05/08/2021
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day
Baltzer Meyer Historical Society
- Home
- United States
- Greensburg, PA
- Baltzer Meyer Historical Society
We are local people preserving local history in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Our two major areas of focus are the history of Hempfield Township and the early settlers of Westmoreland County.
(13)
Operating as usual
05/07/2021
Recent donations to our collection at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society. From the Rubber Works in Jeannette, PA
05/07/2021
Photos from a recent donation to our collection at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society. Rubber Works in Jeanette , PA
05/07/2021
Export
05/07/2021
Part of our collection of books in our Library at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society, we are trying to decide if we are placing them in our main library or keeping them in the upstairs storage area for special research when needed. Thanks to our hard working Thursday crew we would not be able to make these volumes available for research.
Part of our collection of books in our Library at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society, we are trying to decide if we are placing them in our main library or keeping them in the upstairs storage area for special research when needed. Thanks to our hard working Thursday crew we would not be able to make these volumes available for research.
04/18/2021
Kennywood Park II
04/18/2021
Pennsylvania's Oldest Theme Park
Here is another blog on our web page by Rae Kayhart on Pennsylvaina's oldest theme park and it is in our back yard.
https://www.baltzermeyer.com/post/pennsylvania-s-oldest-theme-park
Since its creation in 1878 Idlewild has been a place for families to enjoy. The property was owned by William Darlington who gave Judge Thomas Mellon, the owner of the Ligonier Valley Railroad, the right to use the property for a park. Originally designated as a leisure and picnic area built on both...
04/17/2021
A sample from our photo collection at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society
A sample from our photo collection at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society
04/12/2021
Items on display at Baltzer Meyer Center, a part of our collection for the future Plischke Memorial Museum.
04/12/2021
The Lost Generation
Here is another blog by Rae Kayhart on our webpage, enjoy.
https://www.baltzermeyer.com/post/the-lost-generation
More than one hundred statues featuring and commemorating WW1 Doughboys are across the United States. Most were erected in the 1920s and often times the funds were raised by veteran's and women's groups. The town of Mount Pleasant displays a doughboy statue in a unique traffic circle at the intersec...
04/12/2021
A small sample of a donation from last weekend, we add it all to the collection. We have been doing this the last 25 years. We preserve the past and the present for future generations to see and use.
A small sample of a donation from last weekend, we add it all to the collection. We have been doing this the last 25 years. We preserve the past and the present for future generations to see and use.
04/06/2021
Then and Now Fourth St, Youngwood
Then and Now Fourth St, Youngwood
04/05/2021
Birthplace of the Banana Split
Check out a blog on our web page https://www.baltzermeyer.com/post/birthplace-of-the-banana-split
In 1904 pharmacist in training, David Strickler created the first banana split at Tassel pharmacy in Latrobe Pennsylvania. The sundae featured three different ice creams, a full banana split down the center and numerous toppings. The fancy sundae even had its very own dish, a "banana boat" specially...
04/03/2021
From Baltzer Meyer Historical Society to all of our friends, may you all have a Happy Easter. Photo from the book Burg of Green. https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735064533312/viewer#page/1/mode/2up
From Baltzer Meyer Historical Society to all of our friends, may you all have a Happy Easter. Photo from the book Burg of Green. https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735064533312/viewer#page/1/mode/2up
04/01/2021
Thanks to our work crew on Thursdays we now have a donated drawer system to keep our collection of maps and large format papers. It has been put in a place we now can use it. We have waited for many years for this ability. A great day for Baltzer Meyer.
Thanks to our work crew on Thursdays we now have a donated drawer system to keep our collection of maps and large format papers. It has been put in a place we now can use it. We have waited for many years for this ability. A great day for Baltzer Meyer.
03/29/2021
This is a Fund raiser to pay for a much needed roof over our Library section of the Baltzer Meyer Center.
This is a Fund raiser to pay for a much needed roof over our Library section of the Baltzer Meyer Center.
03/28/2021
We at Baltzer Meyer would like to welcome all of new members this month to have joined us. We had one who jumped right in to help, Kevin Dorko has joined our working volunteer staff the day he signed up His skills in many areas well be of big help to us and the community now and in the future. He has also joined the Wednesday evening Digitizing Group and the Thursday working staff to help them in their efforts to organize our collection of artifacts.
