In the report of the Manager/Curator Matt Carl told the trustees that the research center has been open by appointment Wednesday through Friday since June 10. Visitors are limited to one section of the library and are required to use a mask. Volunteers use tables well away from the public area. Denise Golden brings the resources to the visitors wearing a mask.
Matt further reported that the United Way applications for 2021 were approved. The Endless Mountains Heritage Region grant application was not funded. Matt has applied for a Department of Community and Economic Development Cares grant and he has submitted the final report for the PHMC operations grant was submitted.
During the closure Matt has been busy in the building a second textile storage area was set up in the Jim Smith room and the shelving in the court records room was assembled and the court files from 1812 to 1898 were organized on the shelves.
Matt further stated that for Friday Night at the Museum in June he posted a video presentation, Preserving Bradford County: Local Historians and the Books and Museums they developed. In July he posted the video, Remarkable Women of Bradford County. The society has received $150 in donations from people viewing the online presentations.
C&N Bank donated a box of historic items to the society that were from their former office on Main street in Towanda when they moved to North Towanda.
Matt went to Burlington the former Dandi Mini Mart store (previously Pepper’s Pantry) to examine a wooden wheel in the attic used to life bags of grain to the second floor. This is a fabulous example of Bradford County craftsmanship from days gone by. The assembly has been donated to the Bradford County Historical Society.
Also included in Mr. Carl’s report was a line item explanation of the PayPal receipts for the society. Matt included this to showcase the growing number of digital memberships in the society. The current count is at 36.
There were 892 Website uses for the period. Our Facebook page now has 1,650 followers and our Twitter page now has 89 followers.
There were five new members for the period. Bentley Johnson of Franklindale is a new student member. Bentley id 11 years old a student at St. Agnes School and is very interested in history.
I the Library/Research report Henry Farley told the board about a recent request from a man in Ireland seeking information on his family that came to Bradford County in the 1800s. That is a real switch for us, and Farley reported that there is a very interesting story that goes with the request. He expects to tell this story in a future issue of THE SETTLER.
In the Museum Operations report, Henry Farley reported that the annual appeal is underway and that the letters have been sent out.
In the Buildings and Grounds report Joe Jones reported that he has secured the necessary bids for the repairs needed to the tile floor on the ground level of the museum. The board voted to proceed with the repairs stating that during our down time was the effect time to get this work done.
Jones also reported that Tom and Ann Carl had recently painted the Entry door at the rear of the museum along with the trim on several of the ground floor windows.
Joe Jones in the Membership Committee report stated that we will be doing a membership drive in the near future. Membership includes THE SETTLER the quarterly magazine of history and biography published by the society since 1952.
Henry Farley reported that the September issue of THE SETTLER is at the printer. This volume is 40 pages and includes stories about VJ Day, The Winters Twins and A. G. Spalding who knew that Albert Goodwill Spalding the “Father of Baseball” had Towanda roots.
In the Library Clerk’s Report—Denise Golden stated that there were 10 registered library patrons for the period with 14 volunteer hours logged.
Recent gifts to the society: Two photos of unidentified Kipp family members, given by Alaimo Group, Mt. Holly, NJ. Dr. Walter Lynch collection of photos and memorabilia from his veterinarian days and a phonograph record given out as a Christmas gift from Towanda Beverage during the time Doc Lynch owned that company; given by Jerry Regan, State College, PA. Autograph Book and Canton school memorabilia from the Brink family, given by Jeff Dolnick, Marietta, GA. Collection of photos from the John Simmons family of Towanda, given by Anonymous.
Surname searches completed by staff and volunteers: Lyn Drummond families.
The Bradford County Historical Society located at 109 Pine street in Towanda is celebrating its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary this year being founded in 1870. The society is one of the oldest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.