Sunday Programs
The Lebanon County Historical Society sponsors lecture and exhibit programs on the third Sunday of every month, September through March. All programs are held in the Reese Memorial Hall at 1:30 PM, unless noted otherwise. Programs are free and open to the public. Prospective members are encouraged to attend. Light refreshments are served, and the Gift Shop will be open for your convenience.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
James Coleman Drayton
Jim Polcaynski’s talk will focus on the life of James Coleman Drayton. The story begins with the marriage of two of James Coleman’s daughters to two Drayton brothers, whose family began in the South as wealthy plantation owners. Family dynamics and events that led to the early care of James Coleman Drayton after his mother passed away are investigated. The talk will follow his marriage to Augusta Astor and the drama that ended in divorce. Finally, it will follow the events that found James Coleman Drayton on the board of the Cornwall Ore Bank.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Introducing Annville’s Electronic Archives
Join local historian Paul Fullmer for a pictorial tour of historic Annville. Fullmer is the author of the new pictorial history, Annville Township, and the creator of an electronic archive of Annville history. He also serves as vice president of the Friends of Old Annville (FOOA).
Using computer projection, Fullmer will open the meeting with a rousing game of “Annville Jeopardy.” Participants will earn prizes by identifying the appropriate questions to answers of varying difficulty. He will then introduce Annville’s Electronic Archive as a resource available to local historians. In addition to the fascinating history contained with the archives, their organization and contents present an informative example of how communities might preserve their own histories. Toward the end of the program, attendees will have an opportunity to inquire about addresses of interest to them, including private residences. In some cases, information may be sent to participants as an e-mail attachment. There will also be an opportunity for individuals to contribute information to the archive.
Copies of Annville Township, authored by Fullmer and part of the Images of America Series of Arcadia Publishing, will be available for sale at the discounted rate of $20 (including sales tax) at the event. At present, Annville’s Electronic Archive consists of more than 5,000 pictures and documents constituting over 15 gigabytes of information. Thanks to the hard work of a few dedicated local historians, information regarding the history of almost every property in Annville has been gathered over the past year into an electronic archive of the township. “Several fascinating pictures and inspirational stories have come to light in the process of gathering an impressive amount of information,” notes Owen Moe, president of FOOA.
A significant portion of the information comes to FOOA from long-term Annville resident Doris Flory, who has spent many years researching properties and families in Annville. PDF-format files of these “Flory Notes,” so designated within the archive, incorporate notes from U.S. Censuses, local newspaper clippings, land transfer records, deeds, and other sources.
Annville resident Betty Streicher has shared over one thousand images of Annville for the archives from a collection of pictures and postcards begun by her husband, the late Dick Streicher, in the 1960s. Ammon Balaster submitted hundreds of pictures from the Italian community that was once centered around West Queen Street in Annville. All of these images have also been scanned and organized by address. Pictures from Scott Saylor, Linnea Miller, Robert Long and several other local families also contribute to a substantial archive, as well as reports to the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission and pictures and documents previously donated to the FOOA archives.
