July 2007, Volume 10, Issue 2
From the President's Desk
The board of directors of Allison-Antrim Museum has voted to establish an annual historic preservation award, which will be presented at the annual membership meetings held in the month of October. The directors are pleased to announce the first recipients – Stephen Divelbiss and William Robinson.
Steve, an AAMI member, has done restoration work in the museum house off and on over the past nine years. His attention to detail in trying to reproduce 1860s molding or door sills, searching for treasures such as brass stripping (which is no longer manufactured), or replacing rotted columns for the porches are evidence of his respect for the craftspeople of the past.
Bill Robinson and Steve have worked in tandem for many years. Bill works for Antrim Builders in the wood shop and mill building, where one can literally step back in time just by crossing the threshold. Bill is another detail person who
This abbreviated edition will be followed in September with a regular issue of the newsletter. It’s become a tradition since the museum opened on August 1, 1998 – there will be a special Old Home Week edition of the Annals, which can be picked up during the week or can be accessed via the website.
There are ten chapters in the book: Antrim Township Revisited, Greencastle Revisited, Business and Industry Revisited, Highways and Byways, V is for Victory, Valor, and Peace, Noteworthy Individuals Revisited, Signs of the Times, Events and Pastimes Revisited, and Old Home Week Revisited.
The board of directors has purchased 1,500 copies, which the museum will sell as a fundraiser. All proceeds (likely more than $8,000) from books sold through the museum will go directly to the museum. Book one is still available while supplies last.
A pre-order form for the book is included with this newsletter for your convenience. You have the option of picking up your book order at the museum on Saturday, July 28 from 10a.m. to 2 p.m., any time during Old Home Week at the museum, or you have the option of having your order mailed to you if you do not live in the area.
If you were unable to stop by AAMI’s table during Sidewalk Sales Days to place your order, please complete the form and return it as soon as possible, along with a check, to the museum’s address so that we have your order ready for you to pick up on July 28!
If you’ve already placed your order, please pass the order form onto a family member, friend, or neighbor.
The cover photograph is very unique, so much so, that Arcadia has asked permission to use it in two promotional endeavors for their company. The photograph is from the museum’s George Frederick Ziegler I glass plate negative collection. Its uniqueness lies in the facts that there are only women and boys in the photograph, no men, and the very rare image of a woman behind the camera’s eye during that time period.
Ken and I hope that you thoroughly enjoy this second Greencastle-Antrim pictorial history book. Our gratitude and sincere thanks go to everyone who helped in any way, which included sharing family photographs and telling stories of days gone by. I consider myself very privileged and one of the luckiest people because I was graciously permitted to listen to innumerable family stories since we began the first book in 2003. The stories were about everyday events of daily life in the town and township as well as stories of war experiences and tragedies. When they are all woven together along with the photographs, the result is a colorful tapestry of Greencastle-Antrim’s heritage.
In the January 2007 newsletter I wrote about Ralph Archbold who visited Greencastle as Benjamin Franklin. At the holiday dinner he encouraged everyone to write down their stories even if they were everyday happenings because, “Your story is your legacy.”
Bonnie A. Shockey
Old Home Week 2007
The museum will be open 24 hours during the eight days of Old Home Week. The daily schedule will appear in the Old Home Week program. Both the museum house (which is air conditioned) and the barn will be open. Tours through the house will be self-guided. At the barn, we hope to have enough volunteers so that someone will be able to briefly explain the future plans for the barn. Basic architect drawings will help visitors understand the layout for the lower and upper levels.
On Sunday, August 5, there will be many personalities present during the open house hours of 1 to 4 p.m. Among them will be many of the museum’s directors who will be acting as hosts and hostesses.
Robert Smith, the architect for the barn project, and Pam Anderson, one of the general contractors, and some of the subcontractors will be present to talk with visitors about the barn and the reconstruction process.
In addition to the museum’s permanent exhibits in the house, the special exhibits will include uniforms and personal effects of several area Civil War veterans and Katty Grosh’s collection of Old Home Week badges and programs. Outside, Manitowoc/Grove will be displaying, throughout the week, crane #3 and an early farm wagon which were made by the Grove brothers. Grove is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Gerald Lute will be present on Sunday, August 5, for a book signing of his beautifully written book about the life and legacy of John L. and Cora I. Grove.
A dedication of the painting “Dolly Harris – Greencastle Heroine” will be held at 3 p.m. on August 5. In attendance will be two of Dolly’s great-great grandchildren, Doreen Lesher Moul and Richard Lesher. It is hoped that the nationally known Civil War artist Ron Lesser who painted Dolly’s story will also be present. A representative has been invited from F&M Trust, the bank which commissioned Lesser to create the painting for the opening of its Greencastle branch bank. Members of the Pickett family have been invited but have not yet responded as of this printing.
Also on the premises, you may see some living history personalities from the Civil War era. Mrs. McKim, a Quaker lady from Philadelphia, and her escort and possibly two other couples will be interacting with visitors. These guests are members of the Pennsylvania Past Players, a small group of living history interpreters who have been trained and work for the department of tourism in Harrisburg.
Reminiscing
AAMI is also sponsoring the Reminiscing series, which has become a popular event during the triennial celebrations since 1998.
The interview topics are: car dealerships, the Merle Everts family & the Hilltop Harmonizers, the Loyal Daughters, stores in Antrim Township, life during the Depression, high school life during WWII, Vietnam veterans, Korean War veterans, women on the home front, stores around town, farm life in Antrim Township, and an hour to share a memorable story from your lifetime. There are many well known residents of Greencastle and Antrim Township who have agreed to be interviewed. Be sure to mark your programs and don’t miss all the interesting stories from the past.
Many people over the last three Old Home Weeks have asked why the interviews are scheduled simultaneously. The answer is that there are so many stories which need to be recorded as part of Greencastle-Antrim’s history and it would be very difficult to schedule 12 individual hours of interviews into the Old Home Week schedule. If two per day were done, it would take six days. Because many of those who have been interviewed during the past three Old Home Weeks are part of the WWII generation, it is vitally important that their stories are told now in their own voices and preserved for future generations on DVDs.
For the museum’s visitors’ convenience, a wheelchair accessible, deluxe portable bathroom, which has a sink and water for washing hands, will be provided on the museum’s grounds.
Volunteer “security guards” are still needed to help during open houses, which are three hours. Please call Pam Ott at 597.9183 to volunteer.
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