Spy Sites of Philadelphia: A Guide to the Region's Secret History

by H. Keith Melton, Robert Wallace, Henry R. Schlesinger (With)

Overview

An illustrated guide to the history of espionage in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley.

Philadelphia became a battleground for spies as George Washington’s Patriot army in nearby Valley Forge struggled to survive the winter of 1776-77. In the centuries that followed—through the Civil War, the rise of fascism and communism in the twentieth century, and today’s fight against terrorism—the city has been home to international intrigue and some of America’s most celebrated spies.

Spy Sites of Philadelphia takes readers inside this shadowy world to reveal the places and people of Philadelphia’s hidden history. These fascinating entries portray details of stolen secrets, clandestine meetings, and covert communications through every era of American history. Along the way, readers will meet both heroes and villains whose daring deceptions helped shape the nation.

Authors H. Keith Melton and Robert Wallace weave incredible true stories of courage and deceit that rival even the best spy fiction. Featuring over 150 spy sites in Philadelphia and its neighboring towns and counties, this illustrated guide invites readers to follow in the footsteps of moles and sleuths.

Authoritative, entertaining, and informative, Spy Sites of Philadelphia is a must-have guidebook to the espionage history of the region.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647120177
Publisher:	Georgetown University Press
Publication date:	02/01/2021
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

H. Keith Melton is an internationally recognized intelligence historian and authority on espionage technology. He is the author of Ultimate Spy: Inside the Secret World of Espionage and coauthor of Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA’s Spytechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda with Robert Wallace. Keith and Robert are executive producers of the Netflix series Spycraft, loosely based on their book by the same name.

Robert Wallace is the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Office of Technical Service, founder of the Artemus Consulting Group, and contributor to the CIA’s Center for the Study of Intelligence. He has coauthored numerous books with H. Keith Melton, including Spy Sites of Washington, DC and Spy Sites of New York City. Robert and Keith are executive producers of the Netflix series Spycraft, loosely based on their book by the same name.

Henry R. Schlesinger is a New York–based writer who has collaborated with the authors on several books, including Spycraft, Spy Sites of Washington, DC and Spy Sites of New York City.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgments ix

List of Abbreviations xi

Introduction xiii

1 Founding Fathers, Citizen Spies (1775-1783) 1

2 From Edgar Allan Poe through the Civil War (1837-1865) 61

3 Spies, Saboteurs, and Radicals of World War I (1914-1919) 75

4 Spies, Propagandists, and Fascists of World War II (1933-1945) 99

5 The First Era of Soviet Espionage (1919-1947) 117

6 A Cold War and Beyond (1948-Present) 173

Appendix: Spy Sites Maps 205

Selected Bibliography 235

Illustration Credits 241

Index 245

About the Authors 261

What People are Saying About This

Bill Harlow

Growing up in the Philadelphia area, I heard a lot about the region being the birthplace of American democracy but very little about its connection to espionage. Now, preeminent intelligence historians Keith Melton and Bob Wallace have filled that gap in my knowledge with their terrific book Spy Sites of Philadelphia.

Jack Barsky

This is the third book in the Spy Sites series, and the Melton/Wallace team does not disappoint. There are well over 100 short profiles of operatives in the world of espionage, each one worth their own book. As an ex agent, I am amazed to discover how many ‘colleagues’ I have.

Kenneth A. Daigler

In the third book of their Spy Sites series, the authors once again provide a lively and entertaining perspective, this time taking us to Philadelphia where the ‘second oldest’ profession has been practiced for almost 250 years. This is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in espionage, or simply seeing the historic sites of Philadelphia. To the general public, most of the historic details will be new and fascinating.

Editorial Reviews

Spy Sites of Philadelphia is a good “first book” for anyone wanting to learn something about the history of espionage, and even someone well-read in the subject will likely find some surprises in here.

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