Fred Rogers Institute picks items from archives for open house, Latrobe festival

Fans of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” who attended an open house Monday on the campus of Saint Vincent College were afforded a glimpse of some colorful items selected for display from the archives of the iconic TV show’s host and creator, Latrobe native Fred Rogers.

Among the items displayed for the first time at the Fred Rogers Institute was a vintage trolley-themed postcard that portrayed the former Neighborhood of Make-Believe area at Idlewild Park in Ligonier Township. That area since has been updated as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

Also making its debut, according to archivist Emily Uhrin, was a 1977 pamphlet from the Ideal Toy Company promoting toy versions the company produced of the show’s iconic model trolley and some of its puppet characters.

“I wanted to focus on items featuring the trolley because people were riding the trolley,” Uhrin said.

Reservations allowed people attending the Mister Rogers Family Days celebration in downtown Latrobe to board a bus decked out in the guise of the show’s trolley, for a Monday tour to the institute and to a Rogers display at Greater Latrobe Senior High, both in Unity.

The celebration will conclude with a festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in downtown Latrobe.

Activities in the space formerly occupied by a Dollar General store, along Ligonier Street, will include materials displayed by the Latrobe Area Historical Society, an appearance by David Newell, who portrayed the Mister Rogers’ character Mr. McFeely, and additional Rogers-related images provided by the institute.

“These are items that we have photographed and put on posters,” said Uhrin. “There will be things about Fred’s childhood in Latrobe, about his parents and family, and his reflections on growing up in the community.”