Beaver County History Weekend offers interactive fun
Step back in time May 7-8 at Beaver County History Days.
Local museums join together for the annual celebration, hosting special events.
This year's theme, "Communication," finds each building presenting communications of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Admission is free, though donations are always welcome. Several locations have fun tie-ins with Mother's Day.
Here are highlights of what Beaver County History Days attendees can see or do:
Air Heritage, Inc. Museum and Aircraft Restoration Facility
35 Pipe St., Chippewa Township.
Listen to live air-to-air ground radio transmissions from the Beaver County Airport tower and the functioning radios of the two airworthy warbirds: The Luck of the Irish C-47 (World War II-era) and The Thunder Pig C-123 (Vietnam era), and view the display of older vintage airplane radios and get a close-up look at 11 vintage planes.
History Weekend hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 7.
Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
More info: 724-843-2820 or airheritage.org
B. F. Jones Memorial Library
663 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa
Tour the 1929-built library, and see letters and records from the archives on J&L Steel and the history of Aliquippa, along with the speech by President John F. Kennedy in Aliquippa on Oct. 12, 1962.
History Weekend hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 7.
Regular hours: 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays.
More info: 724-375-2900; beaverlibraries.org/aliquippa.asp
Beaver Area Heritage Museum
1 River Road Ext., Beaver.
In the "Saint or Sinner" exhibit, visitors will be asked to review the evidence and cast their vote about one of Beaver’s most famous residents, state Sen. Matthew Stanley Quay, the chair of the Republican National Committee from 1888-91. Also, see a copy of The Treaty of Fort McIntosh negotiated in 1785.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: 10-4 Saturdays, 1-4 p.m. Sundays.
More info: 724-775-7174 or beaverheritage.org
Beaver County Genealogy and History Center
Beaver Station, 250 East End Ave., Beaver.
“Communication Through Cartoons!” the original pen and ink archival collection of Beaver Falls native and award-winning editorial cartoonist John Shevchik (1915-94) will be displayed. For decades, Shevchik communicated news and controversies of the day to readers of the Beaver Falls News-Tribune and later the Valley Tribune through his cartoon editorials. Also see letters from soldiers and travelers, a medical doctor’s call journal and women’s organization scrapbooks. Look for pictures of mom or grandma in the Beaver County high school yearbook collection for Mother’s Day weekend.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: April 1 through Nov. 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; Dec. 1 through March 31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.
More info: 724-775-1775 or beavercountyhistory.org
Beaver County Industrial Museum
801 Plumb St., Darlington.
Along with the exhibits on the glass and steel industries, an additional display will focus on “Communications in Industry” by telegraph, telephone and print.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 7; 1-4:30 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: 1-4:30 p.m. Sundays in May, June, July and August, or any day by appointment by calling 724-312-0831.
Enon Valley Community Historical Society
1084 Main St., Enon Valley
The invention of the telephone and the Enon Valley Telephone Co., founded in 1906, will be highlighted, as well as stories of the phone operators who personally connected the calls of the local residents. “Old Time” telephones (rotary dials), photographs, documents and artifacts will be displayed.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: By appointment at 724-336-5194.
H.C. Fry Glass Society
At Rochester Area Heritage Society Museum, Model Railroad and Fry Glass rooms, 350 Adams St., second floor, Rochester
Foval glass will be on display. Many feel this style of glass was inspired by Pittsburgh's pioneering radio station KDKA broadcasting the Harding-Cox election results in November 1920. Foval is an opalescent art glass with draped loops of colored glass, which represented radio waves.
History Weekend hours: Noon to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-3 p.m. May 8. Saturday 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Regular hours: By appointment, leaving a message at 724-987-0335.
Ladies Grand Army of the Republic
At Hookstown Fair Grounds, 1198 Route 168, Greene Township.
The relevance of colors and what they communicated in our nation’s historic Civil War flags will be shared. Appropriate flag etiquette will be explained.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; noon to 4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., second Saturdays from April through October, and at the Hookstown Fair.
More info: 724-407-8745
Little Beaver Historical Society Complex
710 Market St., Darlington
Communication milestones in the local communities will be highlighted, beginning with Indian Petroglyphs and displays of military letters of local veterans as well as the diaries of the Rev. Robert Dilworth and others from the 19th and 20th centuries. Artifacts on display will illustrate the importance of the post office, newspaper, telegraph and early telephone. The McCarl Industrial Museum will showcase the more technologically advanced role played by early radio, television and early computers.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: To be announced.
More info: 724-843-4361 or littlebeaverhistorical.org
McKinley School
McKinley Road and 37th Street Ext., Chippewa Township.
The only remaining brick, one-room schoolhouse in Chippewa will have a teacher and students in late 1800s period clothing reading to younger visitors on May 7.
History Weekend hours: Noon to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: By appointment.
