Events Calendar
November 7, 2011
The Columns Museum Joins “Art After Dark”
Milford, PA - On November 12th the Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad Street, will open in the evening to be a part of Art After Dark.
The popular art walk encourages galleries to stay open a little later and show their wares. The Columns is currently featuring the art of Joe Splendora whose many moods are depicted through what have been referred to as “Slendorascapes”. The museum recently acquired many of Joe’s works and they are available for purchase through the museum. These works are very reasonably priced and would make a great Christmas gift!
Please join us for a wine and cheese reception from 7-9 on Saturday November 12th.
March 31st 2011
Mary Todd Lincoln: A Woman on the Edge
Milford, PA - On the evening of April 14, 1865 John Wilkes Booth entered the Presidential Box at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC and fired the shot that still resounds today. As President Abraham Lincoln lay mortally wounded on the floor of the Presidential Box, Mary Todd Lincoln had to acknowledge yet another tragedy in her life as first lady. The night passed into morning, and in the early hours on April 15, 1865 President Abraham Lincoln died.
The Pike County Historical Society will offer a "dinner and a soliloquy" as performed by Ruth Randone. Ruth is the second actress to play the role of Mary Todd in this one act production written by Pike County Historical Society (PCHS) Executive Director Lori Strelecki. The role was originated by Stacy Jane Case in the spring of 2009. Since its premier at the PCHS, the play has been performed at the Church of Presidents in Long Branch, NJ, The Century Club in Scranton, and the Jewish Cultural Center in Scranton, Pa.
The 30 minute presentation will be performed on Friday, April 15, 2011, in the newly renovated Foundation Room of the Pike County Historical Society. Dinner will be served at 6:30 with the show to follow. Tickets are $30 and proceeds benefit the Lincoln Flag's Continued Preservation fund.
The staff will be serving up Chicken Fricassee, which was one of Lincoln's favorite dishes.
Please call 570-296-8126 for reservations.
The Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad Street in Milford, Pa., is open Wednesday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 1-4 pm. For more information visit us online at www.pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
March 21st 2011
Historical Society to Host Vintage Fashion Show and Tea
Milford - On April 3, 2011 at 3:30 pm the Pike County Historical Society will offer a Vintage Fashion Show and tea on the main floor of the Columns Museum. The tea will be a "Farmer's Tea" which consists of Cornish Pasties, sweets and tea. The fashion show will include clothing from the Victorian Era right up to the Sexy Sixties. Look for several locals to be models. There will be live music, door prizes and lots of fun! So, "smile with your eyes" and come and enjoy. Tickets are $25 and include the show and tea. All donations are tax deductable.
The Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad Street in Milford, Pa., is open Wednesday's, Saturday's and Sunday's from 1-4 pm. For more information call 570-296-8126 or visit pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
March 17th 2011
Pike County’s Famous Lincoln Flag Headed Home to D.C.
Milford, PA - For eight days in April, 10th through the 17th, of 2011, the Lincoln Flag of the Pike County Historical Society (PCHS) will be on loan to President Abraham Lincoln's Cottage in Washington D.C.
Located on a picturesque hilltop in Washington, DC, President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldier's Home is the most significant site directly associated with Lincoln's presidency aside from the White House. President Abraham Lincoln and his family lived there for a quarter of his presidency, from June to November of 1862, '63 and '64. It was during his first season there that Lincoln drafted the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
The plans for the Lincoln flag to make this trip were created back in August of 2010, when the Pike County Historical Society's executive director and a board member went to Washington D.C. at the invitation of John A. Miller, Senior Master Sgt., United States Air Force, Retired. Sgt. Miller toured with the Pike County Historical Society representatives and they had several meetings at Lincoln associated sites. The end result is a visit to the Lincoln Cottage and Armed Forces Retirement home for the blood stained flag.
Callie Hawkins, Curator of the Lincoln Cottage, is preparing for the flags visit by scheduling Lincoln author James Swanson to speak at a very special event called "Cottage Conversations" during the flags visit.
The journey to Washington, DC is approximately 260 miles one way. Local business, Mahon's Moving and Trucking, will be transporting the flag, donating their time and services. The Society is requesting members of our community to sponsor a mile of the trip with a $10 donation. Names of sponsors will be filled in on a road map depicting the monumental trek and displayed at the Historical Society.
The Lincoln Flag originally came from Washington, DC, which is what makes this trip so significant. It was used to cradle the dying President Abraham Lincoln's head at Ford's Theatre the night of his assassination. It made its way to Milford at the hand of Jeannie Gourlay who was an actress in the play being performed that evening. She was given the flag by her father, Thomas, when she married and moved to Milford in 1888. She lived here until her death in 1924. Her son Vivian Paul Struthers inherited the flag and donated it to the Pike County Historical Society in 1954.
