Museum Happenings April 2024

It is an exciting time to be involved at the Society. Continued collaboration between committees and other local organizations is generating fantastic ideas and opportunities. The beginning of the month is loaded with events, with many more to come throughout the year. As the weather mellows, the buildings and grounds committee begin to work their magic on the exterior of the Society’s historic structures and the surrounding greenery. Spring also brings about fresh ideas and goals for the board of directors, as strategic planning continues. From the outside, the Society may seem like two quaint historic structures, however, the inside is buzzing with dedicated volunteers putting forth the effort necessary to keep Indiana County’s history alive.

Last month saw the grand opening for the uptown office of NAFF, INC, the group who runs the Northern Appalachian Folk Festival every September in Indiana. A handful of Society board members attended the ribbon cutting ceremony in support of the organization. The folk festival continues to grow each year, as does the Society’s involvement and offerings during the festival weekend. Thousands of guests descend on the town during that time, exploring the area’s rich culture and history. This year the Society is already planning various interactive programs for festival goers set to bring the past to life.

Gabriella Byrne has officially been with the Society for one year as this issue of the Clark House News goes to print. Her assistance in the library has enabled it to grow tremendously during her tenure. Gabi has helped hundreds of patrons in person, over the telephone, or digitally via email. She has also proposed new ways for the Society to improve organization and efficiency. The HGSIC is incredibly lucky to have Gabi on board and is grateful for all of the work she does on a regular basis.

The 4th Annual Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Ceremony was a night spent recalling memories of the era. Sheriff Robert Fyock served as the master of ceremonies for the evening and guided the proceedings. Each veteran professed their name, rank, and dates of service after receiving a pin and certificate acknowledging their service. Special thanks to Christina Lonigro for conducting the pinning ceremony for the evening. The night then took a somber note, as a roll call was read of Indiana County’s 41 KIA’s from Vietnam. Rousing vocals performed by Hazel Johnston, with music provided by Joel White, then raised the crowd’s spirit, with many members uniting in song. Following the final song, guests were invited for light refreshments courtesy of the Homemade Restaurant. The program in its entirety is available on the Society’s website.

This month there are two author talks. Sara Lambert Bloom was first on April 4. The focus of Sarah’s talk was her new book surrounding the history of Iselin, along with a number of guests lined up to enhance the discussion for the program. A dialog also occurred surrounding Sarah’s nonprofit, Iselin Strong, LLC, set to revitalize the town. Various mining artifacts and images related to Iselin are also currently on display, generously on loan from Alex Semuskie. A recording of the program can be found here. Following the Iselin program, Janice Dembosky will discuss her new book, Roza: The Runaway, on April 18 at 6:30pm. The event is free and open to the public.  Each talk will also be filmed and be uploaded to the Society’s website.

The Buildings and Grounds Committee will host their annual spring cleanup this month. During that time, special attention will be given to the grounds to prepare them for the upcoming growing season. Johnston Nursery Landscaping has already begun treating and mowing the Society’s lawn and it is nice to finally see the new growth for the season coming in. With lawn care on the agenda, the Evergreen Garden Club will soon be set to decorate the point with beautiful flowers for the season. This will take place just in time for the space to be admired by the many families who visit the area for graduation.

Collaborative meetings between the program and museum committees continue for the “School Days Exhibit” as the installation date slowly draws closer. The exhibit will launch in July and feature artifacts and memorabilia from the County’s seven public school districts, along with photographs and documents. The museum committee is also in the process of narrowing down exhibit ideas for the 2025 and 2026 calendar. With so many good ideas, it is a shame they can only choose a few.

The May Ladies Tea is coming quickly and once again invites guests to join the Society for an afternoon of pastries and entertainment in the Silas Clark House. The fundraising committee has been hard at work developing a delightful afternoon, with Mary Jo Bowes once again crafting a memorable performance for guests to enjoy. The theme of this tea’s entertainment explores all of the intricacies surrounding courting throughout history. Set your calendar for Saturday May 18 from 2pm to 4pm. Tickets are $25, with a discounted price of $20 for Society members.

Two Society board members will receive the Indiana AAUW Notable Women award, Katie Gaudreau and Jackie Wiley. Both ladies are highly involved in the community. They will both be honored at the annual dinner sponsored by the Indiana Branch of the American Association of University Women. This program is unique to the Indiana Branch and has been occurring since 1987, recognizing a total of 178 county women as Notable Women. The Society is pleased to see two of its board members honored with this prestigious award and is grateful to have both ladies as volunteers at the HGSIC.

Strategic planning continues at the HGSIC, with excellent progress being made. The board has identified key areas of improvement and value for the Society. With broad themes now in place, the process begins of prioritizing each theme and breaking them down into manageable tasks, assigning which committees are responsible for each, and defining deadlines. The Society is already doing many things well, however, there is always room for improvement. This plan will give the organization the direction it needs to be more effective in its work.

In other news, the Society would like to wish Director Emeritus, Jean Williams, a happy birthday. This month, Jean is 103 years young. Jean was active with many groups, including the Evergreen Garden Club and Historical Society. During her time at the Society, she headed numerous successful fundraisers and programs, such as the historic house tour and 1000 for $1 sale. Jean’s dedication helped to lay the foundation of the museum we know today.

The dedication of the Society’s volunteers has yielded many good things over the years. Great volunteers is the primary reason why the museum and library are both in the position they are today. Those same volunteers continue to build relationships with other organizations in the community and find new ways to present the county’s rich history. Join the Society for one of its many events and experience that hard work in action. Growth can be challenging sometimes, but eventually everything falls into place and produces a better product in the end.