Edinboro Area Historical Society (EAHS) is dedicated to the preservation, interpretation and presentation of the rich history of Edinboro, PA and adjacent areas. EAHS fulfills its mission by maintaining an archival and special collections library, a three dimensional collection, a publication program, and an education program. Researchers, genealogists, historians and students are provided access
to diaries, letters, maps, telephone directories, journals, articles, old advertisements, photographs, ledgers, oral histories and other archival materials relevant to the Edinboro Area through the Society’s archival and special collections library. A renovated second floor room serves as the Society’s archival storage room, and the research facilities are accessible by the public every Tuesday and Saturday, 9 a.m. Accessibility of the archival and special collections library was greatly improved in 2008 through the completion of two major projects. University interns and Dave Obringer, Archivist and Reference Librarian for Edinboro University, completed the Edinboro Digital Initiative, which was made possible by a grant from the Edinboro University Senate Research Committee. The end result of the project is an online catalogue featuring searchable archival materials from Edinboro University Archives, Goodell Gardens and Homestead, and EAHS. In addition, a grant awarded by the Erie Community Foundation enabled EAHS to purchase a microfilm reader/printer for use by EAHS volunteers and the public. The Society began collecting three dimensional artifacts in 2003 after developing a facility plan, installing a security system, and establishing the appropriate insurance and collections policies. Both three dimensional and two dimensional items are catalogued using Past Perfect Museum Software, which makes item locations, descriptions and photographs available with the click of a mouse. Today, three downstairs rooms of the Doucette House are interpreted with period furnishings, while two upstairs rooms feature changing exhibitions showcasing the Society’s diverse collections. The most significant piece of the Historical Society’s publication program is The Fountain. It functions both as a yearbook for EAHS, as well as a scholarly journal. Issues of The Fountain have included primary research on Edinboro’s one-room schoolhouses, military veterans, historic homes, memorable persons and Edinboro's experience in the 1918-1920 Spanish Flu Pandemic. EAHS maintains an active schedule of educational programs and events. The Society’s annual public programs include a series of local history presentations, and a “Show and Tell," in which members share historic objects from their families.
