The Elk County Historical Society is located in Ridgway, the county seat of Elk County in Northwest Pennsylvania. The Society operates out of a beautifully preserved Victorian-era house and the adjacent Robinson Museum, which together house a variety of engaging exhibits, a bookstore, and a dedicated genealogy room.
A nonprofit membership organization, the Elk County Historical Society is supported through memberships, donations, and grants, and is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors. Staffed entirely by dedicated volunteers, our mission is clear and enduring:
To discover, collect, and preserve materials related to the history of Elk County, and to promote the study and appreciation of that history. Their guiding principle is simple: "Preserve the Past for the Future."
The Elk County Historical Society library features an extensive collection, including:- County cemetery records (with headstone information)
- U.S. Census records
- Hundreds of obituary records
- Advocate and Democrat newspapers (dating to the late 1860s)
- Ridgway Record microfilm (from 1903 to present)
- Family, county, and industrial histories
- Ridgway town directories and high school yearbooks
Courthouse records are also available for research; copies are $0.50 per sheet.
To ensure efficient service and preservation of records, the Society follows these guidelines:
- All genealogy requests must be submitted by mail — email requests are not accepted.
- Non-members visiting the Society for research: $5 access fee, plus $0.20 per copy.
- Members visiting the Society: free access, with copies charged at $0.20 each.
- For single-item requests (e.g., obituary or wedding notice): flat fee of $5.
- Mailed requests will be billed based on the amount of information requested, the time required to compile, copies, and postage. Our fees remain reasonable and transparent.
Museums or Landmarks