More info: 724-843-8177 or facebook.com/McKinleySchoolhouse
Merrick Art Gallery and Museum
1100 Fifth Ave., New Brighton.
Museum founder Edward Dempster Merrick was a self-taught Morse code master, who enlisted as a telegraph operator during the Civil War for the Union Army. A Morse code machine will be on display and a special card for Mom will be available with a Morse code theme.
History Weekend hours: Noon to 3 p.m. May 7-8.
Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays; 1-4 p.m. Sundays.
More information: 724-846-1130 or merrickartgallery.org
Monaca Hall of Fame
1098 Pennsylvania Ave., Monaca.
Displays related to the Harmonists who left Old Economy Village to take refuge in Monaca (then Phillipsburg) where their selection of music was not restricted by the Society. Also highlighted will be the contributions of Monaca women.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7.
Regular hours: By appointment.
New Brighton Historical Society
At the New Brighton Public Library 1021 Third Ave., New Brighton.
Artifacts and displays of various types of communication including antique radios and telephones, and an 1899 copy of the Daily News, a newspaper published in New Brighton.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 7; noon to 3 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: By appointment, calling 724-622-8877.
Ohio Valley Lines Model Railroad, Library & Museum
1225 Merchant St., Ambridge.
Two scale models of train and telegraph systems, including operating trains, track, stations, scenery, buildings and people reminiscent of the 1940s and 1950s.
History Weekend hours: Noon to 4 p.m. May 7-8.
Regular hours: 7-9 p.m. Thursdays.
More info: 724-266-4787 or ohiovalleylines.org
Old Economy Village
270 16th St., Ambridge.
In addition to touring buildings, visitors can engage in letter writing with a quill pen in the Feast Hall Classroom and assist the printer operating the printing press in the Mechanics Building.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7-8.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Regular hours: 10-4 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
More info: 724-266-4500 or oldeconomyvillage.org
Performing Arts Legends Museums (PALM)
1426 Merchant St., Ambridge.
Western Pennsylvania musical artists such as Henry Mancini, Perry Como, The Marcels, Harold Betters, Lou Christie, The Skyliners, The Vogues, Bobby Vinton, The Jaggerz, Papa John Creach, The Steals Brothers, The Granati Brothers, Donnie Iris, Johnny Angel, The Clarks and B. E. Taylor are commemorated with over 300 artifacts.
History Weekend hours: free admission for moms (and entry to win a gift basket) Noon to 4 p.m. May 6; 2-4 p.m. May 7 and noon-4 p.m. May 8.
From noon to 2 p.m. May 7 is the inaugural PALM Legends gathering ($20 admission) with scheduled musical guests Betty Douglas, Donna Groom, Mark Groom, Jimmie Ross, David Granati and Steve Acker, featuring Smokey Robinson Wines and charcuterie boards from Vesuvio's Italian Restaurant in Center Township. Tickets: PALMMuseum.org
Regular hours: Noon. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays beginning May 13.
Richmond Little Red School House
245 Park Road, Brighton Township.
Learn about cursive writing skills that were taught between 1844-1950, and try writing on a hand-held slate. Letters written in cursive will be on display.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: By appointment, calling 724-774-8289.
More info: 724-774-8292 or facebook.com/brightontownshiphistoricalsociety
Rochester Area Heritage Society Museum, Model Railroad & Fry Glass Rooms
350 Adams St., Second Floor, Rochester.
Celebrates the Bell Telephone Co., a hub of Beaver County, which brought all lines of communication through a building still standing at 411 Delaware Ave. Included in the display are old phone books. There's also a surprise for mothers.
We also have a surprise for all the Mothers who attend!
The Beaver Falls Historical Society and Museum is temporarily closed but will have artifacts displayed at the Rochester museum such as 19th-century ledgers, journals and notebooks.
History Weekend hours: Noon to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-3 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, April through October; noon-3 p.m. Sundays. Holiday hours are noon to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving until New Year's Day. Or by appointment by calling 724-777-7697.
South Side Historical Village Association
Hookstown Fairgrounds, 1198 Route 168 Greene Township.
Various means of communication will be displayed in the association's seven buildings, such as books, flags, labels and cards.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. second Saturdays each month from April through October, during the Hookstown Fair, or by appointment, calling 724-573-4569.
More info: 724-573-4569 or facebook.com/southsidehistoricvillage
Vicary Mansion
1235 Third Ave., Freedom
Quilts communicating love, gratitude, joy and support will be displayed along with select photos of quilts from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Quilt Documentation Project. A special quilt-related Mother’s Day gift will be given to the mothers that attend on May 8.
Also, the Logs Town Associates Historical Society will display wampum belts produced by the Iroquois people.
History Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7; 1-4 p.m. May 8.
Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or by appointment.
More info: 724-775-1848 or bchrlf.org
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Beaver County History Days bring free activities
