Local Civil War artifacts sought
?The Fayette County Historical Society is looking for artifacts to help it commemorate the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War.
A display of local Civil War artifacts is being planned for October at the Fayette County Historical Society Museum at the Abel Colley Tavern on Route 40 in Menallen Township in conjunction with a traveling display by the Heinz History Center.
“What we are looking for are artifacts from Fayette County residents,” said Dwayne Santella, one of the volunteers putting together the local display. “We’ll let the Heinz History Center cover the war. We want to cover Fayette County.”
Santella said that according to James Hadden’s 1913 History of Uniontown, there were 300 Civil War veterans just from Uniontown, so he is hoping a number of their descendants and the descendants of veterans from other parts of the county have some items that will help tell the story of the Civil War from a local perspective.
Santella said the emphasis will be on local regiments, such as the 85th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.
“Their rendezvous point was right here in Uniontown, where the high school is now,” Santella said.
“It was called Camp Lafayette. I think it was the old fairgrounds. If there are any photos of that, we would love to see them,” Santella said.
Diaries, letters and other items that show what Fayette County residents were thinking about during the Civil War are also welcome, Santella said. Copies of the items are acceptable, though Jo Lofstead of the historical society said original items, whether on loan or permanently donated to the museum, would be well-cared for and secure at the museum.
“People need to know that whatever they donate will be valued and respected and that the museum values them as treasures just as they do,” Lofstead said.
In addition to the 85th Pennsylvania, artifacts from the Ringgold Cavalry, the 18th Heavy Artillery and the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry are also welcome.
“One company of the First West Virginia Cavalry came from Fayette County too,” Santella said.
Anyone wishing to donate items for the display, or desiring more information about the project, can contact the historical society by calling 724-439-4422 or emailing fayettehistoricalsociety@gmail.com.