Westmoreland Historical Society & Historic Hanna's Town

09/10/2026

There's still time to sign up for the LAST Flannel Roots Farm workshop of the season! Join us THIS SATURDAY for a Micro Fungi Foray at Historic Hanna's Town AND Twin Lakes Park for this special occasion.

We'll be foraging at Twin Lakes Park for increased fungi finds, learn how to ID, and and see what kinds of mushrooms we can spot in nature! To close things off, we'll end it with some tasty mushroom bites to enjoy at our pavilion. 🍄👩‍🍳 🍽

📍Meet up at Hanna's Town Pavilion at 1:00 p.m. We'll carpool to Twin Lakes!
🎟 Pre-register on our website or sign up at the Museum Shop. Admission is $10 and $8 for members and seniors.

Register here: https://westmorelandhistory.org/event-directory/flannel-roots-farm-workshops-registration

09/09/2026

👻 Settle in for a spooky evening of Western Pennsylvania history on October 7 at 6:00 PM!

Some of the best history comes with a little mystery.

Join us for an evening with archivist, historian, and author Thomas White as he explores the legends, ghost stories, strange happenings, and supernatural traditions woven into the history of our region.

You’ll hear tales of Old Tom Fossit, Braddock’s Gold, and Oppaymolleah’s Curse, along with stories of the ghosts said to linger at the Old Quaker Church, Duquesne University, and the Depreciation Lands Museum. Tom will also separate fact from folklore as he takes on the Witch of the Monongahela, Judge Reddick’s contest with the Devil, “The Dark Place,” and plenty of other wonderfully unsettling stories.

Think of it as an evening spent with the lights on, the history books open, and the ghosts politely invited in. 👻

📚 And yes, you can take some of the stories home with you. A selection of Tom White’s books will be available for purchase in our Museum Gift Shop.

🎟️ Tickets:
Members: $10
Non-Members: $12
Students & Seniors: $8

👉 Reserve your spot: https://westmorelandhistory.org/event-directory/westmoreland-speaks-speaker-series-registration/

About Thomas White

Thomas White is the University Archivist and Curator of Special Collections at Duquesne University and an adjunct professor of history at Duquesne and La Roche University. His work focuses on public history, folklore, and the history of supernatural beliefs. He is the author of 11 books, including The Witch of the Monongahela: Folk Magic in Early Western Pennsylvania, Legends and Lore of Western Pennsylvania, Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania, and Forgotten Tales of Pittsburgh.

Come get comfortable, settle in, and let Tom take you somewhere a little stranger than your usual history lecture.

Just don’t be surprised if something follows you home. 👀

09/09/2026

We Want More History Day Workshop
📅 Saturday, September 26
with historian Lena S. McDonald
Whose history gets remembered? And whose stories are still waiting to be found?
Join the Westmoreland Historical Society for a day of exploring the people, places, and stories that have too often been overlooked or left out of the historical record.
🏛️ 10 AM–Noon | Workshop 1 In Plain Sight
How do we decide what is worth preserving? We’ll look at historic preservation through the lens of underrepresented communities and explore how people have often been left out of the stories we preserve. We’ll also look at how everyday places, neighborhoods, gathering spaces, and cultural landscapes can tell important stories.

🔎 1–3 PM | Workshop 2 History Is Everywhere
How do you research a story that hasn’t been written yet? Learn how photographs, newspapers, family records, oral histories, buildings, maps, objects, archives, and online resources can help uncover overlooked community histories.
You can attend one workshop or both. No history degree or research experience required.
🎟️ Register:
https://www.zeffy.com/.../we-want-more-history-day-workshops
🌐 Learn more:
www.wewantmorehistory.org

09/04/2026

🍸 HISTORY IS BETTER WITH A COCKTAIL IN HAND.

Start Historic House Tour weekend with us at Toast the Tour.

On Friday, September 18, the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve becomes the setting for an evening of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, conversation, and celebration.

This isn't your typical Friday night.

It's a chance to slow down, enjoy the company of good people, and celebrate 20 years of Historic House Tour before Saturday's festivities begin.

🥂 Friday, September 18
⏰ 6–8 p.m.
📍 Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve
🎟️ $90 per person

Tickets: www.westmorelandhistory.org/historic-house-tour/registration/

Dress up a little. Bring someone you enjoy spending time with. We'll take care of the rest.

09/03/2026

🕰 (New Hours Update!)

Wishing everyone a relaxing Labor Day weekend!

The Westmoreland History Education Center and Historic Hanna's Town will be open on Friday, September 4th, and Saturday, September 5th from 10 - 4. Stop by and visit us!

