Coolspring Power Museum's origins go back to the early 1950s and the efforts of two collectors: John Wilcox and Paul Harvey. As their collections grew, significant pieces were gathered in a series of buildings in Coolspring, Pennsylvania.
Jefferson
It's challenging to describe the emotions one may experience while visiting Jefferson County. Sometimes, it's the solitude—a walk through the forest so early in the morning that you catch the deer off guard. Other times, it's the activity.
Before European settlement, the Woodland Indians lived in the region that would become Jefferson County. As colonists gradually moved west from the eastern seaboard, pioneers such as Joseph and Andrew Barnett and Samuel Scott arrived in the area by 1794. Joseph Barnett later returned in 1797 with his family to establish Port Barnett, marking the beginning of the pioneer era in the region.
Between 1797 and 1830, settlers worked to tame the wilderness, resulting in steady development until the outbreak of the Civil War. Jefferson County contributed soldiers to the 105th Pennsylvania Infantry, also known as the "Wild Cat Regiment."
Timbering expanded after the war, and by 1874, the completion of the railroad helped accelerate economic growth. Coal production began in earnest in 1883, defining the county's industrial rise.
Jefferson County experienced hardship following World War I, entering a long period of economic depression that deepened during the Great Depression of the 1930s. World War II brought a temporary resurgence, but many wartime industries shuttered in the postwar years.
By the 1970s, major infrastructure, such as Interstate 80, had carved through the county, marking new chapters in transportation and connectivity. The end of the Vietnam conflict in 1975 echoed a proud legacy of military service preserved in local exhibits.
In 2004, Jefferson County proudly celebrated its bicentennial—200 years of resilience, adaptation, and heritage.
Museums
The Jefferson County History Center relocated to the newly preserved N. G. Edelblute Building (1855-1875) on Historic Brookville's Main Street in March 2004, marking the Bicentennial Year of the county's founding.
Taylor Memorial Museum houses a vast display of glass from local industry, plus many interesting artifacts from the lumbering, mining, and farming communities in the surrounding area.
Organizations
The Brockway Area Historical Society operates the Taylor Memorial Museum seasonally.