Civil War Exhibit Scheduled in Donora Continues to Unfold

Last Updated on Friday, 27 February 2015 03:58

Plans are still coming together for the Heinz History Center's traveling Civil War exhibit by the Donora Historical Society – "The Civil War in Pennsylvania" – as we continue to add presenters.

The 500 square-foot exhibit will be held in partnership with the Donora Public Library and will be displayed in the lower level community room for six weeks March 20 - April 28 – the timeframe of which coincides with the 150th anniversary of the ending of the Civil War.

Knowing that this exhibit is bigger than Donora, neighboring historical societies as well as other individuals and groups from around Pittsburgh will be presenting stories about their favorite Civil War sons and daughters. Presentations will be held every Saturday and some weeknights. The exhibit and presentations are free but suggested donations will be accepted to help defray any expenses incurred.

The exhibit will be available Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit will be closed on Sunday and Monday. Tuesday is still TBD. Regardless, the exhibit can be made available on any day and time by appointment.

Women's groups are being sought to attend for the Thursday, March 26 presentation by Cal U history professor Dr. Clarissa Confer, who will be speaking during "Women's History Month." Please call to schedule your group for a seat at this presentation.

School groups and other social group are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and schedule their visit ASAP. If any individuals or groups are interested in participating in any capacity, please contact the Historical Society to schedule their group or to offer their ideas. Also, if any individual or company would like to be a sponsor to help fund additional events during the exhibit, contact the Historical Society for sponsorship opportunities that also benefit the Library.

Please check our website at www.DonoraHistoricalSociety.org and click on the "Civil War Exhibit" tab for pictures and descriptions of the exhibit and the schedule of events.

If you have additional questions about the subjects mentioned above, the society, museum, meetings or possibly volunteering, feel free to stop by or email us at DonoraHistoricalSociety@gmail.com or by calling 724-823-0364 and leaving a message. Or visit us on the web at www.DonoraHistoricalSociety.org.

Cement City Home and Walking Tour in Donora Scheduled for Spring

Due to the success of our fourth annual Cement City Home and Walking Tour held last October , we will be hosting two tours in 2015, the first of which will be held on Sunday, May 3 at 1 p.m. The other will be held in September or October.

The tours start at the museum with a photo presentation on Donora's National Historic District – Thomas Edison's Cement City and shows the artifacts and original blueprints during the construction from 1916 and 1917. The presenter is Smog Museum curator and Cement City resident Brian Charlton, who authored an article in the fall 2013 edition of the Western Pennsylvania History magazine published by the Heinz History Center titled "Cement City: Thomas Edison's Experiment with Worker's Housing In Donora." A walking tour follows in the Historic District to point out various architectural details. The walk concludes by touring the interior of two 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. If you would like to RSVP for either tour, please contact the historical society by phone or email to be added to the list.