One of the places where memories can be found, or at least re lived is in a museum.  In this edition of Beaver County Memories, which is presented by St. Barnabas, we will take a look at the museums that can be found in Beaver County. 

First of all, did you know that there are at least seven museums in Beaver County?  Well, it’s true. And we’ve got some ground to cover, so, let’s board the memory train and head to the banks of the Ohio River in Freedom where the Beaver County Historical Landmarks and Research foundation operates the Captain Vicary Mansion and historical center. The structure itself is a treasure, having been built by Navy Captain William Vicaary in the 1820’s with giant sandstone quarried and cut from the ground around the building.  The exterior stone work is so impressive that It is on the National register of historic places for it’s architectural integrity. While it was originally a home for the Vicary family, today the building now houses exhibits that range from the Graule Studio photo archives, to pristine examples of 1800’s period furniture, clothing, and other artifacts, including a working Victorian square grand piano. The Vicary Mansion is open weekdays from ten until three.

Our next stop on the memory train is a few miles south on the Ohio River in Ambridge.  Yet another place on the National Registry awaits in Old Economy Village. The campus of buildings located in the northern part of the borough is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and is maintained on a daily basis by a local non profit organization called the Friends of Old Economy Village.  The settlement was created by the followers of a German religious leader named George Rapp, who, along with 800 followers, migrated to Western Pennsylvania around 1800 and eventually built the beautiful village and collection of structures that sustained their existence and desire to live as a separate society. The group was known as the Harmonist society,  a giant religious Utopian family that lived and worked together in communal fashion while they waited for the return of the Messiah. Tours of the grounds, including the natural museum and feast hall, blacksmith shop, cabinet shop, community kitchen carriage house and many other buildings that line old fashioned nineteenth century cobblestone streets are available from April through December. 

The next stop really is a train station, or at least it used to be.  The memory train is now pulling in to East End in Beaver, Home to the Beaver Station Cultural and Events Center.  The Complex is a beautifully restored train station that has an event and gathering facility on the upper floor, and the Beaver Area Heritage Museum and the Beaver County Genealogy and  History Center on the lower level. The facility provides opportunity for hosting private events in a grandeur of an 1897 train station in the upper floor meeting room, as well as housing many of Beaver County’s public and private documents, including local cemetery registries.  The Beaver County History and Genealogy Center is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays during the summer months and Thursdays through Saturdays in the winter. The Beaver Station Events and Cultural Center meeting room and event center is available for private functions.

The next stop on this Beaver County memory train is in Beaver Falls in the basement of the Carnegie Library where the Beaver Falls Historical Museum is located.  Operated by the Beaver Falls Historical Society, The Beaver Falls Historical Museum has anything and everything on display having to do with the city of Beaver Falls.  Industrial artifacts, sports memorabilia, a huge collection of photographs, and archived writings from local authors, among other things await your inspection. The Beaver Falls Historical Museum is open Monday through Thursday.

All aboard! The Beaver County Memory train is now headed out the tracks to Darlington where there at least three historical places worthy of our attention can be found. Darlington is home to Greersburg Academy, yet another local structure on the national registry of historic places. Originally opened as a preparatory school in 1802 by Thomas Hughes, Greersburg Academy is believed to be one of the oldest buildings still standing in Beaver County. It is operated and maintained by the Little Beaver Historical Society.

Just a couple blocks away in downtown Darlington are two more museums on our checklist. The McCarl Industrial and Agricultural Museum of Beaver County and The Beaver County Industrial Museum are located right next to each other on Plum Street.  The McCarl Industrial and Agricultural Museum has a wonderful collection of old farm implements including a giant steam tractor on display, along with photographs and other items from local business and industry. The Beaver County Industrial Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the steel and glass manufacturing industries in Beaver County and it features collections from Babcock and Wilcox, Crucible and J & L Steel companies along with items from  H.C. Fry Glass, Mayer China, A and S Railroad and other local manufacturing establishments. The Beaver County Industrial Museum and The McCarl Industrial and Agricultural Museum are open on Sundays during the summer months.

And now, this memory train is arriving back home because this edition of  Beaver County Memories, presented by St. Barnabas, is coming to an end. Tune in every weekday for another Beaver County Memory. You can also view  transcripts of this, and other archived editions of Beaver County Memories at beaver county radio dot com.