, I get a little carried away. But here’s my perspective on the whole echo chambers discussion. I have a lot of thoughts. A.I. slop! Algorithms! Dead Internet Theory! The World Wide Web! RSS feeds! Journalistic codes of ethics! Read on:
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
We can all agree that Arthur, airing for 25 seasons, is one of the greatest PBS Kids shows of all time. Arthur’s creator, Marc Brown, grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania. Advice on writing from Season 1, Episode 12. #writersky #writing #PBSKids
August 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM
We can all agree that Arthur, airing for 25 seasons, is one of the greatest PBS Kids shows of all time. Arthur’s creator, Marc Brown, grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania. Advice on writing from Season 1, Episode 12. #writersky #writing #PBSKids
From the Erie Public Library Report 1913-1916. #EriePA. (Source: PA Power Library) #history #skystorians
August 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
From the Erie Public Library Report 1913-1916. #EriePA. (Source: PA Power Library) #history #skystorians
Erie’s bayfront. From a 1949 map by the U. S. Lake Survey Corps of Engineers. (Source: Heritage Collections at the Erie County Public Library) #EriePA
August 20, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Erie’s bayfront. From a 1949 map by the U. S. Lake Survey Corps of Engineers. (Source: Heritage Collections at the Erie County Public Library) #EriePA
1963 advertisement for a kitchen telephone. Meadville Telephone Company. (Source: Conneaut Lake Breeze)
August 18, 2025 at 11:43 AM
1963 advertisement for a kitchen telephone. Meadville Telephone Company. (Source: Conneaut Lake Breeze)
Sterling All Star Dairy. 3330 Peach Street, #EriePA. Country Fresh Buttermilk: “[F]ull of rich, golden butter flakes ... extra delicious, and extra nutritious.”
August 18, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Sterling All Star Dairy. 3330 Peach Street, #EriePA. Country Fresh Buttermilk: “[F]ull of rich, golden butter flakes ... extra delicious, and extra nutritious.”
Sea World of Ohio advertisement. 1987. (Source: Conneaut Lake Breeze)
August 17, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Sea World of Ohio advertisement. 1987. (Source: Conneaut Lake Breeze)
1987 Crawford County Fair schedule. (Source: Conneaut Lake Breeze)
August 17, 2025 at 12:19 PM
1987 Crawford County Fair schedule. (Source: Conneaut Lake Breeze)
Reposted by Rust & Dirt
This John Brown children’s book I snagged has some major Touchdown for Tommy vibes. But I’m here for it. #history #skystorians #ushistory
August 17, 2025 at 1:46 AM
This John Brown children’s book I snagged has some major Touchdown for Tommy vibes. But I’m here for it. #history #skystorians #ushistory
Reposted by Rust & Dirt
Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
August 15, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
This was the first photo of Adolf Hitler published in PA’s Erie Daily Times. It was 1923 & only months before his failed coup. In my latest, I reflect on the rise of Hitler & those who chose to follow him down his path of death & destruction: www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
#history #skystorians
#history #skystorians
August 16, 2025 at 11:53 AM
This was the first photo of Adolf Hitler published in PA’s Erie Daily Times. It was 1923 & only months before his failed coup. In my latest, I reflect on the rise of Hitler & those who chose to follow him down his path of death & destruction: www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
#history #skystorians
#history #skystorians
“80 Years Since World War II: From Hitler's Rise to Hiroshima's End.” #WWII #history #skystorians
Here’s my latest: www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
Here’s my latest: www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
August 15, 2025 at 4:59 PM
“80 Years Since World War II: From Hitler's Rise to Hiroshima's End.” #WWII #history #skystorians
Here’s my latest: www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
Here’s my latest: www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
