From the Executive Director's Desk - February 2026

As the winter snow begins to clear, the Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County is buzzing with activity despite the cold temperatures. Work continues on exhibit spaces and preparation for the year's programs. We invite you to dive into this month's updates to see how the Society is honoring Indiana County's past and how you can help us capture historic information for the future.

This month marks the launch of the first museum exhibit of the year. The opening reception for "Indigenous Tribes to Colonial Revolutionaries" takes place February 20 at 6:00 p.m. This will be a unique opportunity to discuss the exhibit with the museum committee and be the first to see the display. There will also be refreshments and historical figures of the era present and ready to interact with guests. The exhibit provides an overview of the earliest inhabitants of the county and the transition that occurred as the desire to settle Western Pennsylvania became more popular with European residents from the east. Visitors can learn about original inhabitants, conflicts in the area, and the history behind the land that eventually became Indiana County. The exhibit will be open until the end of May.

This exhibit will be the first of many events the Society is hosting this year in honor of the America250 celebration. Indiana County has already taken part in the Liberty Tree dedication at the White Township Recreation Complex and the Bells Across PA program, which is presently on display at the courthouse. A special 1776 Speaker Series has also been developed by the America 250 PA Indiana County Committee. The Tourist Bureau has been designated as the official body to direct the America250 celebration in Indiana County and has a full list of programs from multiple organizations on their website.

Indiana County's Bell as part of the Bells Across PA program in front of the Indiana County Courthouse.

The Society is working on a number of initiatives to gather and preserve historical information before it is gone. President Don Lancaster, is setting the stage for an ambitious oral history project which will capture unique memories of Indiana County. The project is moving forward, with the first interviews set to take place in the coming weeks. If you are interested in sharing your experience of Indiana, the Society encourages anyone interested to reach out at info@hgsic.org to set up an appointment. Don has also worked towards an increased social media presence for the Society. The response has been wonderful and the comments have added depth and character to the images and many have recalled fond memories of the area.

Thanks to the persistent work of Vince Beatty, with assistance from Ken Hinton and Richard Rinkus, new walls now span the mining exhibit space in the rear portion of the museum. The area has a uniform feel and additional space for displaying artifacts. The Society would also like to thank Indiana Auto Glass for donating material for the project, making for an exceptional display case that will showcase unique items from the collection. With the walls complete, Ron Kuzemchak has been hard at work over the last few weeks painting the space. A new color scheme will compliment the mining theme. Once the painting is complete, the museum committee will be adding artifacts, text panels, and documents to the space, providing a fresh new look to tell the story of mining in Indiana County.

As the Society prepares for many events this year, it is important to remember that much of the work takes place behind the scenes. Hours are spent by our committees planning, researching, and developing all aspects of an event that may only run for a few hours. The ease at which the event comes together is thanks to all of the legwork done leading up to it. Beginning at the end of March all of that hard work pays off, for there will be a continuous stream of events.

With the major snow storm now past, many residents have their sights set on spring and warmer weather. The Society would like to thank Mary Sleppy, Herb Gleditsch, and Sonya Stewart for regularly assisting in the library as visitor traffic increases. The Society is comprised of so many moving parts, all with the goal of pre serving Indiana County history and making it available to the public.