Evening at the Museum

It only takes a few minutes to discover that the Corry Area Historical Museum on Mead Avenue treasures tradition and the preservation of memories of the fascinating past of the City of Corry as well as the surrounding area. In fact, the items at the museum document much of the way of life of people within a 250 square mile area.  Recently I was able to tour the museum as part of an event sponsored by Village Friends, Inc. As museum volunteer, Ann Clark, said in her introductory remarks of the tour, “People have done a great deal of work before us to preserve the record of our heritage, and we are working hard to continue that tradition.  That hard work and dedication, past and present, is evident to all who were able to attend. Many of us were even able to explore the record of our own families.  Now that is an amazing and emotional experience.  

The museum is a most “welcoming” place to visit.  Housing 15,000 artifacts arranged in creative ways, it also contains a large archive where newspaper clippings dating as far back as 1880 are organized and stored in a climate-controlled environment.   In addition to clippings is information not only on families from all walks of life, businesses, churches, and schools throughout time, but also many photographs that still need to be identified…just in case you are interested in doing a little detective work. 

Important point -- the museum can always use volunteers to catalog and to arrange new bits of history, to provide tours and to answer questions for the people who visit each year – over 3000 last year alone – 800 of whom came to do research on site.  It is a “happening” place to be sure.  Serious work is being done there and….  it is fun to visit.  Where else can you find such a variety – everything from yardsticks of local businesses to industrial machinery -- including a Climax Engine? 

No doubt about it. The Corry Area Historical Museum is a gift to Corry and the surrounding area.  It is open Thursdays 10-2 and Sundays 2-4 or by appointment.  Check out www.corryareahistoricalsociety.org for more details.

Brrr...

I continue to live in NW Pennsylvania because I don’t enjoy hot weather.  The summers are relatively cool (usually) and the winters -- well -- they are a bit more than cool, but I tell myself that the cold preserves me better. Earlier this season, even before the calendar start of winter, when what the weather people called an Arctic Express blasted Buffalo, it seemed too cold to snow here, but today is different.  I woke up to snow, and it has not stopped all day.  Now early evening, there looks to be a least a foot of the white stuff on the ground, not to mention deeper drifts, and it is still coming down.  Natives of this area would say that we are paying our dues for the seventeen days of sun this past summer or for a lovely autumn – several nice days in a row – maybe even three.   If you are not from around here, you need to realize that snow people believe that we will “pay” for every nice weather day we have throughout the “non-winter” month(s).  We simply cannot comprehend that there are places in the world that enjoy nice weather most of the time and where people don't know what lake-effect snow means.  I mean -- we know that there are places like that; we just don’t really get it. We live by our experience with weather and have begun to take some level of pride in our ability to survive. We often mention things like we are of hardy stock and take pride in our ability to keep a sense of humor when surrounded by white and gray from sky to ground. We also know that a person needs more than one type of snow shovel.  Bless our hearts. 

To make matters worse this time of year -- what I am finding now is that I don't enjoy winter as much as I did when I was younger.  Duh....  There are a few reasons. Snowshoes are no longer as much fun.  Ice has taken on new meaning now that my age group no longer jokes about broken hips... and... my eye balls sometimes seem to freeze during the time it takes to walk to my mailbox and back.  Yep -- new meanings. Winter no longer means ice-skating on Alice Lake at Mead Park, sledding on Piccadilly Hill, or spontaneous snowball fights. Then again it no longer means wool coats that when wet weigh twice your body weight. (Remember that wet wool smell of mittens and socks drying by the fire at Nichols lodge?  Actually -- I seriously don't miss that smell.)   

Then or now, winter weather is winter weather. As time passes, it takes longer and longer to get psychologically prepared for it even if we do have access to better winter clothing and to boots that do not require bread wrappers over our socks. Winter in NW Pennsylvania can be especially challenging, but then again -- there is a certain beauty to the change of the seasons here as well -- even if you start in early October to count the days until spring... even if you wonder if it will snow the night of the prom in May.  I think I will stay here for a while longer -- I am a snow person.

  Stay warm...