SPOTLIGHT: Former Bradford resident Dr. Michael P. Gabriel was featured on C-SPAN 3’s “Lectures in History” series on Jan. 12.
The network recorded and aired a lecture by Dr. Gabriel on “Rage Militaire: The First Year of the American Revolutionary War,” in a class he teaches on Revolutionary America at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.
A professor of history, Dr. Gabriel has taught at Kutztown University since 1994, and has authored three books on the American Revolution. He attended St. Bernard School and Bradford Central Christian High School.
He earned his BS at Clarion University, his M.A. at St. Bonaventure, and his Ph.D. at Penn State. He is the son of the late Frederick R. Gabriel, M.D. and Elizabeth B. Gabriel, and still has family in Bradford.
Michael, his wife Sandy, and daughter Katie reside near Kutztown.
The show will re-air at noon on Sunday on C-SPAN 3.
For more information, or to watch the segment on-demand, visit https://www.c-span.org/video/?452567-2/american-revolution-1775-76
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MORE: Cindy Parker of Kane shared with us some more history of Mauch Chunk, the original name of Jim Thorpe, Pa. We mentioned it in a recent column.
“The Mauch Chunk Railway, used to haul coal from the mine and offered rides to the public during off-peak times, was the influence for America’s first roller coaster at Coney Island, N.Y.,” Cindy tells us.
The line began as the Switchback Gravity Railroad, built in 1827. It was only the second railroad built in America. The downhill ride was taken care of by gravity, and mules hauled the empty cars back up the hill. The success of the railroad necessitated a separate track back up the hill by 1844.
“Following the line’s dramatic descents and loops, these cars could attain speeds of up to 50 miles per hour,” reads information on railstotrails.org. It was so popular that only Niagara Falls drew more tourists.
Cindy told us that her son appreciates roller coasters more than she does.
“My son, Frank Farrell, is a roller coaster enthusiast. I am from Long Island, N.Y. and visited Coney Island as a child,” Cindy said. “Too young to ride the Cyclone at the time. I think I’m too old to ride it now.”
Cindy retired as librarian from Friends Memorial Library in Kane.
