The Society has a few things to show in this realm. Jim Quirk, who worked in our area in the 1960s, donated a spinning wheel he purchased at a local estate sale on North Main Street. It needs some mechanical attention to be functional. We also have in our collections a beautiful shawl originally owned by Elizabeth “Betty” Philippi Keller (1832-1902) resident of Henderson Township. It appears to be a Bay State style plaid shawl mass produced, probably 1870s-1880s. Both these items are temporarily on display in the Reschini Room. They will make way this summer for things more related to our “boomtown” era—the time just before and after 1900 when we experienced a commercial boom, a population boom, a building boom and booms in ethnicities, faiths, foods, language and culture—most stimulated by our region’s growing coal industry and the consequences of that growth.

 

It’s not possible to overstate the effect the coal boom had on our region; railways were an integral part of its development and the commercial boom followed right along. For this reason, the Coal Memorial Committee has been actively sponsoring events which bring to our attention this part of our heritage. The short list includes last fall’s Labor Day weekend gathering at the Coal Memorial site, ongoing opportunities for memorialization of loved ones through the purchase of tiles to be placed on the wall at that site, mine reenactors during this year’s “Night at the Museum,” a movie shown to commemorate Mitchell Day and—something special—a series of workshops scheduled for the final Tuesdays in May, June and August about the development of the mining community of Walston. This three-part series, for which seats are limited and for which one must register in advance (come in, call or email)..

 

Our open hours are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. with additional hours for genealogy on Thursday and Saturday from 10 to 1.

 

 

EXHIBITS & ATTRACTIONS

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"Childhood" Exhibits in the Griffith Galleries

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Native, Settler, Lumber, Farm, Mine, Rail and Boomtown Displays at the Bennis House with special emphasis on other past and present regional artists

 

Genealogy, Gift Shop, Photography and Punxsutawney Groundhog Day History at the Lattimer House.