Founded in 1773, Hanna's Town was named for its originator, Robert Hanna. It was the foremost County Seat of Westmoreland County and the site of the first English court west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Southwestern Pennsylvania
The southwestern corner of Pennsylvania is the area that was the original Washington County, formed on March 28, 1781. This is the land to the west of the Monongahela River, from the West Virginia line north and west and south of the Ohio River to the Ohio line.
Parts of the original Washington County are now Greene and portions of Beaver and Allegheny Counties. Both Pennsylvania and Virginia initially claimed this Southwestern Pennsylvania portion of the Commonwealth.
The first National Road, Route 40, came through our area, along with endless visits by the famous surveyors George Washington, Lafayette, George Rogers Clark, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, and many other renowned people.
Join Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh Museums to learn more about the county's notable ancestry—and possibly your own.
Museums
McCarl Industrial & Agricultural Museum of Beaver County offers displays that demonstrate the history and development of manufacturing in the County. A forge demonstrates some of the basics of manufacturing.
On a chilly, sunny Monday morning in late October 2008, a crowd gathered on the corner of 6th and McKean in the community of Donora, Pennsylvania.
Westmoreland Museum of American Art has a significant and distinctive collection of paintings, sculptures, furniture, and more. Its collection beautifully describes the heritage of our nation and region and is designed to enrich, enlighten, and delight viewers of all ages.
Built in 1802, Greersburg Academy is the oldest public building in Beaver County and the oldest advanced education institution North of the Ohio River.
The first phase of the Duncan and Miller Glass Museum's history began in 1975, when two rooms in the Washington County Historical Society building, the LeMoyne House, became home to the young museum.
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is reaching Great Heights with exciting exhibits and programs for the young and young at heart.
The birthplace of the Seamless Tube Industry, named after the inventor of barbed wire, Isaac Ellwood, and developed by the Beaver Falls wire manufacturer, Henry Hartman.
Harlansburg Station is located in a replica train station with four Pennsylvania passenger cars at the intersection of Route 19 and Route 108, just east of New Castle in Harlansburg, PA.
Based on the private collections of Rachel McMasters Miller Hunt, the Hunt Institute was initially founded in 1961 as the Rachel McMasters Miller Hunt Botanical Library.
The South Side Historical Village is located in Greene Township at the Hookstown Fairgrounds in Hookstown. It is an interpretation of Early American life in the South Side region of Beaver County.
The Compass Inn is a place to receive an informative and entertaining tour by costumed docents that tells the story of transportation and everyday life in the early 1800's. The tour delivers "history with a smile" by incorporating a generous sprinkling of etymology (word and phrase origins).
Pittsburgh is a place where one may delve into art, culture, architecture and find masterpieces renowned around the world. One of the must-visit places in this city is the Carnegie Museum of Art.
Established in 1985, the Monaca Community Hall of Fame features over 100 plaques honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to the community or the country in various fields, including civic accomplishments, fraternal organizations, sports, and professional endeavors.
Albert kept his discovery of Native Peoples at the Rockshelter a secret for over 18 years after the discovery. He waited, searching for the right archaeological team to excavate his land properly.
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh found in 1896 by Andrew Carnegie.
The glow of a coal-fired blacksmith's forge mingles with the soft curl of wood smoke from nearby hearths.
The Mattress Factory is a modern museum that exhibits room-sized works called installations. Created on-site by artists from across the country and around the world, our unique exhibitions feature a variety of media that engage all of the senses.
Perryopolis Area History Museum is located in the historical building of the former Youghiogheny Bank of Pennsylvania, also known as Old State Bank, on Liberty Street, one-half block south of Washington Diamond in central Perryopolis.
The Johnstown Flood Museum is about one of the most shocking episodes of American history. On May 31, 1889, a neglected dam and a phenomenal storm led to a catastrophe in which 2,209 people died. The Johnstown Area Heritage Association receives many inquiries about the 1889 flood.
Organizations
The Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society is a non-profit, permanent institution whose primary mission is interpreting, preserving, and celebrating our cultural, industrial, and ethnic heritage of the Allegheny and Kiskiminetas river valleys in southwestern Pennsylvania, a region embracing th
Founded in 1908, the Westmoreland County Historical Society is dedicated to promoting and fostering knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of history in general, as well as all aspects of the history of Westmoreland County and its people, including those areas within its former boundaries.
The Zelienople Historical Society maintains a museum in Passavant House with many of the original articles brought by Zelie.
Based at the University of Pittsburgh and housed in the Stephen Foster Memorial, the Center for American Music is a library, archive, and museum dedicated to expanding and documenting knowledge of American music and its role in Americ
This Society attempts to fill the historical and genealogical needs for all within a 35-mile radius that do not have a historical organization of their own. They presently own and maintain two cemeteries:
Long before European colonists arrived, the land that is now Butler County, Pennsylvania, was under the control of the Iroquois Confederacy. This changed in 1753, when the French began establishing a series of forts in the region, culminating in the French and Indian War.
The Indiana County Historical & Genealogical Society in western PA serves a largely rural area noted for its forest, mineral resources, and scenic beauty. In 1938, the Indiana County Historical & Genealogical Society was founded as a private membership organization.
Once considered New Castle’s “best kept secret”, the word is out on the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts and its vision to “provide the best possible arts to the greatest number of people”!
Incorporated on February 22, 1988, the Ellwood City Area Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich history of our community.
The Lawrence County Historical Society is located in New Castle. The home of former tin plate mogul, George Greer, is resplendent in its glorious woodwork and fine leaded beveled glass made by the Fry Glass Company in Rochester, Pennsylvania.
The Foundation established in 1971, December 14, is a non-profit organization. The name of Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation comes from the County name where it is situated.
The Fayette County Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1971. Its mission and purpose are to find, collect, and preserve materials that portray the history of the county and the society.
The Society's goal is to arouse interest in local history and historic preservation through education, publications, meetings and events. Since its inception, the Society has grown to include more than 550 members and a permanent museum.
The Latrobe Area Historical Society of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to the collection, study and documentation of the Latrobe community's heritage and to the preservation of local history and its ethnic roots.Periodically the Society offers to the public special programs of his
The mission of the Ligonier Valley Historical Society discover, collect, preserve and disseminate any material which will help to establish or illustrate the exploration, settlement, development and general history of the Ligonier Valley area.
The McKeesport Heritage Center operates a museum and a research center. The museum has numerous displays of local memorabilia, including old photographs.
The mission of the Society for Contemporary Craft is to engage the public in the creative experience as expressed through contemporary craft.The organization seeks to move viewers beyond familiar frames of reference and challenge them to think in new ways about art, while also raising standards o
Opened in October 1988, Perryopolis Area Heritage Society is managed by local enthusiasts who want to preserve, promote, and develop the town's and neighborhood's historical structures and heritage. It is a Pennsylvania-chartered organization with 501(c) (3) not-for-profit status.
Organized in 1994 with 11 members, the Smock Historical Society preserves the heritage of the coal mining community, Smock, and the neighborhood.
The William Pitt Union, originally opened in 1898 as the grand Hotel Schenley, has been magnificently restored and now provides students with recreational and social facilities. Its amenities include beautiful study and social lounges, 19th-century ballroom, and modern offices.