We at Baltzer Meyer would like to welcome all of new members this month to have joined us. We had one who jumped right in to help, Kevin Dorko has joined our working volunteer staff the day he signed up His skills in many areas well be of big help to us and the community now and in the future. He has also joined the Wednesday evening Digitizing Group and the Thursday working staff to help them in their efforts to organize our collection of artifacts.
03/27/2021
This is from 10 years ago March 27, 2011. I third of the roof and ceiling were destroyed. It cost a great deal of money to restore the school house and the bathroom building far beyond the insurance coverage. We still have some work to do. We were in operation for the the next school term.
03/26/2021
03/25/2021
Here is a photo part of our collection of kitchen utensils from the past. These artifacts and others are being saved to present in our future Plischke Memorial Museum in our Baltzer Meyer Center.
Here is a photo part of our collection of kitchen utensils from the past. These artifacts and others are being saved to present in our future Plischke Memorial Museum in our Baltzer Meyer Center.
03/23/2021
Patrick Henry gave this famous speech on this day in 1775!
03/20/2021
03/20/2021
Baltzer Meyer Historical Society is in need of a mannequin to display a donated Army WWI Army uniform. please contact WWW.baltzermeyer.com.
03/18/2021
Photos from PA Bucket List's post
03/16/2021
Here is a recent donated item from our collection we are preserving for the the future "Plischke Memorial Museum" in our existing 1865 Center. The items we plan to display will be from the year1750 till yesterday as a way to show the lives and history of the residents of Westmoreland County. Please join us in helping to preserve our history for future generation through donations or becoming yearly members for only $20.00 per year at www.baltzermeyer.com.
Here is a recent donated item from our collection we are preserving for the the future "Plischke Memorial Museum" in our existing 1865 Center. The items we plan to display will be from the year1750 till yesterday as a way to show the lives and history of the residents of Westmoreland County. Please join us in helping to preserve our history for future generation through donations or becoming yearly members for only $20.00 per year at www.baltzermeyer.com.
03/04/2021
A Working Mans Brew
A blog on our Web page
Prohibition saw the close of many local breweries and distilleries, only a few managed to make it out unscathed. Stoney's Beer is one of those lucky brews. What would one day become Stoney's Brewery started off in Sutersville, PA under the name Eureka Brewing Company in 1881. In 1907 fortune change....
03/04/2021
Two new displays of our collection of artifacts set and labeled by our volunteers at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society, Greensburg, PA
02/22/2021
H. J. Heinz Company
02/19/2021
Places we love: Lincoln Motor Court - Preservation Pennsylvania
Places we love: Lincoln Motor Court - Preservation Pennsylvania
This is a love letter – and an alert. The Lincoln Motor Court (Mann's Choice, Bedford County) is for sale - the last of its kind along the fabled Lincoln Highway.
02/19/2021
Three shows this weekend: GCT's musical production, "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"! This intimate musical follows one couple through 50 years of love, quarrels and marriage. Book and Lyrics by Tom Jones, Music by Harvey Schmidt; limited in person audiences or live streaming options, February 19-21 at Greensburg Garden & Civic Center. Shows 8p Fri/Sat; 2p Sunday! Gregg Brandt, Directory/Choreographer; J Eric Barchiesi, Musical Director/Accompanist. Produced and live streamed by special arrangements with Music Theatre International. Order the live stream via https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/45459 Order in person tix at https://www.thepalacetheatre.org/.../ggcc-events.../i-do/
Marcus Greenberg (Stage Manager) is a Press Operator for a printshop, lives in Unity Township, and is an avid car enthusiast and history buff. Now in his third season volunteering with GCT, Marcus has been a huge asset to the props committee, working shows such as "Frankenstein", "Run for Your Wife", "Junie B. in Jingle Bells Batman Smells", "Jekyll and Hyde", Disney’s "Frozen Jr." and "Almost, Maine". He made his stage debut as a Pirate in "Peter Pan and Wendy" in 2018, served as Stage Manager for "The Sunshine Boys" last February, and joined GCT's Board of Directors last summer. He wishes to thank Gregg for the tremendous opportunity to assist with this show, and thanks Tom Harrold for introducing him to GCT, “such a great organization”.
