Alle-Kiski Valley museums welcome public with open houses
Four Alle-Kiski Valley museums are banding together to promote history and heritage with a free tour of their premises.
An open house showcasing the historical museums of Leechburg, Hyde Park, Apollo and Vandergrift is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Free shuttle trips among the four museums will be provided by Byers Taxi. Participants may begin the tour at any of the museums.
“The whole purpose of this event is to get people to visit their local museum,” said Janice Oberdorf, board member and treasurer for the Victorian Vandergrift Museum and Historical Society. All ages are welcome.
Oberdorf said she often speaks with people who say, “I didn’t know there was a museum here.” The open house aims to promote the hard work of museum volunteers.
“All of these museums are run 100 percent by volunteers,” she said.
The open house was adjusted from a biannual event to a yearly happening. “It was just too much work for all of the volunteers to get two open houses ready each year,” Oberdorf said.
Visitors to the Vandergrift Museum can peruse three floors filled with military items, an extensive genealogy collection and numerous displays depicting Victorian turn-of-the-century daily living.
Leechburg historian Larry Boehm said never-displayed items will be on exhibit and the museum has completed major renovations of the building.
“The credit goes to Janice Oberdorf and her crew at the Vandergrift Historical Society,” Boehm said. “We’re really excited to have the event back.”
The Leechburg Area Museum and Historical Society has 19 themed rooms inside the historic David Leech house on First Street.
A vintage toy display is the latest addition at Apollo Museum and Historical Society.
Vandergrift’s newest exhibit features Kiski Area Football memorabilia and honors coach Frank Moreal.
A new exhibit on Martha Grinder, Hyde Park’s most infamous resident who was convicted of murder by poison in 1865, is the most recent exhibit at the Hyde Park Museum and Historical Society.
Attendees visiting all four museums may enter for a chance to win a gift basket.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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