Our latest exhibit at the Westmoreland History Education Center is an important landmark for the Westmoreland Historical Society – one may even say historic!

This exhibit tells stories of Westmoreland County history through objects in the Westmoreland Historical Society collection, most of which have never been exhibited before. Since the 1950s, the Westmoreland Historical Society has actively collected and preserved important pieces of Westmoreland County history, spanning a variety of places, time periods, and stories from the past. Yet there has never been a permanent place to exhibit these objects – until now!

The Kendra Gallery in the Westmoreland History Education Center, opened in 2019, is the perfect place for us to tell these stories. Gems of the Collection features “gems” from history including documents, photographs, clothing, furniture, tools, glassware, archaeological material – and, yes, even a kitchen sink!

This is the first of many exhibitions, and there are more gems in the collection to be mined and stories to be told about the events and people who have contributed to our county history.

Special thanks for their help on this exhibit:

Exhibit Committee: Joanna Moyar, Coordinator of Collections & Interpretation; Mike Cary, Board Chair; Pamela Curtin, Education Coordinator; Joan DeRose, Board Member; Lisa Hays, Executive Director; Bob Kendra, Board Member

Exhibit Fabricator: Glenn McIntyre

Exhibit Assistants: Eloise Cary, Debbie Delisi, Joyce DelPaine, Margaret Herron, Alice Kaylor, Martin Keck, Candy Kubenic, Thelma Matthews, Brian McCall, Marilyn McSparrin, Sue Pepicelli, Priscilla Richardson, Bruce Shirey, Anne-Marie Welty, Claudia Winter, Anita Zanke, Library Coordinator

Museum Partners: Julia Ritter, Antiochian Heritage Museum; Lauren Churilla, Foster & Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery; Lynn Armbrust, Greensburg Art Supply

Community Partners: James M. Clayton & Mary Catherine Motchar, Kepple-Graft Funeral Home

Professional photography courtesy of Rex and Carole Moyer