From the Executive Director's Desk - May 2026

With spring in full swing, the Society is reflecting on a highly successful April and gearing up for a busy May and June. Last month, we saw fantastic community engagement during both of our scheduled buildings and grounds work days. These dedicated efforts have significantly improved our grounds, ensuring they are ready for the influx of visitors expected throughout the next few months.

Last month, the Society held an event with the Indiana Walk-works program. Participants were invited to walk a historic route while learning about local history along the way. Topics included early settlers and local Native American culture. The route began at the Society and concluded at the IUP Co-op store, the former location of Shaver’s Spring. Special thanks to Dr. Abigail Adams of the IUP Anthropology Department for serving as one of the guides for the tour and sharing her knowledge on the indigenous culture of the region.

Members of Troop 11 and 29

The Society would like to thank all of the volunteers who contributed to April’s buildings and grounds work days. There were two separate dates where volunteers came out to help beautify the grounds just in time for spring. Our first group was students from IUP who participated as part of the “Into the Streets” program, an annual community service event. The following week, members of Scouting America Troop 29 and Troop 11 made handy work of mulching the grounds despite the rain. The group of approximately twenty scouts was joined by a few parents and their scoutmaster. Now, with the grounds clean and the mulch laid, the garden club will resume their role of planting beautiful flowers at the point this month.

May is shaping up to be a busy and exciting month for the fundraising committee. The next big event is the Oldies but Goodies Sale, taking place from May 5–9 during Society hours. Items for sale include a variety of goods generously provided by Society members. Following the sale, the group will host another Victorian Ladies Tea, which is sold out. The teas continue to be one of our most popular ticketed events. Guests will once again be delighted with a program by Mary Jo Bowes and delectable refreshments baked by our volunteers. If you missed this tea, do not despair; there is still one remaining this year.

The program committee is just as busy, with the Indiana County Fife and Drum Corp playing at the historical society on May 20 at 6:30 p.m. The program will include a history of the group and a performance of various musical selections. Author James Gindlesberger will be speaking for the Society again on May 28 at 6:30 p.m. about his Civil War novel Bullets and Bandages set at Gettysburg. Both events are free, but we request RSVPs to assist with seating capacity and refreshments.

The first exhibit of the year will close at the end of May in preparation for the installation of our next feature, “Salute to Indiana County Veterans”, opening in June. This new exhibit will tie into the special program on June 26 in Memorial Park at 6:30 p.m. aimed at honoring all current servicemembers and veterans. A reception will follow in the Armory providing guests with a chance to view the exhibit. Many more Society happenings are scheduled for June. Please check out our events page for a full list.

The Annual Fund letter should be arriving in your inbox shortly. Our fundraising goal this year is $20,000, which will support the general operations of the Society. If you are interested in supporting some of our special funds, please contact us for more information. The Society is grateful for any contributions, regardless of the size. Every dollar helps the HGSIC to preserve the county’s rich history.

It truly takes a small army of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers to ensure that every single project, no matter how large or intricate, is successfully completed on time. This includes everything from the essential, behind the scenes tasks to the hands on labor required to keep the grounds beautiful. Without this support from our volunteers, the Society would not be able to accomplish all that it does.