Donora Historical Society
Background
The Donora Historical Society was established in 1946 and incorporated in 1996 and is recognized as the oldest community historical society in Washington County of Pennsylvania. We are a non-profit with 501(c)3 status and operate on a volunteer basis. Our parent historical societies are the Washington Country Historical Society and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The original charter members did yeomen's work with laying the foundation for preserving Donora's history. The members that followed would continue that work for the next 70 years. As a testament to all of their hard work and dedication, we have a plethora of artifacts and documents that we can use for research and presentation purposes. In 2008, we opened our present facility to showcase our artifacts and call it the Smog Museum, thus our formal title is the Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum. They are one in the same entity.
Please click on the YouTube videos below for an introduction to the Donora Historical Society: Introduction to the Donora Historical Societyas well as Introduction to Donora Historical SocietyThese videos were created.by two Cal U of PA English Honors students: Rachael Fawley and Corrine Dowlin, as part of a "Digital Storytelling" class that was also sponsored by the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Additional information on Cal U and their "Digital Storytelling" class can be found on their website Cal U of PA. Partners and Supporters
The Donora Historical Society is proud to list these businesses and non-profits as partners and supporters of the Society. Their help and contributions go a long way to the ongoing preservation of Donora history.
Beistel Machining 23 McKean Avenue, Donora BPO Elks Meldon Avenue, Donora Max Chywski - State Farm Insurance Route 835, Monongahela
Colgan Insurance Agency Inc. 537 McKean Avenue, Donora CSC Insurance 4552 Route 51 South, Belle Vernon
Del Suppo, Inc. 26 McKean Avenue, Donora Delsandro Family Donora and Hampton, VA Eastern Alloy, Inc. 1138 Meldon Avenue, Donora Gilmore Electric Meldon Avenue, Donora
Hanna Sales 833 McKean Avenue, Donora
Donora Union Pharmacy 642 McKean Avenue, Donora
JED Heating and Cooling, Inc. 840 McKean Avenue, Donora
Rivers of Steel Heritage Area 623 E. Eighth Avenue, Homestead Kathleen Shoop Oakmont Washington County Community Foundation 331 S Main St, Washington
Washington County Tourism 273 South Main St,, Washington
Grants Awarded To Date
2010 - Washington County Community Foundation - McBride-McMaster Historical Education Grant - used to develop glass plate negatives from our Bruce Dreisbach Collection. (1)
2013 - Washington County Tourism - Marketing Grant - used to update brochures and to purchase table covers. (1) 2013 - Washington County Tourism - Capital Grant - used to purchase display cases. (2) 2014 - River of Steel Heritage Area - used to develop glass plate negatives from our Bruce Dreisbach Collection. (1) 2014 - Washington County Community Foundation - McBride-McMaster Historical Education Grant - used to purchase archival quality storage boxes. (1) 2015 - FirstEnergy Foundation - used for the Civil War Exhibit. (.5) 2015 - Washington County Chamber of Commerce / Tourism - Marketing Grant - used to create Cement City Home and Walking Tour brochures. (1) 2016 - Washington County Community Foundation - Hart History Fund Grant - used to develop glass plate negatives from our Bruce Dreisbach Collection. (1) Meetings
We meet the second Tuesday of each month for most of the year. Our business meetings start at 6:00 p.m. and the historical presentations that are open to the general public, start at 7:00 p.m. and last for around 60 to 90 minutes. On occasion we will meet at the Donora Public Library if we are expecting larger crowds. On other occasions we may meet on a Saturday instead of Monday.
The months that we don't have meetings are as follows:
January - off for holidays
July - off for the summer
August - off for the summer For 2016, the presentation schedule is as follows: June 22nd - Wednesday - at the Mon Valley YMCA - History Enthusiasts Day - War of the Rebellion and local Civil War veterans at 1:00 p.m. July 10th - Sunday - BOOK SIGNING - Seeing Clearly Through The Smog... Clearly! - at the Donora Public Library at 1:00 p.m. July 20th - Wednesday - at the Mon Valley YMCA - History Enthusiasts Day - Eldora Park at 1:00 p.m October 8th - Saturday - Terry Necciai from Monongahela will present Wildflowers: The Nellie Sickels Album - 1:00 p.m. November 12th - Saturday - Donora Veteran's by Brian Charlton December 7th - Wednesday - no meeting - Christmas dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Duke's Restaurant Special Events
|