02/14/2021
Early photo of street car with old Courthouse and the Jail Clock Tower, on Main and Pittsburgh St, Greensburg, PA abt. 1906
Early photo of street car with old Courthouse and the Jail Clock Tower, on Main and Pittsburgh St, Greensburg, PA abt. 1906
02/12/2021
20 years ago today, we kissed Three Rivers Stadium goodbye
20 years ago today, we kissed Three Rivers Stadium goodbye
To some Pittsburgh sports fans, it may be hard to believe that it’s been 20 years ago since Three Rivers Stadium was turned to rubble. Many saw the complex as an eye sore and was one of the “cookie cutter” stadiums build in the 1960s and 70s.
02/07/2021
A postcard from the collection at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society, Greensburg, PA, marked unknown. Great bunch of people in this one photo we have no other information, date, nor location.
A postcard from the collection at Baltzer Meyer Historical Society, Greensburg, PA, marked unknown. Great bunch of people in this one photo we have no other information, date, nor location.
02/04/2021
New displays of articles, in Harrold Hall, from our collection for the future Plischke Memorial Museum at the Baltzer Meyer Center, Greensburg, PA. Thank you to the Thursday work crew nice job on the displays.
02/02/2021
At the corner of Rt 136 W and Baltzer Meyer Pike.
Address
642 Baltzer Meyer Pike
Greensburg, PA
15601
General information
Winter hours are 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, weather permitting. Please call before arriving to confirm hours.
Telephone
Website
Alerts
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Baltzer Meyer Historical Society posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Museum
Send a message to Baltzer Meyer Historical Society:
Videos
Antique tractors at the 2019 Westmoreland Fair!!
Since this Sunday is the first antiques and collectibles event at Historic Hannastown, I searched through my own treasures of items from our area. The calendar plates were my great grandmother's, from two businesses in export. The Greensburg glassware I found at a church rummage sale a year or two ago, part of a set from what I was told. The Greensburg framed prints I found on my travels around the state. The bicentennial items were bought at the festivities in 1973 by my grandma. I was there as a 5 year old kid, but don't remember much about it.
Ribbon Cutting
Ribbon Cuttiing at The Harrold Schoolhouse Event Center on March 24, 2019
This week's video is related to the grand opening event at the Harrold Schoolhouse Event Center grand opening celebration that happened today March, 24, 2019. My father and I are both alumni of Hempfield Area Senior High School. Dad graduated in 1961, and I graduated 24 years later in 1985. I decided to see how many teachers were in dad's graduation yearbook that we're still at Hempfield in my graduation yearbook. The end result is this week's photo montage....the accompanying music is "School Daze".
Enjoy Delmont, PA! From the log cabin that is the start of the annual starting point for the pilgrimage of Christmas at Salem Crossroads every December, to the lovely churches that have graced the "northern Pike" what we know as Pittsburgh Street, these churches have been seen by travelers in stagecoaches in the nineteenth century and and through today. The restored water trough that stagecoaches stopped at "back in the day" to water and rest their horses before they headed towards Pittsburgh. If the walls could talk of the old homes on the northern Pike. The Catholic and Methodist churches near "old route 22" are lovely to see. And the old school that educated Delmont children for decades that is now repurposed for many things, including the Delmont Library.
Back by popular demand one last look at Carbone's restaurant, with a few new photos added for those who were not able to get to the restaurant last July. These were on display by the Carbone family in the banquet room during their final week of business. Enjoy everyone!
Remembering an Italian restaurant that closed after 80 years in Crabtree, PA on July 28, 2018. I'm certain that many of us have memories of dining at Carbone's restaurant, whether you remember the original restaurant or the one from this photo montage. My parents and I went there right after the family announced the closing of the restaurant. These are some of the photos that were taken that evening.
These are just a few of the premium ribbons my grandfather Ken Hutton won for his entries of various fruits and vegetables at the Harrod Fair. I loved attending this fair with my paternal grandparents (grandma was a good sport riding the various rides with me although she disliked amusement rides😍). What great memories I have of this great community event. What are some of the memories you have of the Harrod Fair?
A week after the "polar vortex of January 2019", Thursday February 7, 2019 in Greensburg, mother nature was kind to give us a beautiful day of 50* weather. That morning, we had a very foggy start to the day. Here is Greensburg that morning...scenes of Main Street and of the city as viewed from Urania Avenue.
From the Friday September 19, 1958 Latrobe Bulletin, on the 200th anniversary celebration of Fort Ligonier. Some of the ads from the "Bulletin Souvenir Edition".
