America: We're All Part of the Story

Our library's series of local history programs honoring our nation's 250th Anniversary, America: We're All Part of the Story, got off to a great start! Over 100 people attended Clyde Housel's May 13 presentation and book signing of The Ghosts of Shaw Mines: And the Memoirs of a Boy Who Grew Up There, the first installment in the program series. Clyde and his wife Terry also graciously donated the proceeds from the books that were sold at the reception (50 of them!) to our library. We thank Zion Lutheran Church for hosting the event -- never in a million years would all those people fit into our little library!

Photo by Mike Petenbrink.

That little library is now festooned with red, white, and blue paper chains, stars, and bells hanging from the ceiling. Our Archivist and a flock of volunteers have filled the windows of the old Murphy building across the street with historical images. We've had an ever-changing display of American History books which will continue to evolve throughout the year. We even partnered with the Meyersdale Area Historical Society to enter an America 250th float in the Maple Festival Parade (Photo by Mike Petenbrink). These are part of our organized effort to honor our nation's 250 years of freedom and growth, a history of which we are now a part. We are, indeed, all a part of the story.

On Thursday, June 11, at 7:00 PM, we learned about the life of Revolutionary War era farmer Christian Shockey, as presented by his descendant Richard Shockey in Freedom, Fields, and Faith: The Life of Revolutionary Farmer Christian Shockey. 

To comfortably accommodate hoped-for attendance, this program was also held at Zion Lutheran Church. We had a great turnout for this program

On Tuesday, July 7, at 6:30 PM, you can learn about our Somerset County area as it was in 1776. Amateur historian Kyle Davis will present The Wild East...Colonial Somerset County, inside the Amity United Church of Christ sanctuary, 315 Center Street, Meyersdale. (This venue has plenty of room and is air conditioned!) He will also be presenting this program at the Meyersdale Area Historical Society, 527 Main Street, Meyersdale, on Monday, September 14 at 7PM.

Sandpatch: Remembering a Railroad Town That Helped Build America is planned for Tuesday, August 4, at 7PM. Carolyn McKinney (AKA "Conductor Clara") will share some Sandpatch history, at Amity United Church of Christ, 315 Center St.

Watch for other upcoming programs in our America... We're All Part of the Story series:

· Sarah B. Cochran: A Hidden Gilded Age Powerhouse in Southwestern Pennsylvania (Viewing Party for Author Talk With Kimberly Hess) - July 28  at the Library

· “Not Just a Mere Newspaper” - The History of the Meyersdale Republican, by George Menser II & Shirley (Basehore) Vought - September 1  at Amity UCC

· Finding Justice: The Untold Story of Women’s Fight for the Vote with Amanda Owen (Hosted in Partnership With the Historical & Genealogical Society of  Somerset County & Held at the Somerset Historical Center) - September 22

· The Monongahela People (With a Little Help From F.D.R.), by Dennis “Butch” Stahl - October 21 at Zion Lutheran

Keep your eyes on the library’s website (meyersdalelibrary.org) & weekly “Got News??” newsletter; the library’s & historical society’s Facebook pages; and the rotating poster boards in our Murphy Building window display for details to come about these programs throughout the summer and into the autumn months.