Duffy's Cut Site (Malvern, Pa.)

Duffy's Cut is the name given to a stretch of railroad tracks about 30 miles (48 km) west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally built for the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad in the summer and fall of 1832. The line later became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line. Railroad contractor Philip Duffy hired 57 Irish immigrants to lay this line through the area's densely wooded hills and ravines. The workers came to Philadelphia from the Ulster counties of Donegal, Tyrone, and Londonderry to work in Pennsylvania's nascent railroad industry. While their fates are unclear, a theory based on a record from a railroad archive suggests all 57 died of cholera during the second cholera pandemic. The remains of seven have been discovered at the site, and forensic evidence suggests that some may have been murdered, perhaps due to fear of contagion as the pandemic spanned several continents over many years. While this has become the most popular theory, a coroner who studied the bones believes the alleged bullet holes and injuries were actually due to natural decomposition and post-mortem damage. The site is located in East Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania, 1,500 feet (460 m) northeast of the intersection of King Road and Sugartown Road, where a Pennsylvania state historical marker has been placed.