Following Labor Day, Historic Hanna's Town, including access inside the historic buildings, will be open only on Saturdays from 10-4 through to October.

The Westmoreland History Education Center will remain open Thursday - Saturday from 10 - 4, including the Museum Shop, Research Library, and Exhibit Gallery.

09/02/2026

Join WHS in partnership with Saint Vincent College for the Boundaries of Freedom Symposium on November 4. The Boundaries of Freedom Symposium brings together educators, historians, librarians, students, and community members to explore the history of slavery and unfree labor in Western Pennsylvania.

The symposium reflects a shared commitment to recovering local histories, honoring the lives of those whose stories have been forgotten, and creating resources that help students and community members better understand the complex history of our region.

https://boundariesoffreedomsvc.weebly.com/

Registration is ongoing for the Boundaries of Freedom Symposium. Drawing on student and faculty research, this symposium will introduce attendees to new resources about the history of slavery in Westmoreland County. Our keynote speaker will be Alonna J. Carter, the Associate Curator of the Museum of African American History at the Senator John Heinz History Center. Please consider joining us!

09/02/2026

We Want More History Day Workshop

📅 Saturday, September 26
with historian Lena S. McDonald

Whose history gets remembered? And whose stories are still waiting to be found?

Join the Westmoreland Historical Society for a day of exploring the people, places, and stories that have too often been overlooked or left out of the historical record.

🏛️ 10 AM–Noon | Workshop 1 In Plain Sight
How do we decide what is worth preserving? We’ll look at historic preservation through the lens of underrepresented communities and explore how people have often been left out of the stories we preserve. We’ll also look at how everyday places, neighborhoods, gathering spaces, and cultural landscapes can tell important stories.

🔎 1–3 PM | Workshop 2 History Is Everywhere
How do you research a story that hasn’t been written yet? Learn how photographs, newspapers, family records, oral histories, buildings, maps, objects, archives, and online resources can help uncover overlooked community histories.

You can attend one workshop or both. No history degree or research experience required.

🎟️ Register:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/we-want-more-history-day-workshops

🌐 Learn more:
www.wewantmorehistory.org

09/01/2026

⛪ A CAMPUS WITH NEARLY 180 YEARS OF STORIES.

Saint Vincent has been part of Westmoreland County's story since 1846, the parish itself, even longer.

Founded by Benedictine monks, it is the oldest Benedictine college in the United States and home to Saint Vincent Archabbey, the nation's first Benedictine monastery.

On September 19, you can experience this remarkable campus as part of the 20th Annual Historic House Tour.

Walk the grounds. Explore historic spaces. Learn the stories behind the buildings and the people who made this place what it is.

And when your feet need a break, hop on the campus trolley.

🏛️ September 19 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
🎟️ $35 per person

Tickets: www.westmorelandhistory.org/historic-house-tour/registration/

09/01/2026

DETAILS COMING SOON! Join us on September 26 as WHS participates in the nationwide We Want More History Event.

We Want More History! is a coordinated, place-based national weekend of history programming designed to strengthen civic health, build community trust, foster democratic dialogue, and showcase the essential role of history in public life. It comes at a time of heightened public interest in how American history is interpreted, supporting trusted public institutions where people already gather to learn, reflect, and engage.

The initiative is rooted in a simple idea: communities benefit when people have more opportunities to engage with history. History helps people understand who they are, how their communities have changed over time, and how they can shape the future together.

The project highlights public libraries, museums, and historic sites as anchors of civic engagement, intellectual freedom, lifelong learning, and community well-being. It also centers public lands, including national parks, state parks, city parks, trails, waterways, and historic landscapes, as shared civic spaces where history can be experienced in place and connected to lived experience.

History does not live only in books, archives, or official commemorations. It lives in public spaces where people encounter stories, places, memory, and meaning together.

Timed to align with 250th era programming, We Want More History! helps ensure that national commemorations reflect the full, complex story of the people and places that make up the United States and beyond.

08/30/2026

🥂 BEFORE WE OPEN THE DOORS TO THE HOUSE TOUR, LET'S RAISE A GLASS.

Historic House Tour weekend begins with Toast the Tour, an elegant and elevated evening at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve.

Join us Friday, September 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, conversation, and a beautiful setting as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of the Westmoreland Historical Society's signature events.

It's a night for history lovers, friends, and anyone who appreciates a good drink, good food, and good company.

🥂 Toast the Tour
📅 Friday, September 18
⏰ 6–8 p.m.
📍 Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve
🎟️ $90 per person

Then join us Saturday for the Historic House Tour at Saint Vincent College.

Make a weekend of it.

Reservations: www.westmorelandhistory.org/historic-house-tour/registration/