This week we travel to Delmont, PA. Every October they hold the annual Apple n Arts festival at Shield's Farm and in December Christmas at Salem Crossroads. The pilgrimage is held at Shield's Farm and at the churches featured in this week's video have Christmas themed events for everyone to enjoy. These are the lovely churches around the town.
Business and banking that exist only on the buildings in downtown Greensburg, but will be forever in out hearts and minds.
Scenes about town... Greensburg OUR hometown...the last two photos are from Gettysburg, the 11th Pennsylvania monument and "Sallie".
Greensburg Pennsylvania's beautiful Palace Theater
Another part of the Irish part of the Tamburitizans show at the Palace Theater in Greensburg, January 27, 2019.
A wee bit of Irish step dancing from the Tamburitizans at the palace theater January 27, 2019.
The tamburitizans were at the palace theater on January 27, 2019. Part of the Irish part of the show.
Category
Nearby museums
-
Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum
416 S Main St -
423 S Maple Ave
-
Youngwood Historical & Railroad Museum and St
1 Depot St, Youngwood -
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art
221 N Main St -
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill Archives
129 DePaul Center Road -
WCCC History Club WCCC Student Organization Office, 145 Pavilion Ln, Youngwood
-
1253 Bushy Run Rd, Jeannette
-
Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation
140 Haupt Rd, Somerset -
3024 Church St, Claridge
-
Westmoreland Historical Society & Historic Ha
809 Forbes Trail Rd -
Boston 02215
-
Compass Inn Museum & Ligonier Valley Historic
PO Box 167 1382 Route 30 East, Laughlintown -
50 Maus Dr, Irwin
-
400 Daily Dr, Irwin
-
300 Fraser Purchase Rd, Latrobe
Other History Museums in Greensburg
-
Westmoreland Historical Society & Historic Ha
809 Forbes Trail Rd
Comments
Not sure if this is a correct mode of communications for this question. Can you tell me if the historical society happens to have any old pictures of the Cribb Station road area in Hempfield? I heard that a train station existed there back in the day at the bottom near route 136 where the tracks use to run. I would love to see any pics of it due to me traveling that road constantly for work. It always makes me wonder when passing. Thanks in advance for any info.
Indian trails once crossed where Greensburg is now. In fact, they still do. You drive them every day and don't realize it. To find out about those routes, the ancient people who traveled them, and the settlers who followed, check out my recently launched Youtube channel: "Let's Drive an Indian Path."
We are also the Myers/Meyer/Moyer and lots others, Pennsylvania is the place where are family lived well one of them, we go it seams to the 1st Imperial Knights of Villingen, Württemberg, Germany, we were the bank starters across Canada and UK, and even signed the India shipping doc's in Belfast, Ireland for the Co***ne to ship to America, 1920, around that time, we opened up the Bank of England
Here's a commencement booklet from the South Greensburg class of 1902
My dad, Bill Witherow. Thank you all veterans.
I recently received a picture of Bears School, an 8X10 and all children in the picture with the school in the background. My great grand mother, Anna Mary Brinker is in it, and her two sisters and brother Simon. Would guess in mid 1880's. I come back from Kansas every year and do research, but of course not this year. Can anyone help me with a little history of the school and where located? Thanking you in advance.
While unemployed and sheltering in place, I decided that I had plenty of time to create an educational website. The following is a link to my website; Union Uniforms at the Battle of Gettysburg. Hopefully I will be doing a representation later this year as a fundraiser for the historical society. Please take a look and let me know if you have any comments or question. Thanks!
Some light reading to share with my kinfolk while we are all sheltering inside.
A little church, a little history, a little family...
Here's a link to the limited publication, (available in Baltzer Myer's impressive library), of the 1922 "History of Old Zion" by Rev. Wm. A. Zundel, my great-grandfather.
Happy Easter to us all 🐣
On Liberty Road south of the Turnpike and Arona a culvert built by the Pennsylvania Turnpike is spotted along the south bound shoulder of Liberty Road. The stream turns to the left just before entering the culvert. If you look at that aerial you will see the same curve where the center line of the planned alignment of the South Pennsylvania Railroad was to be built.
I was down that spot today and across the road from the culvert is a blue vacant house with the signs telling people to remain away shows at the base of the sign as the property belongs to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. This caught my attention and I immediately knew why as the curved stream is the center of the abandoned South Pennsylvania Railroad and therefor the house is also on that right of way which the turnpike purchased that right of way over 80 years ago and that they own that section including the house.