"The Society is very excited about the flag's upcoming journey and the fact that it will be in Washington for the anniversary of Lincoln's assassination. Although a somber occasion, the chance to share this rare and significant link to Lincoln is certainly an honor. It is one thing to view the flag here in Pike County during this time, but certainly much more poignant for it to be so close to where the tragedy actually occurred." Lori Strelecki, Museum Director, PCHS.
For further information about the flag's trip, please call 570-296-8126.
The Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad Street in Milford, Pa., is open Wednesday's, Saturday's and Sunday's from 1-4 pm. For more information call 570-296-8126 or visit pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
The Lincoln Flag, seen above housed in its specially made case, will be making a special journey to President Abraham Lincoln's Cottage in Washington D.C. for eight days, April 10th, through the 17th.
February 21st 2011
Winter Wednesdays to Feature Ronny Whyte and Martha Lorin
Milford, PA - The Pike County Historical Society is proud to present its winter music series known as "Winter Wednesdays" once again this year. In its fifth year, the series will feature Ronny Whyte and Martha Lorin.
On March 9th, 2011, a wine and cheese reception will kick off an evening with Ronny Whyte. Ronny Whyte is not only considered a premiere interpreter of Classic American Popular song, he is also an outstanding jazz pianist, and an award winning songwriter. He has been featured on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on National Public Radio.
He is an ASCAP Award-winning songwriter; his lyric Forget the Woman was recorded by Tony Bennett, and his music for The Party Upstairs won the MAC Award for Best Song of 2006. He also produces and hosts Midtown Jazz at Midday at St. Peter's in Manhattan, a weekly jazz concert series.
For two years Ronny appeared in New York City in the hit musical Our Sinatra, as well as its two national big band tours to more than 90 cities. He was also featured twice at New York's JVC Jazz Festival, and was inducted into the Cabaret Jazz Hall of Fame.
The Ronny Whyte Trio has performed in concert at Carnegie/Weill Hall, New York's Town Hall, Washington's Corcoran Gallery, and the Mellon Jazz Festival in Philadelphia. Ronny has had major engagements in New York at the Café Carlyle, Rainbow and Stars, the Oak Room at the Algonquin, and Feinstein's at the Regency. Abroad, he has starred in Paris, Tokyo, Tel Aviv, Sao Paulo, Caracas, and Johannesburg.
Ronny often makes guest appearances with symphony orchestras playing his arrangement of Porgy & Bess for Jazz Trio & Orchestra and other Gershwin works. In the theatre, he has played such diverse roles as Bobby in Company; Oberon, in A Midsummer Night's Dream; Joey, in Pal Joey and Vernon, in They're Playing Our Song. He has written and performed in Night's Work, two one-act plays with music, which marked his debut as a playwright.
Mr. Whyte has recorded ten CD's for Audiophile; his CD All in a Night's Work was selected "Jazz Album of the Week" by the New York Times. Originally from Seattle, he divides his time between the New York area and his house in Milford, Pennsylvania. When not performing or writing, he is an avid tennis player, skier, gardener and gourmet cook.
Ronny will be performing in the newly renovated Foundation Room of the Museum, located at 608 Broad Street in Milford, Pa. The reception begins at 7:00pm and tickets are $40 per person. The ticket price includes the reception.
For more information, or to reserve a table, please call 570-296-8126.
The Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad Street in Milford, Pa., is open Wednesday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 1-4 pm. For more information call 570-296-8126 or visit pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
Ronny Whyte, an outstanding jazz pianist, will be featured with Martha Lorin in the Pike County Historical Society's winter music series known as "Winter Wednesdays," now in its fifth year running.
February 08th 2011
Pike Museum’s Collections Featured at Everhart Museum of Natural History
Scranton, PA - One of the most unique items in the Pike County Historical Society's Civil War Collection are the pencil sketches and watercolor paintings of camp life, created by Theodore R. Julius Kline. Kline, a Pike County native son, enlisted with Company A of the 21st Regiment of New Jersey. One booklet, entitled "Sketches" contains pencil drawings of camp life. Some were drawn on the backs of blank music sheets, calling cards and scraps of paper. The second collection includes watercolor paintings which depict thoughts of home, camp life and marches.
While the originals remain within the walls of the Columns Museum, reproductions were made to allow for the sentiment and talent of Mr. Kline to be included in the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art, new Civil War 150th Anniversary Exhibit which opens to the public February 4, 2011 and continue though July 17, 2011.
The Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art was founded in 1908 and is located in Scranton's Nay Aug Park, the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science & Art is the largest general museum in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Everhart is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to the collection, care and display of a diverse array of artifacts, including natural history, science and fine arts. Through its exhibits and programs, the Museum has become an invaluable regional resource for educational and cultural opportunities. General support is received from the Lackawanna County Office of Education & Culture, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the City of Scranton. For more information visit the website www.everhart-museum.org or contact 570-346-7186.
The Everhart Museum is open to the public Mon., Thurs. & Fri. Noon to 4:00 pm; Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday, Noon to 5:00 pm.
The Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad Street in Milford, Pa., is open Wednesday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 1-4 pm. For more information call 570-296-8126 or visit pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
February 02nd 2011
A Stitch Across Time
Milford PA - The Pike County Historical Society's treasured Lincoln Flag will become a part of another famous flag. The much talked about 9/11 Flag will be the proud recipient of a thread that came from the famed blood stained flag that cushioned the head of our 16th President as he lie dying at Ford's theatre that fateful night in 1865.
There has been much press recently regarding the 9/11 Flag. It has appeared at stitching ceremonies across the United States. Most recently the flag was ceremoniously displayed in Arizona after the shooting tragedy. It is rapidly becoming a symbol for our Nation. A symbol of peace and togetherness, two things so dearly needed in these trying times.
As for the Lincoln Flag, it has been the prized possession of Pike County's Columns Museum since 1955 when Vivian Paul Struthers so graciously presented it to the Society.
Struthers inherited the blood stained artifact from his mother, Jeannie Gourlay Struthers, who was an actress in the play being performed the night of Lincoln's assassination.
The plan for the 9/11 flag is to have this battered, war torn flag, found across the street from the World Trade Center site after the terrorist attack, repaired to its original form. Meaning, all stars and stripes replaced with pieces of retired, un-flyable flags from across the Country. Each state is offering a "patch". The Pennsylvania patch will be sewn into place by many community members from Delaware Valley High School on February 12, 2011 between 1 and 4pm. In a separate ceremony, at 11:00am, which is open to the public, held at The Columns Museum on the same day, which happens to be Abraham Lincoln's birthday, a seamstress on staff for the New York Says Thank You Foundation will oversee the placement and stitching of the very small, yet extremely significant, thread from the Lincoln Flag. Assisting in this very special addition to the 9/11 Flag will be the Lincoln Flag's most dedicated advocate Barbara J. Buchanan, President Emeritus of the Pike County Historical Society, and one of the Society's most generous supporters Amy Litzenberger with the help of her son Alex. State Senator Lisa Baker will also be in attendance to add a stitch to the flag. Many Milford residents may recall a very moving speech the Senator gave at a local 9/11 remembrance ceremony on a rainy day in September a few years ago. Her heartfelt words brought tears to the eyes of many in attendance.
"These are the three people who came to mind when the "Thank You Foundation" asked for a few local dignitaries to be on hand. Obviously Mrs. Buchanan because of the role she played in preserving and making the flag known; Mrs. Litzenberger because it is a way for us, as an organization, to thank her family and acknowledge their generosity. And Senator Lisa Baker because I happened to be one of those teary eyed people who was moved by her words at that 9/11 ceremony two years ago in Milford’s firehouse," said Lori Strelecki, Executive Director of the Columns Museum. The idea to bring the flag to the Pike County Historical Society originated from the Society's Archivist Charlie Quilici. "I just made the contacts, Charlie had the vision," said Ms. Strelecki. The Historical Society and the New York Says thank You Foundation cannot be happier with the collaboration. Lincoln, famous for his quotes once talked about stitching our nation back together after the Civil War. How fitting, some 140 years later, that something as significant and symbolic can occur in our community.
The Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad Street in Milford, Pa., is open Wednesday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 1-4 pm. For more information call 570-296-8126 or visit pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
January 12th 2011
9/11 Flag to Visit the Columns Museum
Milford, PA - On February 12, 2011, the famed 9/11 Flag, which has been on a whirlwind tour of the United States over the last several months, will make a stop in Milford, PA. The 30 x 20 foot tattered flag was found near the World Trade Center shortly after the 9/11 tragedy by a local Shohola resident. The remains of the tattered flag originally traveled to Greensburg, KS, a town 95% destroyed by an EF-5 tornado, on the 9/11 anniversary in 2008. New York Says Thank You volunteers, along with the residents of Greensburg's senior citizens center stitched this special flag back together using American Flags salvaged from the Greensburg tornado. In doing so, they literally stitched together our shared stories of tragedy and triumph and created a new and living piece of American History. The idea then came about to stitch the flag back to its original format, eventually eliminating the patches. It was only appropriate that the use of a piece of the famed Lincoln Flag of the Pike County Historical Society be taken into consideration.
