New exhibit gives visitors a chance to ‘remember when’
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A World War II is part of the 鈥淩emember When鈥� exhibit at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township.
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The Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township is featuring a 鈥淩emember When鈥� exhibit.
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Fayette County Historical Society Secretary Jo Lofstead stands next to a chest auger in the coal mining display at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township.
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An early X-ray machine from the office of Dr. E. Russell Ingraham of Masontown is part of the Fayette County Historical Society蘑菇视频 鈥淩emember When鈥� exhibit at the Abel Colley Tavern in Menallen Township.
How would you like to see an antique X-ray machine dating back to the 1920s? How about a 9-foot long chest auger used to mine coal, or the oldest piece of furniture made in Fayette County?
The 1835 Abel Colley Tavern, 7083 National Pike Road in Menallen Township has all of those things on display. The two-story, red brick building the Fayette County Historical Society calls home is now hosting an exhibit titled 鈥淩emember When鈥� to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Incorporated on April 2, 1982 as the Uniontown Historical Society, the organization is currently spotlighting past exhibits and including artifacts from the society蘑菇视频 collections.
On entry, step into the Stewart Room, named for Andrew Stewart (1791-1872), U.S. congressman from Uniontown, who nearly became Lincoln蘑菇视频 Vice-Presidential running mate. Besides Stewart蘑菇视频 portrait on the wall, visitors also see assorted vintage furniture made in Fayette County. One of the most impressive pieces, a 1770蘑菇视频 Dutch cupboard made by Jacob Black, is also the oldest. The room also includes a substantial collection of early stoneware and glass, mostly from the Albert Gallatin Glassworks in New Geneva.
More glassware from a later period continues in the adjacent Blythe Room, named for the seven portraits by renowned artist David Gilmore Blythe, including one of William Searight, who lent his name to the tollhouse along the National Road in Menallen Township.
During his stay in Uniontown, Blythe lived in several hotels where he painted portraits like the ones that now look down from the walls on the historical society exhibit of a dinner table, set as it might have been for the Jacob Bowman family of Brownsville.
Be sure to note on the intricately-set table with remarkably authentic-looking food made of clay and plaster of Paris by Dorothy Gruskowski, a member of the exhibit committee.
鈥淲e like to show in the exhibit how the residents of Fayette County, people like the Bowmans, lived their daily lives,鈥� said Chris Buckelew, society president.
The National Road runs through Fayette County and played a big role in its history. A gallery that sports the standing figure of Lafayette, who passed through the county on his historic tour of 1824-35, is dedicated to telling the early history of the National Road through a display of artifacts in taverns and inns that lined the road in different eras.
Note: Visitors might want to look through the swinging display rack of posters of the taverns and inns that once lined the road as it passed through the county.
Not familiar with the name Russell Rutter? In the Colley Tavern Library, now serving as a World War I exhibit, there蘑菇视频 a framed copy on the wall of sheet music for 鈥淕old Medal Mother,鈥� mounted on a wall opposite an authentic uniform from that era. Rutter, a school teacher from Uniontown, composed the patriotic song from the era of the first World War.
The upstairs landing explores the 鈥淕olden Years of Uniontown鈥� and the era of the illustrious Thompson family. The portrait of the beautiful young woman included in the display is of Lida, Thomspon蘑菇视频 niece, who went on to marry the Prince of Thurm and Taxis.
Coal mining was an important industry in the county, and the society has an extensive collection of mining artifacts such as the aforementioned 9-foot-long chest auger, a canary cage, a mine rescue basket, check board which tagged the miners who came to work each day, dynamite and fuse boxes, oil lamps that fastened to miners鈥� helmets and much more.
The 1920蘑菇视频 X-ray machine is in a smaller room tucked away at the end of the second floor that houses much of the office equipment once used in the office of Dr. E. Russell Ingraham of Masontown. Be sure to look for two old X-rays taken by the machine that are framed and mounted on an adjacent wall.
鈥淭o help people navigate through the exhibit, the society has placed several QR codes throughout the museum that can bring up a topic or video that can be accessed by a digital device,鈥� said Jo Loeffler, society secretary.
鈥淧eople could actually spend hours here at the museum looking at the artifacts and reading the signage,鈥� added Buckelew.
Members on the exhibit committee include Mary and Paul Tikner, Dennis Ballas, Gruskowski and Connie Kikta.
鈥漅emember When,鈥� an exhibit by the Fayette County Historical Society, is open Tuesday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is also available by special arrangement. Phone 724-439-4422 for more information.