Greene County Historical Society  2013 Annual Report 

 Year in Review  Inside this issue: Year in Review Committee Reports Intern Report

Financial report

Presidents Report

Administrator’s Corner

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Greene County Historical Society

 Committee Reports  Library

Marketing and Events

Thanks to all who supported our events in 2013. 

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The Dinner Dance in March was a fun reflection to the 40’s. Opening Day Pancakes and sausage kicked off the new event season. We “Let Them Eat Cake” in June at the Garden Party. Governor Martin exhibit and reception was well received. October brings all out to the 42 Annual Harvest Festival. Christmas Open House found the Museum beautifully decorated to welcome all.

We are now back to March and the 4th Annual Dinner Dance At the Armory March 22, 2014.

Marie Frye

The Greene County Historical Society maintains a Local History and Archival Library located in the old poor farm boiler house, behind the main museum building. The GCHS Library is open by request only and is a non-circulating Library. The GCHS Library and Archival collection contains books, archival documents and photographs with a focus on the political, economic, social, religious and military history of Greene County, Pennsylvania. In addition to these items, the GCHS Library and Archives has a limited collection of item pertaining to Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia. The Project is a way of bridging the gap between our archives and library being usable by a select few to one that can be used for educational, professional and personal research. The LA project is divided into four parts: 

Assessment and cataloging of our collection

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Integration into an onsite catalog

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Integration into a virtual or online catalog/database

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Digitization of archival and out of copyright materials

Linda Rush

We are almost done with part one and are grateful to those volunteers that have helped up make headway in this endeavor

Chairpersons of the Event Committee 2014

Ann Blystone Library Chairperson

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 Intern Report  The students that come into the museum to assist with everyday productions have been quite busy this year. We have been a part of the numerous festivals and events that the museum has hosted and assisted in. Furthermore we have been cleaning out the excess storage materials and creating the museum’s atmosphere to look more presentable for the visitors. Also we have been working on cataloging many of the archival materials, items, and documents to assist in furthering the knowledge of the community members by creating an online cataloging database system. Furthermore we have been aiding in putting together exhibits by either rearrangement or creating new exhibits altogether. This year the museum has been filled with numerous festivals and educational events. As students we have worked with the Grand Opening Day, multiple Movie Nights, Harvest Festival Weekend, the White Covered Bridge Festival, October’s Fright Night, Christmas Open House, and the dedication to Governor Martin event. Jackie Collius has helped out for multiple the Movie Nights and the dedication to Governor Martin Evening. During the weekend of the Harvest Festival Jackie, Amber Freeman, and Karl Shaley each facilitated different roles and aspects. Jackie and Amber worked on making sure all of the vendors had their needs met while Karl worked in the kitchen with other volunteers to help serve food to the visitors. Karl and Eben ventured to the White Covered Bridge Festival. Karl helped to count cars and aided Candace Tustin at the Greene County Tourism table. While Eben Williams was at the GCHS table; Karl did get drenched from the rain that afternoon. The first Fright Night in Greene County was hosted here at the museum was a successful event in in many diverse ways. Countless students from Waynesburg University came to serve as scary characters, such as, zombies, ghouls, and etc. Jackie assisted with the Christmas Open House by handling the Gift Shop buyers through working the cash register, assisting customers, and restocking the items when necessary. Jackie, Karl, and Amber have been rearranging the diverse exhibits and rooms. Furthermore we have begun to retrieve artifacts and historical pieces from

the storage room and place the pieces in an exhibit that would fit their description. Accordingly we have rearranged and reorganized the Seamstress Room, the Country Kitchen, the Orndoff Room, the Country Church, and the Women’s Clothing Room. We have also been working on reestablishing the Governor Martin Room as a dedication of this man’s lifetime achievements and events. Currently we are waiting on wall railings to be placed in the Governor’s room to further assist in displaying the many pieces from the Governor’s career. Karl has helped Audrey Duke in preparation for the Grand Opening Day to place freshly cleaned curtains in all of the exhibit rooms. He has also aided Audrey in dusting and cleaning throughout the museum. Most recently Jackie and Karl have been transporting framed portraits and other historical artifacts out of the storage hallway and into the West Wing. These items have been added to the walls of the hallway and to the various exhibit rooms. Eben has created a new online database system. Therefore, he has taught Jackie and Karl how to correctly catalog the archival description sheet into an Excel Spreadsheet to assist in the organizing of information to be eventually placed, by Eben, into the new catalog database system. Before Amber left for her semester abroad in Northern Ireland, she was working on the extensive project of documenting all of the items through a written description and a photo of each item located in the Orndoff Room.

L-R: Jackie Collius, Amber Freeman and Karl Shaley

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Greene County Historical Society

Financial Report  2013 Operational Budget: $78,736 The figure above addresses the current expenses of the Greene County Historical Society. The issue that GCHS faces is that $43,573, over 51% percent of our budget, is being devoted to our “Operations” costs. These costs include our payroll expenses for three part-time employees (one office, and two maintenance staff), office equipment and office supplies.

