UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — “Keystone Stories,” a four-part WPSU series premiering in May, will showcase stories of the people, places and pastimes that make Pennsylvania great.
“It’s exciting to be able to tell local stories and to be able to tell stories with a broad range,” said WPSU Creative Director Cole Cullen, who is leading the project.
“I want people to walk away from this show saying, ‘I didn’t know that!’”
The series premieres on Thursday, May 5, on WPSU-TV with “The Forest,” which tells the story of how Pennsylvania’s forests were almost lost to overuse and overharvesting more than a century ago, and their rescue by the new conservation movement of the late 1800s.
The series will air Thursdays at 8 p.m. on May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26 on WPSU-TV.
Other episodes will feature arts and artists, historic drive-in movie theaters, and central Pennsylvania’s rich stories of Black history. Learn more about “Keystone Stories” here.
The program schedule for Keystone Stories includes:
"The Forest": Thursday, May 5, 8 p.m.
When Pennsylvania was discovered, nearly 29 million acres of it was covered in forest. By 1895, this number dropped to 9 million acres. While Pennsylvania provided lumber to build a nation, this invaluable natural resource was almost lost.
"Drive-Ins": Thursday, May 12, 8 p.m.
In the late 1950s, at the height of the drive-in movie theater’s popularity, Pennsylvania had more than 180 in operation. Today Pennsylvania still has nearly 30 drive-in theaters operating, second most in the country.
"The Arts are Alive": Thursday, May 19, 8 p.m.
Creativity thrives in the commonwealth. From community art projects to makerspaces to galleries and festivals, the arts play a pivotal role in bringing people together throughout our region.
"Black History Keepers": Thursday, May 26, 8 p.m.
Bellefonte houses rich stories of Black history, including St. Paul AME Church, founded in the 1800s, and believed to be part of the underground railroad. Its history has been preserved by local historians, as have many other aspects of Black history in central Pennsylvania.