Winter News from The Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum

Last Updated on Monday, 28 November 2016 19:31

The following Winter News is from The Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum.

Cement City Walking Tours

A slightly overcast October 2 Sunday afternoon greeted 22 guests on our most recent Cement City Home and Walking Tour. This closes out our sixth year of hosting architectural and historical enthusiasts from all over Southwestern PA and beyond. This also completes our third year of hosting tours in both the spring and fall. With a continually growing waiting list, we anticipate hosting two tours again next year on Sunday, April 23 and then again in September/October in celebration of the centennial anniversary of our beloved Historic District, completed 100 years ago in 1917.

The tours started at the museum with a photo presentation on Thomas Edison’s Cement City, as well as the showing of artifacts and original blueprints during the construction from 1916 and 1917. A walking tour followed in the Historic District to point out various architectural details. The walk concluded by touring the interior of three homes that have a couple of rooms restored to period.

If you have any questions about Cement City or one of our Home and Walking Tours, please consult our website and click the “Cement City” tab, or call or email the historical society.

Game Films Make a Great Christmas Gift!

If you’re looking for a very unique Christmas gift this year, keep in mind that amongst the many items that the Donora Historical Society has in its collection are over 80 reels of football and basketball game film of high school teams from all over the Mon Valley and Western Pennsylvania from 1963 to 1979.

They are original 16mm films that are still in the process of being converted to DVD, but after launching this project over a year ago, many games have already been converted. Some games even show significant footage of the band, majorettes and color guards. Please give enough lead time to fill orders in time for Christmas.

If you have any interest or have questions on exactly which games we have, please consult the Historical Society by voice mail or email listed below, or see the full list of games on the website under the “Game Films” tab.

Winter Reading …Or Another Christmas Gift Idea

The Donora Historical Society is selling a limited number of copies of the new Stan “The Man” Musial book titled: “Stan Musial: Baseball Hero.” This is part of the “Notable Missourians” book series and is ideal for the collector or youth reader as a Christmas present. These books are geared for young adults. The society is able to sell these books at a 40% discount from the cover price or $20.Other Stan Musial books are also available for purchase as authored by New York Times writer George Vecsey and Donora native Wayne Stewart, as well as Monessen native and author Ralph E. Stone’s book, “Diary of a First Street Rambler,” that recounts his experiences of growing up in Monessen as a youth as well as stories about Donora and Stan Musial.

Additional Info

If you have additional questions about the subjects mentioned above, the society, museum, meetings or are interested in volunteering, feel free to stop by on Saturdays or by special appointment (with at least 72 hours’ notice), email us at DonoraHistoricalSociety@gmail.com, call us at 724-823-0364 and leave a message, visit us on the web at www.DonoraHistoricalSociety.org, or follow us and like us on Facebook at “Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum.”