Favorite Links

Local

http://www.tbflibrary.org – Located on the corners of West Market and Ferry Streets, The Thomas Beaver Free Library is one of the most magnificent buildings in Montour County. Built with the financial backing of Thomas Beaver on the corner of West Market and Ferry Streets the Library opened in August in 1888. Not only can you enjoy the many resources the Library offers, such as books, music, microfilm and computers as well as many others, the second floor is home to the Montour County Genealogical Society. Please check the Thomas Beaver Free Library’s website for events and services available as well as days and hours of operation.

http://www.montourco.org – This site is sponsored by the Montour County Pennsylvania commissioners as a resource for Montour County residents and visitors and to provide information about County government.

http://www.itourcolumbiamontour.com – In Montour County there is so much to do, where do you start? We suggest contacting the Columbia and Montour Counties Visitor Bureau to find information on places to stay, places to eat, places to visit and local events.

http://visitdanvillepa.org – The Danville Business Alliance (DBA) is a member-based organization originally incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as Tomorrow’s Vision, Inc. in 2001. In 2004 it changed its name to the Danville Business Alliance (DBA). The Danville Business Alliance (DBA) is the community’s convener of public and private sector resources, experts, and entrepreneurs intent on making downtown Danville a livable and vibrant district. On this site you can explore the membership directory to learn about the variety in Danville’s downtown businesses.

http://www.vanwagnermusic.com – Van Wagner. Born in Pennsylvania. Lives in Pennsylvania. Makes music. Mined coal. Logged trees. Teaches kids.

Local Museums

http://colcohist-gensoc.org/ -Opening Soon!  The Columbia County Historical Society established in 1914 and the Central Susquehanna Valley Genealogical Society started in 1976 both felt they shared a number of common interests, and that there were many advantages to combining their organizations. These two organizations merged on April 10, 1999 , to form the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society (CCHGS). CCHGS is committed to the collection, preservation, and publication of the history of Columbia County and to develop resources to aid individuals to discover their family history. It is a charitable and educational organization run entirely by loyal volunteers who collect and index important documents such as church records, cemetery listings, genealogies, manuscripts, photos, pamphlets, clippings, and many others, along with maintaining the Society’s museum and library.

http://berwickhistoricalsociety.org – The purpose of the Berwick Historical Society is to identify and to encourage the preservation of historical sites and buildings, to collect records, documents and artifacts that pertain to the history of the Berwick area, to collect and preserve documents and records significant to research in genealogy, to encourage research in the history of the area and the writing and publication of the results of such research, to maintain a center containing a library/museum; to promote a sense of community pride and interest in the Berwick area and its history.

http://www.northumberlandcountyhistoricalsociety.org – The Northumberland County Historical Society headquarters is located in The Hunter House, on the site of Old Fort Augusta in Sunbury, Pa. It offers a museum of historical and archaeological artifacts dealing with Fort Augusta, from the French and Indian War through the American Revolution, as well as items of significance to the history of Northumberland County. It also offers changing exhibits on topics of historical and archaeological interest. Also located in the Hunter House is the Society’s Charlotte Darrah Walter Genealogical Library, which contains excellent material on local history and thousands of records of early families in Northumberland County and in surrounding counties.

https://joseph-priestley-house.org – Joseph Priestley House and laboratory is an historic site in Northumberland, Pa that preserves and interprets the contributions and significance to American history of Joseph Priestley. As a National Historic Landmark and National Historic Chemical Landmark, the site features Priestley’s manor house with its laboratory. In the nearby Pond Building can be found the Joseph Priestley Timeline, a series of panels that present accomplishments during different periods of his life.

http://www.unioncountypa.org/departments/historical-society – The Union County Historical Society’s mission statement is to collect items made in Union County and items associated with Union County businesses for the purpose of preserving the county’s heritage. Some of the ten thousand or so items collected by the Society since 1963 focus on area blacksmiths and tinsmiths, quilt makers and milliners, politicians, and businesses like Pennsylvania House and Bechtels.
Most of the items in the UCHS collection have been donated over the past fifty years. Old business ledgers and photographs such as those in the courthouse office are used by people doing research. Other items, like those in the 1793 hearth and 1804 Dale Library, aid in the interpretation of the Dale/Engle/Walker house and wagon shed which are open Sunday afternoons, June through October.

http://www.unioncountypa.org/departments/historical-society/dale-engle-walker-house – The Dale/Engle/Walker House, in Lewisburg offers tours every year from June to October. The house was built in 1793 by Samuel Dale, an Ulster-Scot, immigrated to Pennsylvania in the mid-1700s and settled in Buffalo Valley in the 1790s with his wife, children, and the family slave Dinah. The limestone farmhouse offers interesting architecture, and stories about life in earlier times.

http://www.buggymuseum.org – From 1883 to 1920, William A. Heiss operated a successful buggy making business. As the demand for automobiles grew, the demand for horse-drawn vehicles declined. During the 1920s, William pursued other occupations, beekeeping, selling stoves and fence gates, and repainting automobiles to name a few. When he died in 1931, the factory was closed. For years, the building was used for storage, but mostly it lay forgotten. Almost 50 years later, the doors were opened to reveal an original shop with belting and pulleys, tools, machinery and forges. It was as if William Heiss and his workers had simply walked away. Take a step back in time and visit with the Heiss family visit the museum and experience Buggy Town.

http://snydercountyhistoricalsociety.org – The Society’s mission is to educate the public about the history of Snyder County; to collect, preserve and maintain historical artifacts and documents detailing this history; to sponsor programs and provide museum displays describing this history; and to facilitate genealogical and historical research into individuals, institutions and events making up this history.

State Museums

http://www.phmc.pa.gov/ – The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Created in 1945, it is responsible for the collection, conservation, and interpretation of Pennsylvania’s historic heritage, which is accomplished through the Pennsylvania State Archives, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums, the Pennsylvania Trails of History, the Bureau for Historic Preservation, and the Bureau of Management Services.

http://statemuseumpa.org – This is ‘all things Pennsylvania’! Since its creation in 1905, The State Museum of Pennsylvania has collected, preserved, researched, and interpreted the cultural and natural history of the state. Over the years, the museum has greatly expanded its collections and modernized its public offerings to serve the needs of succeeding generations of Pennsylvanians. Originally located next to the Capitol, the museum moved to its current location in 1964. It became a bureau of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 1945.

http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org – Are you researching the Montour County Regiments and their history during the Civil War at Gettysburg? The Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park is the best place to start your visit to Gettysburg. Here you will find the National Park Service Information Desk, Visitor Center activities, ticket sales, Museum Bookstore, Refreshment Saloon and restrooms. Entrance to the Visitor Center is free; some activities require tickets.

Interesting Links for Researchers

https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/a-guide-to-researching-the-history-of-a-house/ – If you live in a house that’s more than a few decades old, you might wonder about its history. What were the circumstances surrounding its construction? Who lived there before you moved in? You might even wonder about the evolution of the home’s structure as it has undergone home improvement, or you might have a morbid curiosity about whether or not your home has a sordid past. With the help of online resources and public records, much can be learned about the history of any property.

https://www.aaastateofplay.com/genealogy-for-kids-building-a-family-tree – Genealogy for kids includes how people are descended from an ancestor, how people are related to each other, where they lived and what kind of work they did and more. A great site to sharpen research skills while learning about family.