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GCHS Office 2%

Collections 1%

Operational 4%

The Operational Budget for 2014 has been accepted as : $86,423.08

Building 7%

Security 4%

Marketing 5%

General Services 10%

Payroll 59%

Even this small amount of payroll and office expenses quickly devours our special events income and county grant of $15,000, therefore leaving very little for our current and future special exhibits, historical and museum programing Despite our need, the museum ended the year at a total income of $81,259.74 and paid out a total of $78,664.75 in expenditures.

Programs 8%

GCHS 2013 Income Contributions 16%

For more information on the GCHS operational budget please contact the museum office at: (724) 627-3204

2013 Expenses

Investment 22%

Government 21%

Earned 41%

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Presidents Report  Dear Friends of GCHS:

It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve on the Board of Directors of the Greene County Historical Society for the past 8 years and as President for the past 2 years. We have seen many changes and much growth. A huge thank you to my fellow Board Members, the Staff, Society Members, Donors and Volunteers for all the assistance in this change and growth.

This past year - 2013 - we were privileged to again have the Annual Dinner/Dance; Opening Pancake Breakfast and Membership Meeting; Annual Garden Party; Ice Cream Social; Harvest Festival and Christmas Open Houses. We also participated in Rain Day and one of the Friday Night Events in Waynesburg with an Ice Cream Stand. (Special thanks to Mark and Tammy Fischer for allowing us to set up outside their Antique Store on Church Street.) Our Reception for the opening of the Gov. Edward Martin exhibit was well attended and we express our thanks to Waynesburg University for their help with the exhibit. Our Staff and Volunteers did outstanding work in decorating the Museum for the Christmas Open Houses. Thanks is also extended to Perfect Arrangements, Waynesburg; Magic Moments, Carmichaels; and Neubauers, Uniontown, for their help in the Christmas decorations. And, of course, the train exhibit was exceptional as always thanks to Wayne Hart and the Revs. Gary Grau, Bob Bedison, Don Wilson.

Important upcoming events in the life of GCHS:

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Annual Dinner/Dance, Sat., March 22, Readiness Center (Armory)

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Kelly-Miller Tent Circus, Tues., May 27, Fair Grounds

See list of other events for 2014 and feel free to contact the Museum Office for additional information on any event.

This year our opening exhibit is a Native American and Pioneer display. This will include many items that have been in storage for some time, including 3 wooden saddles, powder horns and various tools and utensils used in early Waynesburg/American life. Opening day will be Saturday, April 19, with pancakes served from 8 a.m. to noon followed by the Annual Membership Meeting at 1 p.m.

On Sunday, October 5, there will be an opening Reception for our Civil War Display.

I offer my sincere thanks and grateful appreciation. I look forward to seeing you at many of our events. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Deborah M. Wilson President, Board of Directors, GCHS

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Greene County Historical Society

 M e m b e r s h i p  Name:__________________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________ Telephone:_______________________________________________________ Email:__________________________________________________________ Membership Type:

New

University Student $15

Renewal

Individual $20

Family $30

Sponsorship $100

Donate to our general fund or one of our current projects

General Fund Log Cabin Project Railroad Engineshed Crouse School House

Would like to Volunteer

$5 /GCHS Quilt Square Name(s)

Membership includes 10% off Gift shop purchases, our quarterly newsletter the Ten Mile Historical Review and free admission to the Greene County Historical Museum.

Fill out and mail with remittances to : Greene County Historical Society 918 Rolling Meadows Rd Waynesburg, PA 15370

 A d m i n is t r a t o r ’s C o rn e r  2013 was a great year for the museum. We had a lot of events and activities that helped to connect to the community. I had the pleasure in the spring of visiting Rolling Meadows and an elementary school with the Kelly Miller Circus clowns. Over the summer, I visited local summer camps and did talks on Civil War medicine. In the fall, I participated in the MDA Lock In and raised money for children with muscular dystrophy. Finally in December, I was the guest speaker at the Warrior Trail Association’s Christmas meeting where I spoke on the Forgotten Bicentennial of the War of 1812.

lawmakers. We are the dissenter, the patriot, pacifist and soldier. When we look to save our history of Greene county, it beholden upon us the cornerstone of the commonwealth, to look back to our inception and look not to Washington or even Harrisburg for support but to look families, our coworkers or our friends because like Rev. Corbly who dared to revolt against the inadequate care and concern over our community, I feel so too, we the people of Greene county and beyond will stand up and support our history. Because what is Greene county history but the very cornerstone of the foundation of our nation and there our heritage is one bound by fate to entwined with the nations.

I feel that it is our role as protectors of Greene County History to connect with individuals and groups of all socio-economic classes. Our history, Greene county history is one represented by every stich in the American flag, the farmers, the teachers, laborers, the doctors and even the

Thank you for all you Support

Eben N. F. Williams Administrator