The Civil War Era in the Shenango Valley
The Civil War Era in the Shenango Valley
The Civil War Era in the Shenango Valley by Taylor Galaska (240 pages, paperback, 6 x 9")
“The Civil War Era in the Shenango Valley” is a compelling narrative about the Shenango Valley’s pivotal role during the American Civil War. While the region didn’t witness major battles, it became a critical center for Union support, supplying troops, and other war materials. For those interested in the region’s history, “The Civil War Era in the Shenango Valley” offers a compelling account of the valley’s early development. See full description and details below.
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Bloodshed and Prosperity
Following the fall of Fort Sumter, President Abraham Lincoln and Pennsylvania’s War Governor Andrew Curtin called for 75,000 men to suppress the rebellion. Many from the Shenango Valley enlisted, uncertain of what lay ahead. In the years leading up to the war, Sharon transitioned from a small village to a thriving town, spurred by the discovery of Sharon Block Coal and the arrival of the Erie Extension Canal, which helped make the valley a bustling commercial center. The founding of the Sharon Iron Company in 1850 marked the beginning of industrialization, with Sharon, Wheatland, and Sharpsville becoming known as “the three links of the iron chain.” By the war’s end, returning soldiers had been transformed by their experiences, many rising to become community leaders. Monuments were built to honor their sacrifices, and the Grand Army of the Republic played a significant role in supporting veterans. Author and historian Taylor Galaska explores the impressive history of the Shenango Valley during one of the nation’s most troubled times.
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Taylor Galaska, President of the Board of Directors of the Sharon Historical Society, is a Sharon, Pennsylvania, native. He has served on the Board of Directors since 2014 when he joined at the age of 15. A graduate of Westminster College in New Wilmington, where he earned a bachelor’s in marketing and professional sales, Galaska’s true passion has always been local history. His first book, Grand Homes of the Gilded Age, which was released in 2022 as the Historical Society’s first coffee-table-style book, has received much praise. Since then, Galaska and the Shenango Heritage Press have released Built by Steel: Frank and Julia Buhl’s Mansion and Legacy (2022; coauthored with Laura Ackley), Black Gold: Boomtowns, Prominent Men, & Grand Farmhouses of Hickory Township (2023), and The Magic City: The Men, Mills, & Homes of a Company Town Forged in Steel (2024).
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Pages: 240
Publisher: Sharon Historical Society
Imprint: Shenango Heritage Press
Series: The War Series
Publication Date: 13th August 2025
State: Pennsylvania
Trim Size: 6 x 9 in
ISBN: 9798988979432
Format: Paperback
BISACs:
HISTORY / United States / State & Local / Middle Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA)
HISTORY / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)