Even with the newly built turnpike realignment the turnpike is not using the true railroad alignment. If this is the case then all of the railroad alignment that I have documented is still owned by the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It also tells me they do know the true alignment and I didn't know this as well.
Most of you are aware that social singing played a large part in the community in the early days of this area. On Friday or Saturday evenings folks would meet at the one-room schools or other meeting halls or churches and welcome a music director to lead them in song. This booklet belonged to Betty Ritenour, one of our extended family members now long past. Betty's mother survived the great influenza epidemic of 1918, losing all her hair, and having to learn how to walk again, but living well in to the 1990's.
The planned right of way of the abandoned South Pennsylvania Railroad through the cloverleaf at the New Stanton turnpike interchange leading to south west corner of Old Stanton.
Gerhardt Tomas (Garret Thomas) is not a name often mentioned in the annals of Westmoreland history, but he was a mover-and-shaker in the German community of Hempfield. I’ve accumulated more knowledge than most people because he was the brother-in-law of my direct, maternal, immigrant ancestor, Jacob Milliron (Muhleisen).
Garret, brother Peter, and sister Anna Elizabetha arrived in America on the ship Phoenix in 1754 - four years after the Muhleisens. Peter married Eva Maria Six. They lived about ten miles west of the Millirons in Bethel Township of Berks County, and attended the Altalaha Church in Rehrersburg. Garrett married Maria Magdalena (Unknown), and they were with Hain’s Church in Wernersville - about 10 miles southeast of the Millirons. Also living in Bethel at that the time was Stoephel Harrold.
Those neighboring families, along with the Longs, all seem to have made plans together to move west. In the “First Purchase” of 1769, Thomas and Milliron purchased four adjacent tracts along Long Run, southwest of Irwin. However, they appear to have “flipped” those properties in favor of settling in Hempfield, where they might have established pre-1769 claims through Virginia. They were among a syndicate of men that laid early claim to land in Hempfield, which they divided up and expanded. An early Virginia record states: “Garret Thomas, 700 acres from near Harrold's, south to New Stanton - owned jointly with Stophel Harrold, Captain (William) Perry, Jacob Milliron, and Tobias Long, called "Great Bottom" as this was "indeed a great bottom land."
Garret was active in local government and church affairs. He was also a military man that served both in the local militia and in the Pennsylvania Line of the Continental Army under Colonel Christopher Truby. That association with Truby points to him as the person most likely to have scouted out the frontier tracts he and his friends later acquired.
He was associated with the first church at Harrold’s Town as a member of the Reformed congregation. There he was responsible for recruiting William Weber to serve as a Reformed pastor, and eventually pastor of the Milliron-Weber Church. Weber wrote in a journal that Garret Thomas provided his family with a crude dwelling where they nearly froze to death in their first winter in Hempfield.
Garret’s name appears on the plaque near Fort Allen memorializing the settlers that signed the famous petitions demanding more protection against marauding Indians. However, there is a better memorial in the form of his stone house that still stands about 2 miles south of Baltzer-Meyer. I can’t say exactly where it is because it’s situated in the backyard of a contemporary farmhouse, and I doubt the owners want a bunch of people stopping by to see it. Rather, I’ll just share what I know about it, having been granted a peek in the company of a researcher I met at Baltzer-Meyer.
Early settlers in WPA often replaced their original log homes with stone homes. From what I’ve seen, the newer ones in the area were built about 20 to 30 years later. However, the Thomas home looks to have been built earlier because the stone work is not as uniform as it was in later such homes. Also, it appears they had fortification in mind. The living quarters was on a second story over a ground-level floor space that served as a barn and work area - much like German and Swiss homes of that era. The only access to the living space was by a ladder or wood steps on the left side. The owners that I talked to thought it was by ladder, which was taken in at night. Also, it’s built into a hill, as were many early homes. There was probably a spring nearby. The owners still use the lower area for storage, but there was a fire upstairs that compromised the floor and masonry. So, they never go there anymore.
This is a structure that cries out for preservation, but it’s on private property and the owners don’t want to or can’t afford to pay the costs. At least they have a good roof on it for now.
- Contributed by Tom Chapman. More on Jacob Milliron at Facebook “Milliron Family Reunion.”