Historical society: New leadership, exciting happenings
Local history buffs got a chance to see some impressive documents last Saturday evening. That’s when the Greene County Historical Society opened its museum doors for a one-day-only exhibit focused on fragile materials normally kept under wraps.
“There are several things we won’t have on display because they’re so valuable and because we don’t have the proper climate controls (to keep them from deteriorating),” said Matt Cumberledge, the society’s new executive director. “Normally, we keep them off-site for their protection.”
From 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, museum visitors marveled at seven historical documents preserved under glass cases.
One noteworthy item was a letter written by George Washington on August 30, 1789 to then Pennsylvania governor, Thomas Mifflin. The subjects covered included treaties with Native Americans and the survey of the Lake Erie lands assigned to the state.
Another letter written in 1786 and sent to Mifflin by Patrick Henry, then-governor of Virginia, provided a list of names of delegates sent to an Annapolis Convention by the Virginia legislature to discuss the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The convention subsequently led to the writing of a new governing document that became the U.S. Constitution.
Another letter signed by Benjamin Franklin dated January 20, 1786 concerns the induction of Rev. Samuel Magaw into the American Philosophical Society, founded by Franklin in 1743 to promote “useful knowledge” through research, fellowships and public outreach.
The exhibit also included a letter written by Abraham Lincoln to Secretary of War, Edward Stanton, dated February 1865, that outlines the promotion of a group of men from Kansas to the rank of general in the U.S. Army. One photograph on display shows President William Taft standing on the front porch of Ivyhurst, a large Victorian mansion on Greene Street in Waynesburg owned by Robinson Franklin Downey and his wife Ella. The house no longer stands. Community Bank now sits in its place.
“All of the items were donated to the historical society and are now returned to their off-site location for storage,” Cumberledge said.
Close to 75 visitors attended the exhibit, which opened with brief remarks by society president Kelley Hardie and Cumberledge, followed by a 20 minute tour of the museum.
The exhibit was free and open to the public, although attendees donated several hundred dollars to the society that evening. Some even became society members which added roughly another $250 to the non-profit organization’s coffer.
“Everyone loved looking at the documents, and the large turnout inspired us to want to organize additional exhibits of other items not usually on display,” Cumberledge said.
Around noon on April 25, the museum will team up with the Greene County Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its re-opening. Thursday’s ribbon cutting ceremony is free and open to the public. The 45-minute event, to which county officials have been invited, will include a short ceremony, a walk through the museum and refreshments.
That evening at 7 p.m., Todd Johnson will kick off the society’s lecture series with a talk on Native American history and culture.
Subsequent talks will be held on May 16 (Rea Redd: Civil War Medicine), June 6 (Local History Author Kevin Paul), July 11 (Ben McMillan: Greene Historical Society Then and Now), September 26 (Dr. Larry Stratton: Ben Franklin) and October 18 (Jarrod Burks: Adena and Hopewell Earthworks and Archaeology).
The museum officially opens to the public on Saturday, April 27. The day will begin at 8 a.m. with registration for the annual Blast from the Past 5K run/walk fundraiser. The registration fee for the race over the museum grounds and along Rolling Meadows and Garards Fort Roads is $15 for children and $24.99 for adults.
Starting at 8 a.m., the society will offer a pancake breakfast with bacon, sausage and coffee for $6. Admission to the museum will be free on opening day and visitors will be able to see the new exhibit devoted to the Roseberry Barbershop.
Throughout the year, admission to the museum is $7, children 6 to 12 and seniors $6 and free to children under the age of 6. and members. Annual members ship is $20 for individuals, $15 for students and $30 for families. Membership gives free admission to the museum and a 10 percent discount in the gift shop.
“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone this summer to bring the history of the county alive,” Cumberledge said.
The museum is located at 918 Rolling Meadow Road in Waynesburg. Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday Through Saturday, April 27 – October 31.
For more information, phone 724-627-3204. To register for the 5K, visit www.runsignup.com and search “Blast from the Past.”