Lori Strelecki, Executive Director of the Columns Museum, mulled over her options while considering such a donation. "The idea to possibly participate was brought up to me by our Archivist, Charlie Quilici. He told me about the 9/11 Flag and its historical journey, and the wheels started turning." Strelecki knew that the first step in this process was to contact the New York Says Thank You Foundation and see if there was any interest.
"I knew the road would be a little rocky given the significance of our artifact, so I wanted to make sure there was an interest before starting down that particular path," said Strelecki. Upon contacting Jeff Parness of the Foundation, it was determined that the Lincoln Flag would be a much welcomed addition and "…even so much as a thread..." would be happily incorporated into the 9/11 flag. It was then that Strelecki approached her Board of Directors with the notion.
The Lincoln Flag, which is stained with our 16th President's blood, has been a part of the Historical Society's collections since 1954 when it was given to them by the son of Jeannie Gourlay. Ms. Gourlay was an actress in the production of Our American Cousin, which was the play Lincoln was viewing at Ford's Theater the evening of his assassination. The flag was taken from the theater by Thomas Gourlay, Jeannie's father and part time stage manager. It was passed down to her, and she brought it with her to Milford in 1888 when she married and moved here. She resided on Water Street, along the Sawkill, until her death in 1924. Her son, Vivian Paul, donated the flag to the Society along with some of her stage costumes and personal items. The blood stained flag was displayed for many years in The Community House where the Historical Society originally shared space with the library. Upon finding a home of its own in the lovely 1904 neo-classical manse known as The Columns, which was originally built by Dennis McLaughlin as a summer home, the flag received some much needed attention in the ways of preservation and stabilization.
It was the determination of then President of PCHS, Barbara J. Buchanan, that made it possible for the flag to be housed and stabilized in a custom made case, secured on rollers against an acid free lining and positioned so the blood stains are viewable through tempered plexi-glass. The flag and its case have never been tampered with since this procedure was completed by the Textile Conservation Institute of New York.
The proposed participation would require the case to be opened - a challenge Strelecki knew would be her first in this task. "I contacted the Preservation Institute and spoke to Patsy Orlofsky who was involved in the stabilization back in the early 1980's."
It was established that the case was not air tight sealed in any way, and what had been done to the flag was more of a stabilization effort, rather than a restoration and preservation. This brought about concerns regarding the condition of the flag. Was it housed in the best way possible? Have the years taken a toll? And was there any further deterioration that should be noted and addressed? These questions, and the revelation that the flag's case was not "sealed", caused the Board of Directors to become curious as to what might be going on inside of it, and how it may be affecting the prized artifact. The case was opened in the presence of several Board members and a visual inspection determined that there had been only minimal deterioration, as a few strands had fallen off into the bottom of the case. The flag seemed to be none the worse for wear, and all archival stitching remained in place securing the heavy item to its muslin backing.
The flag itself was not touched during the inspection, and, secure in the knowledge that the case was performing as an effective means of stabilization, it was closed back up. "I did grab those few strands that had fallen though," said Strelecki. "Not much more than a thread, really!"
Those threads will be incorporated into the 9/11 flag. The New York Says Thank You Foundation is excited about including even the smallest piece of the Lincoln Flag in this dynamic project. A stitching ceremony will be held at The Columns Museum on Lincoln's Birthday, this February. For more information on the 9/11 Flag visit www.newyorksaysthankyou.org
For more information please call 570-296-8126 or visit us online at www.pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org
These Lincoln Flag threads are being incorporated into the 9/11 flag in a stitching ceremony to be held at The Columns Museum on Lincoln's Birthday, this February.
January 6th 2011
Historical Society to Host Dinner and a Documentary
Milford PA - The Pike County Historical Society will offer an Italian style buffet dinner, complete with salad, coffee and dessert, and show a documentary on Bushkill resident and artist Frank Schoonover on Friday, January 28, 2011. The dinner will start at 6:30, followed by the showing of the PBS documentary Frank E. Schoonover the Authentic Artist.
The Society's archives and subject files were used in the research and production of this fine work, and many local residents are featured in the interviews used to tell his tale. While the documentary focuses primarily on Schoonover and his work, much of it being done in his barn located on the family farm in Bushkill, it also details the effects of the Tocks Island Dam Proposal had on the residents and real estate encompassed within the vast area detailed for the failed project which was launched in the early 1960's.
Admission to the dinner and documentary is $25 and all proceeds benefit the Pike County Historical Society's Archival Preservation Fund, as was it not for our vast archives participation in such important and impressive works could not be possible. Please help support what we do and assist us in our quest to keep history alive! Please call to reserve, as seating is limited. For more information please call 570-296-8126 or visit us online at www.pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org
