Erie Maritime Museum, Homeport U.S. Brig Niagara, 150 East Front Street. As the homeport of Pennsylvania's official flagship, the museum offers the story of the Niagara from the reconstruction of the warship that won the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.
Northwestern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is strongly connected to the United States' formative years and history. Northwest Pennsylvania, the farthest point colonized before western expansion began, was home to many historically significant individuals, industries, and events.
George Washington visited and stayed in the region on several occasions. Here, the world's first zipper was created.
Enjoy tourism experiences with educational and historical significance. In Northwest PA, you will find many opportunities to explore sites and museums that document and preserve the area's rich history. You will discover it has not always been the "Quiet Northwest."
Northwestern Pennsylvania's wildlife and beautiful landscape have always been attractive subjects for artists. This natural atmosphere has spawned a great interest in and undertaking of wildlife art by many of the area's residents.
Moreover, many of these artists have further promoted their careers through the opening of wildlife art galleries and shops. In these galleries, one can find beautiful works of art based on the area and the native animals. Some galleries are open only during specific times of the week, so contact them before visiting.
Agriculture remains an economic livelihood for many people in northwest Pennsylvania. The rolling landscape of fields and crops helps one quickly understand its importance. With many farms, there are myriad opportunities for Nature Tourism on agricultural facilities and related sites. In addition, the sustainable methodology and alternative practices of certain farms in Northwest PA provide an educational and fascinating look at the changes in one of the United States' oldest professions.
Northwestern Pennsylvania remains an often undiscovered landscape of mountain trails, scenic road rides, and smooth family/multi-use trails. Numerous parks and abandoned railroad beds provide smooth and usually paved trails for the whole family. If you enjoy road riding, then a trip through any agricultural and woodland landscape is sure to be a scenic journey. Pennsylvania's forests offer many opportunities for mountain biking, from challenging hill climbs to technically difficult downhill runs. With paved family trails and some of the most technical and rigorous singletrack in the state, Northwest Pennsylvania offers an exploration experience.
Museums
The Firefighters Historical Museum, Inc. is located at the corner of West 5th and Chestnut Streets in downtown Erie. The museum was founded in 1969, Incorporated in 1971 and opened to the public on May 3, l976.
Simpler Times Museum is a group of five buildings full of priceless history. It is a hidden treasure at 111 Simpler Times Lane, Tidioute (four miles north of Tidioute on Route 62).
The mission of the Venango Museum of Arts, Science, and Industry is to preserve and conserve its holdings, as well as the beautiful Beaux Arts building it occupies, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Johnson-Shaw Stereoscopic Museum in Meadville, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Keystone View Company, once the world's largest producer of stereoviews—devices used to view paired photographs in 3D.
Housed in a beautiful 1839 Greek Revival building located in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, this member-supported non-profit organization offers year-round programming which includes exhibitions, concerts, classes, workshops, guided tours, lectures, and special events.
The Watson-Curtze Mansion stands as a symbol of the upper class lifestyle of the 1890s in Erie. The Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Forest County Historical Society Museum and the Society's headquarters are located in the George W. Robinson house, built in 1872.
The Kane Depot was built in 1873. An extension was made to the original building in 1890. The first railroad to operate through the depot was the Philadelphia/Erie Railroad.
Tucked into a grove of ancient oaks, high above the gentle Allegheny, our beautiful log clubhouse commands an imposing view of the river below.
The Sutton-Ditz House was erected in 1850 by Thomas Sutton, a young attorney who settled in Clarion County when it was established on 11 March 1839. He was accepted into the Bar Association in 1841 and quickly became a respected and admired attorney in the Clarion area.
For many years, the Greenville Area Historical Society Museum was located on College Avenue in a building owned by Thiel College, known as the Marietta Roth House.
The Museum's motto stands as a reminder to us all:"...that the old will remember, and the young shall know."Engine 604ENGINE 604 - the last of its kind - was the largest switch engine ever built...
The Erie Extension Canal was a significant means of travel from Pittsburgh to the Great Lakes from 1854 to 1871. This canal system was vital to western Pennsylvania's iron industry before the introduction of the railroads.
Built about 1855, the Gibson House was the home of Dr. William Gibson and his wife, Susan. Dr. Gibson settled in Jamestown in 1836 and established a flourishing medical practice. Besides serving as the town's physician, Dr.
The gallery offers art consultation and Fine Art Appraisal services for private, corporate, and public projects. Design, fabrication, and presentation of awards and gifts is another area of expertise.
Cherish the memory of your dog or cat with a portrait on pottery by artist/potter Vickie Allen. Allen hand-paints on the pottery from any snapshot to create a piece that captures the personality and likeness of your beloved pet.
From 1900 to 1937 a far different structure, the residence of Jerry and Laura Dunham Crary, stood on the site where the Crary Art Gallery now stands.
The 3500-square-foot Blair Museum holds a collection of items as old as the company itself: one-hundred-year-old letters, seventy-year-old products, and machines from the 1940s through today's computers.
Scandia Community Center and Museum, managed by the Elk Township Historical Society, is a historic one-room school with artifacts and old photos of their education and rural life.
The Robinson Museum (located directly behind Center House) was made possible through a bequest by Florence Himes-Robinson and is the official Museum of Elk County.
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.
Located in Meadville, the Baldwin-Reynolds House was once home to Supreme Court Justice Henry Baldwin (1780-1840) and, at other times, two of Meadville's mayors. Purchased by the Meadville Historical Society, the house now includes an ice house, tannery, garden, and spring-fed pond.
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 Clarion County Historical Society was established in 1955 and chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1956 as a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational institution.
The purpose of establishing Crawford County Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Crawford County.
The Penn State Shenango campus library is located in a building that was constructed in the early 1900s. For many years it was a commercial laundry, then a union hall for local steel workers. In 1990 the University purchased the building.
Warren County Historical Society is located in the Struthers-Wetmore-Schimmelfeng House, built in 1873 in the Italian Renaissance style. It is a solid structure today, but the veranda and balcony are gone. It proudly serves as the information center for the Warren Historic District.
The Erie Planetarium is a division of the Erie County Historical Society which has over 500 members. Members receive free admission and benefits at all ECHS sites.
Linesville Historical Society is located in downtown Linesville at 120 Erie Street - on the corner of Erie and South Pymatuning.
The Kane Depot Preservation Society was formed in 1995 to acquire and preserve the old Pennsylvania Railroad Station in Kane, PA.
The Society houses historical archives for genealogical research and excellent folios on Harborcreek families, cemeteries and other history. The Society office includes a reference library and several items such as the cemetery list in quick access format on the computer.
Lake Shore Railway Historical Society is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors that meets monthly to conduct LSRHS business.Lake Shore Railway Historical Society's mission is to preserve, enjoy and share the memory, history and experience of railroading, particularly that of northwester
The Elk County Historical Society is located in Ridgway, the county seat of Elk County which is in northwest Pennsylvania. Our organization consists of a Victorian Era house and the Robinson museum containing exhibits, a book store, and the genealogy room.
The Ridgway Heritage Council is a volunteer-based non-profit corporation dedicated to downtown revitalization, focusing on historic preservation.